GENEVA / ZEID CHILDREN TORTURE

According to UN experts, an increasing number of children worldwide are victims of torture. Referring to the current migrant crisis in Europe, the high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, said a “shockingly high number of child migrants suffer detention at borders, and may suffer very harsh physical abuse in detention by agents of the State.” UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:29
• Production Date: 8 April 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: CHILDREN; TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT
• MAMS Id: 1598992
• Parent Id: 1598992
• Alternate Title: unifeed160408c

Description

STORY: GENEVA / ZEID CHILDREN TORTURE
TRT: 02:31
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 8 APRIL 2016 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

RECENT – GENEVA

1. Exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, Conference room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations: “Children are of course entitled to specific protection, because of their heightened vulnerability. And yet as documented by the work of the UN Torture Fund and other UN Mechanisms, the torture of children is an unbearable reality, particularly in countries in conflicts such as Syria, where the Commission of Inquiry has repeatedly excoriated the torture of children. Even very young children are spared no suffering – including the use of specific machinery to inflict pain; mock executions; the obligation to witness pain being inflicted on other children or family members; and sexual mutilation and assault. Indeed, children are often targeted because they are children, as a way of intimidating entire communities, or to leverage additional pain onto their parents.”
4. Close up, book cover “From Horror to Healing”
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations: “States have an obligation to help child victims of torture work towards recovery and find redress. Regrettably, this obligation is often ignored. But around the world, networks of physicians, psychologists, social workers and lawyers, like the ones with us here today, do assist child survivors of torture to deal with the trauma they have suffered. Much of their work is supported by the UN Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture, which marks its 35th anniversary this year.”
6. Pan on participants
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“A shockingly high number of child migrants suffer detention at borders, and may suffer very harsh physical abuse in detention by agents of the State. It is absolutely vital that States attentively protect the rights of all migrants, and most especially all child migrants.”
8. Close up, High Commissioner
9. Med shot, participants listening
10. Med shot, HC and podium
11. Close up, booklet of meeting
12. Close up, illustration showing girl
13. Close up, illustration showing child forced to dig a tomb

Storyline

According to United Nations (UN) experts, an increasing number of children worldwide are victims of torture.

This year, some 5,300 child and adolescent victims of torture are estimated to be given assistance by organisations funded by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT). Last year these organisations reported that they had assisted just under 4,000 child victims up to the age of 18.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, addressed the need to protect children during a two-day meeting of experts ending today (8 Apr) in Geneva.
He said, “Children are of course entitled to specific protection, because of their heightened vulnerability”, adding “and yet as documented by the work of the UN Torture Fund and other UN Mechanisms, the torture of children is an unbearable reality, particularly in countries in conflicts such as Syria, where the Commission of Inquiry has repeatedly excoriated the torture of children.”

"Even very young children are spared no suffering – including the use of specific machinery to inflict pain,” Zeid noted.

Referring to the current migrant crisis in Europe, the High Commissioner said, “a shockingly high number of child migrants suffer detention at borders, and may suffer very harsh physical abuse in detention by agents of the State. It is absolutely vital that States attentively protect the rights of all migrants, and most especially all child migrants.”

Hosted by UN Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture, specialised doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers and social workers discussed ways of successfully tackling the long-lasting trauma and suffering resulting from torture, particularly on children and adolescents, and to prevent the transfer of the consequences of torture through generations.

The High Commissioner called upon States who “have an obligation to help child victims of torture to work towards recovery and find redress. Regrettably, this obligation is often ignored. But around the world, networks of physicians, psychologists, social workers and lawyers, like the ones with us here today, do assist child survivors of torture to deal with the trauma they have suffered. Much of their work is supported by the UN Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture, which marks its 35th anniversary this year.”

To mark the Fund's 35th anniversary, a new publication was launched called “From Horror to Healing: A life saving journey supported by the UN Fund for Victims of Torture”. It tells the personal stories of both victims of torture and the practitioners who help them to heal and reclaim their dignity.