Why an Appeal ?
International Network
For the last 60 years, the International Catholic Child Bureau (Bice), a Catholic network of organizations for the dignity and the rights of the child, has been carrying out field operations as well as international advocacy and research on childhood.
In Geneva, on June 4, 2009, Bice launched the World Appeal to a New Mobilization for Childhood in order to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Why this Bice initiative?
In 1979, Bice has been one of the advocates of the International Year of the Child. The success of this event has given impetus to the development of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. During the 80's, Bice played a very meaningful role in its drafting process. Since then our organisation has always continued its commitment to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva (where we have a permanent representation) as well as in the field, thanks to our presence in 77 countries through a network of partners, member organisations and experts.
Two years ago, with the 20th anniversary of the Convention in mind, Bice launched a large consultation on the status of childhood worldwide, gathering expert groups in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe-CIS. To commemorate Bice's 60th anniversary, their reports were presented in Paris last June.
They have been instrumental to the International Committee [1], which met in Brussels in October 2008 and was entrusted to draft a Reference Document (see annex). This text has served as a basis to write the Appeal to be launched in Geneva next June.
Why an Appeal?
Millions of children are uprooted, including physical uprooting as well as a more intimate, psychological uprooting, which is frequently accentuated by the weakening of families that we can note throughout the world.
Unfortunately, the economic crisis that is spreading to a global scale, risks making the situation even worse.
This issue as well as many transnational problems affecting children (i.e. emigration, human trafficking, child pornography, sale of organs...), urge a new worldwide mobilisation for childhood.
Thus, the Appeal questions States (who have the primary responsibility to ensure the implementation of the Convention [2]), the international community, the media, moral and religious leaders, civil society organisations, and all men and women of good will because respecting the rights and the dignity of the child concerns each one of us.
Who sponsors the Appeal?
Marguerite Barankitse, from Burundi and the recipient of the 1998 French Government Human Rights Award, sponsors the Appeal. Her courage and determination has saved the lives of many Tutsi and Hutu children during the inter-ethnic massacres of 1993. Since then, more than 10,000 children have been sheltered at Maison Shalom, which she created. Here, a sense of the two ethnicities' mutual responsibility is fostered and children receive an education on Peace.
We are also constituting an Honorary Committee and soliciting a number of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to sponsor the Appeal.
Who is called to sign the Appeal and what does this signature commit to?
The signing of the Appeal is widely opened to NGOs, educational institutions, youth organisations, social institutions, moral and religious organisations and leaders, committed personalities, and the larger public.
Signing the Appeal symbolizes the promotion of a culture based on the respect of the child in order to ensure the integral development of each and every child. Through the dissemination of the Appeal, its subscribers also indicate their commitment to defend the dignity and the rights of the child wherever they are violated.
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[1] The list of the members of the International Committee is contained in the Reference Document.
[2] Every country in the world has ratified the Convention with the exception of two.
