Welcome!

Dear friends,

We are glad to inform you that after our pleasant experience with the Italian blog, the IIMA Human Rights Office has decided to open a new blog in English.

On this blog, you may follow our main activities with the United Nations and its mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights, as well as news from the UN bodies and IIMA offices in different countries related to the right to education.

Do you want to collaborate with us? You can apply for an internship at the IIMA Human Rights Office. Click here!

Have a great time reading!

30.3.16

The Rights of the Child at the United Nations


Every year during the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, a full day is reserved on the rights of the child. This day presents an opportunity for representatives from countries and NGOs to meet and compare various realities and international initiatives regarding children.

This year, on March 7th 2016, Mr. Benyam Dawit Mezmur (Chairperson of the Committee on the Right of the Child), Ms. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio (Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography) and Mr. Hernias Allen (Chairperson of the International Advisory Board of the United Kingdom) attended the early morning session.

Ms. Kate Gilmore (High United Nations Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights) introduced the debate reporting the situations to which children are exposed during online activities including the use of internet for the diffusion of pornographic material. The internet offers a great opportunity for people to connect socially and culturally, especially young people. Unfortunately in many cases, it’s submitted to a serious distortion: the younger the children are, the more vulnerable they are - both in the virtual and real world- and more serious is the abuse to which they are submitted.

18.3.16

Using comic books to prevent child soldier recruitment.



The 12th of February 2016, on the occasion of the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, or “Red Hand Day” in support of the victims, IIMA assisted a talk at the UN Library on how to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers through the use of comic books.

There has been a huge development in International Law to protect children from recruitment in armed conflicts including: the Additional Protocol to the CRC entered into force 14 years ago; the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which targets specific measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, including child soldiers; the UNSC Resolution 16/12; and the Paris Guiding Principles of 2007.

However, according to Mr. Ulrich Seidenberger, the German Permanent Representative to the UN, there are still 250.000 children who were forcefully recruited to be soldiers, guards, concubines, and suicide bombers even today. He pointed out that in order to prevent these practices, it is very important to raise awareness among children and communities.