Page 8 - DIVA_1_2024
P. 8

international





                           “The    children  do  not  suffer  from  what  the  adult  have  devoted  –  and  will  continue  to  devote
                                   world is doing.                        –  attention  to  all  persons  with  disabilities,
                   architecture
                                                                          but  especially  to  children  with  disabilities,
                   of children’s   This  was  the  basic  notion  in  the  very  first  for they face multiple challenges. We became

                          rights   declaration  on  the  rights  of  the  child  –  the  very  sensitive  to  this  during  the  Covid  19
                                   so  called  Geneva  Declaration  endorsed  pandemic. We saw how children were affected
                      has been     by  the  League  of  Nations  in  1924,  which  by restrictions imposed on everyone but were
                 progressively     proclaimed that children are holders of rights  especially  difficult  to  endure  for  them.  In
                       evolving    in themselves, that is, as independent subjects  particular,  they  were  suffering  because  they
                                   of  rights,  which  are  not  a  function  of  their  were unable to go to school, a major source of
                       over the    parents  or  their  families,  but  that  they  are  their normal socialization process.

                         years.”   entitled in their own capacity to certain rights,
                                   and to special duty of care by the adults.  They  needed  educational  activities  and
                                                                          socializing, and these were provided virtually,
                                   Therefore, adults are those who are responsible  using  technical  means,  but  not  in  a  natural
                                   for ensuring that children are in a position to  environment with personal human to human
                                   enjoy  their  rights.  Children  are  entitled  to  contacts.  Human  contacts  are  so  important,
                                   special care and special protection, especially  but the children had to live through this using
                                   in  situations  of  challenge  and  difficulty  like  virtual means of communication.
                                   armed conflicts, pandemics, natural disasters,  This incited us to pay more attention and build
                                   because they are the most vulnerable members  on  past  experience  in  promoting  children’s
                                   of the human kind.                     rights,  to  include  this  as  one  of  four  major
                                                                          priority areas of engagement.
                                   It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Geneva
                                   Declaration  of  1924  actually  inspired  the  Women and girls in particular are of course
                                   United Nations to adopt another declaration  also  facing  a  number  of  gender-related
                                   on the same subject, a more detailed one, in  challenges,  where  we  need  to  continue  our
                                   1959. And 30 years later, in 1989, it was the  engagement, and they will also remain a high
                                   Convention  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child  that  priority.
                                   was adopted by the General Assembly of the
                                   United Nations and opened for signature. So,  It’s encouraging that you put the human being
                                   the architecture of children’s rights has been  in the centre of everything.
                                   progressively evolving over the years.  When you’re dealing with human rights, it’s
                                                                          impossible not to deal with human beings. By
                                   It is interesting that you put children’s rights in  definition, human beings are in the centre of
                                   the forefront, especially these days when there  human rights.
                                   seems to be so much indifference to children.
                                   Why it is a priority for your country?  You also are very interested in “fake” media,
                                   It is a priority not just for us but for many countries  and “fake news”. How are you going to tackle
                                   and for the European Union. Of course, when  that subject?
                                   prioritizing children, we shouldn’t lose sight of  It is important, first of all, to raise awareness
                                   other groups of persons in vulnerable situations  about the risks that fake news, distortion of
                                   who require specific attention and greater effort  facts  and  disinformation  are  playing  in  our
                                   to  ensure  their  equal  access  to  rights  and  to  daily  lives.  In  the  past,  media  outlets  were,
                                   opportunities, which others take for granted.  technically  speaking,  limited  to  a  few  kinds
                                                                          of media carriers. It was printed media, radio
                                   For  people  who  are  vulnerable,  this  is  and TV. They have long been expanding their
                                   challenging.  They  need  special  support,  capacity  to  influence  human  behaviour  and
                                   special  attention,  and  sometimes  special  create a certain common information space.
                                   measures  to  ensure  that  they  enjoy  equality
                                   both  in  opportunities  and  in  enjoyment  of  Compared to the technologies that nowadays
                                   the rights they are entitled to. In the past we  are in place, these “older” media’s influencing


                                                                               w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13