The issue of Children, Adolescents and Family at Summit Meetings

By Silvana Bruno

Forums held within the Inter-American System
Summits of the Americas

1^st Summit of the Americas ( Miami, Florida, December 1994)

“Our final objective is to improve the way in which the needs of the population (especially the needs of women and people belonging to the most vulnerable groups, including indigenous groups, disabled people, children, senior citizens, and minorities) are met”.

During the development of the 1^st Summit, both in its Declaration and in its Plan of Action, the following subjects –among other- were discussed:

Human Rights

With regard to this aspect, special emphasis was placed on revising and strengthening those laws protecting the rights of the minorities, the rights of women and children, and also the rights of indigenous peoples and their communities, as well as the rights of disabled people.

Society and Community’s Participation

With regard to this aspect, emphasis was put on the importance of the Civil Society’s participation. In order to attain this purpose, Governments should revise and take measures aiming at improving participation, facilitating the way in which it operates, and developing the capacity to receive funds as well as fostering dynamic relations between public and private institutions and organizations.

2^nd Summit of the Americas (April 1998)

“We reaffirm our will to continue with this momentous enterprise that requires progressive national efforts and a dynamic international cooperation”.

During the development of the 2^nd Summit, both in its Declaration and in its Plan of Action, the following subjects –among other- were discussed:

Education

It has been defined as the key to progress. Leaders have set certain priorities with regard to the following aspects, some of which are: development of educational policies, teachers’ training, improvement of education’s quality, updating of regulations concerning education. From the point of view of the subject we are dealing with, two points are developed in the Plan of Action, which are transcribed next:

ü “They will, with the help of families and other persons involved, as well as social organizations, develop educational strategies, both within school and outside, that contribute to the education on values, especially focusing on the incorporation of democratic principles, human rights, the gender perspective, peace, tolerant coexistence and respect for the environment and natural resources.”

ü They will try to connect schools and communities through the use of technology, as a way of establishing links in the Hemisphere, encouraging high education institutions to participate in this process, since they have advantages in this field.

Democracy, Justice, and Human Rights

With regard to this issue, and according to the ratification of the Miami commands, it has been established that:

ü “They will, with the participation of the civil society, define and develop complete policies aimed at promoting and protecting human rights at national level, in accordance with international principles and regulations, and including these policies in the national plans or programs on human rights”.

Specifically in connection with the Rights of the Child it has been established

that:

ü They will, by means of strengthening international cooperation mechanisms, promote the adoption of educational, legal, and social measures to combat physical abuse, sexual abuse and trafficking involving minors, as well as child prostitution, child exploitation and pornography”.

Drugs

ü “They will strengthen national efforts and international cooperation in order to:

• Improve their national policies and plans concerning prevention of unlawful drug consumption and increase the number of measures aimed at preventing the growth and expansion of such consumption, and eliminate financial incentives to illegal trafficking”

Family

Although the issue of Family appears in many parts of this Plan of Action, as well as in the Declaration, this subject is approached through other subjects that are more relevant to this Summit. Thus we see this subject related to the issues of Migration, Labor, Drugs or Education.

Justice

ü “They will, as soon as possible, adjust their legislation, conduct the necessary institutional reforms and take the necessary measures that guarantee the complete protection of the rights of children and young people, in accordance with the obligations stated in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and in other international instruments”.

ü “They will, as the case may be, promote a differentiation between the procedures and the consequences of infringing the criminal law, and those measures that are taken in order to protect both children and young people whose rights are threatened or have been violated. Besides, they will promote the adoption of socio-educational measures for the rehabilitation of underage offenders”.

ü They will promote either the creation or strengthening –as the case may be- of a jurisdictional body specialized in matters concerning family”.

Children

As far as this field is concerned, the two points that are considered the most relevant ones and which are connected with our activity, are the ones who have been selected:

ü “Strengthening and creating (in case they do not already exist) national mechanisms and governmental bodies, as well as the corresponding regional and sub-regional networks in charge of promoting legal equality and equal opportunities for both women and men, focusing on gender equity”.

ü “Examining the existing laws and their implementation in order to identify those obstacles that hinder women’s full participation in our countries’ political, economic, social and cultural life. Whenever it is necessary they will foster reforms or new legislation to eliminate any kind of discrimination and violence against women, to guarantee the protection of the rights of Children ”.

Indigenous groups

ü “They will facilitate the arrangements for round-table discussions held together with members of indigenous groups, both at national level and within the hemisphere, with the purpose of promoting greater cooperation in the areas of health and education, placing special emphasis on the issues of children, women, poverty and development”.

Child labor

ü “At the same time, and in order to deal with the issue of child labor, governments will increasingly strengthen their general efforts and coordination between those institutions that are involved in this issue”.

