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| Saturday, 9 October 2004 |
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Action plan to combat child abuse in S.Asia by Nadira Gunatilleke Social Welfare Ministers of the South Asian countries signed a National Action Plan to combat child exploitation, child labour and cruelty to children during the South Asia Mid Term Review of 'The Yokohama Global Commitment 2001' held in Colombo. The Social Welfare Ministers of South Asian countries agreed to find funds for the National Action Plan and a strategy to collect data on cruelty to children. The ministers also agreed to exchange data among the countries. They agreed to take policy decisions to remove any existing hazards that prevent children from living freely. About 138 countries have signed the Yokohama Global Commitment. The views of children who took part in South Asia Mid Term Review of the Yokohama Global Commitment 2001 used to formulate the National Action Plan. At the South Asian Consultation held prior to the Yokohama Congress, in Dhaka in 2001, the 'South Asia Strategy against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse' was also adopted by the countries of the region. The regional strategy expressed South Asian countries' commitments for forging a collective and concerted action for clamping down on the scourge of commercial sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children which plagues the region. During the second World Congress, the countries reaffirmed their commitment to protect children from sexual exploitation within the global movement. The South Asian consultation, recognising the important role children and young people have in creating and implementing the 'Regional Strategy', ensured meaningful participation of young people from the seven countries of SAARC. In response to the Regional strategy and the Yokohama Global Commitment, national plans of action against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and trafficking have been enforced in five of the South Asian countries including Sri Lanka. The other countries are Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. National laws have been amended for this purpose. |
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