Organizations will stimulate the creation of Observatories of public policies on the rights of children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean through the Agreement #TejiendoRedesInfancia

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  • Representatives from REDLAMYC and Save the Children presented the Framework Collaboration Agreement with the European Union that seeks to positively impact the lives of children and adolescents in the region.
  • Despite the advances in legislative matters that have occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean since the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 27 years ago, there are still multiple deficiencies that prevent public policies from having an impact on the positive way in the fulfillment of the rights of girls, boys and adolescents.

In this context, @REDLAMYC Latin American and Caribbean Network for the defense of the rights of children and adolescents presented the Framework Collaboration Agreement between the European Union and REDLAMYC for the strengthening of Coalitions of Rights of girls, boys and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean (#Weaving NetworksChildhood) which aims to position this network of networks as a global benchmark in the promotion, defense and enforceability of the rights of girls, boys and adolescents, with proposals for change in budgetary, social and cultural structures as well as public policies with rights approach.

The child and adolescent population represents 34.5% of the total population of Latin America and the Caribbean. One of the biggest problems is the widespread violence in the region where the homicide rate is 21.6 per 100,000 people. [1] The tragedy that occurred in Guatemala on March 8, where 40 girls and adolescents lost their lives, in a collective and institutional femicide, account for the urgency of citizen actions to demand the proper implementation of the National Systems for the Protection of Girls, Boys and Girls. Adolescents in the region.

On the context in Latin America, Georgina Villalta, General Manager of the Network for Children and Adolescents (RIA) El Salvador pointed out that generalized violence, forced migration, forced disappearances, human trafficking, homicides, violence Intrafamily, corruption and impunity are common common problems that children experience in the region, so this project seeks to create Regional and National Observatories that make it possible to make visible and provide real proposals in public policies to guarantee rights. He indicated that one of the challenges is to observe the National Systems for the Protection of the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents.

Regarding the events that occurred in Guatemala, Nora Pulido, Coordinator of the Collective for the Rights of Children and Adolescents of Argentina, pointed out that this femicide is the responsibility of the State and an example of the situation in which a large part of children in the region find themselves “the reality daily life of our boys and girls continues to be deeply painful ”. He highlighted that this project seeks to strengthen the networks and bases where the lives of boys and girls are developed on a daily basis, considering the perspective of gender and diversity.

Nicky Bravo Coordinator of the Social Movement for Children and Adolescents in Ecuador, mentioned that a fundamental part of the project is to influence investment based on General Comment No. 19 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, promoting specialized investment which is a priority to achieve significant changes in the guarantee of the rights of girls, boys and adolescents.

Carlos Mamani, indigenous Aymara and representative of the Bolivian Coalition for the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, considered that the norms exist in the countries but they are not fulfilled, therefore, he said “this is the moment in Latin America and the world to to be able to articulate ourselves ”and that public policies are created with investment that benefits girls, boys and adolescents.

In turn, Juan Martín Pérez García, Executive Secretary of @REDLAMYC, highlighted that the project seeks to achieve a strategic dialogue between those of us who seek to strengthen the rule of law, democracy and citizen participation, at the same time as strengthening ourselves as a Latin American platform, from the one that makes the citizenship of girls, boys and adolescents visible, influencing the countries of the region to generate mechanisms for child participation.

In this sense, Anna Barkered, representative of Save the Children, highlighted that the participation of girls and boys "Listen to their ideas about how we can work and what we should do" it is a key factor to have good results.

During the launch event, representatives of the Delegation of the European Union in Mexico were also present, as well as the His Excellency Ambassador of Panama and political advisers from the embassies of Belgium, Colombia, Belgium, and Honduras; as well as members of the NGO Coalition for Children and Adolescents of the Dominican Republic, the Alliance for the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents (AlianzaMx) and the Network for the Rights of Children in Mexico #REDIM.

Media contact: Verónica Morales, Regional Communication Officer #Weaving NetworksChildhood

Image: Ben Dutton on Unsplash