3^rd Summit of the Americas ( Quebec, April 2001)

During the Third Summit, special emphasis was placed on the level of treatment of the issues concerning children and young people in the Americas. Among other items, there was established the need to ensure compliance with those conferences aimed at analyzing the welfare of this part of the population, and problems such as the international abduction of minors by one of their parents, children’s participation in armed conflicts or the use of children by irregular forces, were discussed in particular. With regard to this issue, there stood out in this Summit the participation by several international organizations. One of these organizations was the Inter-American Children’s Institute, since one of its characteristics is that of promoting the rights of children and young people.

By analyzing the Declaration and Plan of Action it can be seen that the issues connected with children were dealt with in the following way:

Human Rights

ü Promoting and strengthening the respect for Human Rights, signing and

ratifying international instruments and fulfilling international obligations

concerning women, children, senior citizens, indigenous groups, disabled

people and all those people belonging to vulnerable or discriminated groups

ü A special item is designated for dealing with the issue of Women’s Human

Rights

ü It is stated that the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents must be included on the Agendas of those Institutions existing in the Hemisphere. A special reference is made to the commitment to ratifying and signing, or rapidly adhering to the Optional Protocols of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and legal adjustment to the Convention by each country is also encouraged.

ü Prevention of Violence

Education

It is seen as a tool needed for strengthening Democracy, as a way of developing human potential, and as an element to reduce poverty. Different strategies involving all groups and people are designed.

Children and Young People

The importance of promoting the Rights of the Child to enable children’s full development is acknowledged at this Summit, as well as those kinds of intervention that focus on the protection against discrimination, inequality, abuse, exploitation and violence affecting those most vulnerable people; this also considered from the point of view of a gender perspective. Therefore, the following ideas have been stated:

ü The importance given to the implementation of the Agenda on Children affected by Wars

ü The tasks carried out by the Inter-American Children’s Institute.

ü Generating public policies aimed at ensuring the complete welfare and development of children and adolescents

ü Guaranteeing that children who are in conflict with the law are treated in a way that is consistent with their best interest and in accordance with the obligations arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and from other international instruments

ü Supporting the families in order to protect children and adolescents who are at risk, and also in order to protect them against situations involving Exploitation, discrimination, violence, or other factors

ü Fostering cooperation with regard to the issue of International Abduction of Minors by one of their parents.

ü Including birth registration of all children as part of the protection and promotion of the Rights of the Child and also in the implementation of policies and programs

ü Fostering young people’s participation and representation in all those issues affecting them, giving them access to reliable information, enabling them to express their opinions and contributing to organize discussions in forums and events (locally, nationally, etc)

Migration

ü “ They will commit themselves to cooperating and exchanging information amongst States as much as this is possible, in connection with the situation of illicit trafficking networks; including the development of preventive campaigns on the hazards and risks that migrants—particularly women and children, who may often be the victims of such trafficking—must face ”

Violence

After the 3^rd Summit, national and international organizations will be encouraged to work jointly and in a coordinated way on the prevention of violence against people, families and communities. There will also be calls for the Mass Communications Media and Entertaining Media to take part in the process of ending the promotion and diffusion of a culture of violence, thus promoting a culture of Peace.

Specific command for the IIN and other International Organizations

“They will strengthen the role played by the PAHO, the IIN and the CIDH [Inter-American Commission on Human Rights] as technical advisors for the SIRG as far as all the aspects connected with children are concerned, and will acknowledge the importance of the role played by these institutions in following the Summit’s relevant recommendations”

Summit of the Americas 1994 - 2001
	Democracy	Human Rights	Social and economic development	Education	Justice	Social and health-related aspects
1^st 1994	Democracy	§ Discrimination, § Social Justice, § Migrating families	§Sustainable development §Economic integration, §Free trade §Environment	§ Universal access		§ Poverty: § Access to Education § Access to Health-Care Services § Women’s role § Small enterprises
2^nd 1998	Democracy	§ Women, § Indigenous groups § Migrating workers § Vulnerable groups § Commercial sexual exploitation § Child trafficking	§Economic development §Economic integration §Free trade	§ Education	§ Strengthening of the Judicial System	§ Poverty: § Nutrition § Health § Breastfeeding § Sustainable development
3^rd 2001	Democracy	§ International regulations § System of Human Rights § Women § Children § Freedom of opinion and expression § Indigenous groups	§Civil Society’s Participation §Sustainable development	§ Educational systems § Quality of Education § Education Technology	§ Rule of Law § Security of the Individual § Prevention of Violence	§ Health § Reform of the health system § Immunization § Gender § Cultural diversity

Conferences of Spouses of Heads of State and Government of the Americas

The origins of this Conference date back to 1980, when First Ladies from Central America decided to gather in order to exchange experiences and integrate aims, projects and action and cooperation mechanisms within their countries. The eight previous Conferences that are not mentioned in this report[1]