While world leaders continue to haggle and debate solutions and financial bailouts for Greece, other European countries and their banks, and while the United States Congress remains divided over health care for the poor, the domestic economy and how to solve the Global Financial crisis, children across the globe continue to be exploited, stolen, abused, and trained as sex workers or boy soldiers. This was the clear message delivered by a range of Australian and International speakers at the recent World Forum for children held in Melbourne from the 18th to the 21st October.
The 22nd World Forum sponsored by the International Forum for Child Welfare brought together a range of experts from across the globe engaged in supporting and freeing children from many forms of abuse and exploitation. The theme of the conference was “Education and Children’s Wellbeing -Philosophy, Policy and Practice”. The theme was chosen to promote education as a priority goal in achieving a child’s wellbeing and potential for growth, embracing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In my opening address to the Forum I challenged participants to think outside the box and to dream beyond their initial reasons for attending, to reflect on the growing injustice to children and to be a voice with and for every child at home and abroad. I reminded those present that children in many places across the world have no voice, are treated as chattels and not only need our advocacy but demand it as a basic human right.
We often hear the words that children are our present and our future, yet in the context of the stories told and the life experiences of children in many places we heard described in the following days, the words amount to little more than rhetoric without substance or action on the part of governments and agencies committed to the wellbeing of children. It is so easy for us in Australia and other parts of the developed world to express such hopes without realising or acknowledging that the solutions do not rest with others alone but start with us. Although television brings into our homes on a regular basis images of children dying from hunger and malnutrition, the enormity of the crisis facing children and their families does not stir us into action which would see the tragic lives of these children improved. Likewise, the response of government is less than satisfactory and assertive, particularly in light of Australia’s wealth at this time.
Abuse and exploitation of children can take many forms. It may mean emotional, physical or sexual abuse by known or unknown persons. It can mean the exploitation of children by various forms of media, by the advertising and product sales of corporations or institutions. It can be caused by lack of family, education and health support or by bullying in the playground. Solutions to all these issues require a political will by everyone and cannot be driven simply by governments. Solutions require actions not just words. Australians in recent months have raised a political storm about the ill-treatment of animals destined for the slaughterhouses in Indonesia, but seem less concerned by the preventable deaths of children across the world daily, the housing of refugee children in detention centres and the plight of indigenous children. Why is it we can gather signatures and be mobilised at railway stations to sign a petition to stop the inhumane treatment of animals but not for children? Our media remind us daily of the millions of children for whom life is risky, abusive and without a future unless we act. We are not without knowledge. It was only a short time ago that our Prime Minister of the day and the Federal Parliament apologised for the treatment of children raised in institutions and to British child migrants, yet we continue to ignore the plight of many of our own children and those arriving on our shores seeking protection and hope.
Baroness Susan Greenfield in her presentation at the World Forum spoke about the important matter of brain development and the role environmental stimulus plays in growing a child’s capacity to learn, to grow, to engage with others, and to create a future for themselves. She spoke about how brain tissue becomes a mind like ours by adapting to the environment: how to navigate, to survive and to make sense of our meaning. The more the brain is stimulated, the better for the child. Greenfield’s presentation challenged the WorldForum to consider how individuals and organisations could influence the environment in which children are reared and the importance of brain development in designing programs to address risk and to improve skills. A capacity to learn is essential if a child is to grow. Investing in children in the early years is paramount and brings personal development and economic benefits to a country. Healthy, wise and educated children are an asset to any community and not a future liability and cost.
The United Nations estimates that by 2020, 50 million people will be on the move from the southern hemisphere to the northern, with Europe at the centre of the shift. The challenge posed here may be as great as the current financial challenges facing the global community. The challenge is how to facilitate the integration of children, young people and families with different beliefs and experiences into new cultures and how to share theirs with the locals. The role of social media and the ease of communications emerged in this context, with a range of concerns about how they may affect our ability to deal with culture and belief issues in a constructive way. In particular, some forms of technology pose problems as they affect sensory perceptions, empathy, relationships and our commitment to community.
We can begin to respond to the growing needs of the world’s children by taking seriously our own privilege here at home in Australia. This will involve asking ourselves serious questions about why we remain silent and not outraged at the treatment of children. Why we do not demand of our political, corporate, community and religious leaders greater commitment and action to address the growing disparity between children at home and abroad. We can begin by listening to the experiences of children and involving them in the decisions that affect their lives. We can seek to share our journey with theirs and embrace their challenge as ours also. In this way we can demonstrate a willingness to help transform their lives and offer hope.
While there are individuals and organisations seriously concerned about these issues and doing their best to address them, without broader coalitions and support from all sectors of the community and governments outcomes will be limited. Other strategies to consider are:
· The need to conduct impact statements on the likely effect of policies on children and families;
· The development of early intervention programs focusing on the needs of disadvantaged and fragile children and families in the community;
· Policy initiatives driven by research and data not by ideology or political whims;
· Listening to the voices of children and their families.
Ray Cleary
Trinity Theological School
Melbourne
31th October 2011
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