violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

‘The way to decrease violence is to work together with all our leaders in our village.’Boy, Solomon Islands, 2005 VIII324Violence against children in the communityof girls and women from the region, the SHGswork on the underlying causes of traffickingthrough educational and awareness generationactivities, as well as through providing viablelivelihood options to the community members.An assessment managed by UNICEFin Andhra Pradesh found that the number ofgirls/women trafficked from the project areadecreased between 2000 and 2004. STHREEhas also managed to rescue girls and womenfrom places as far away as Delhi, Pune andMumbai by helping families or ATCs to filecomplaints with the police and by followingup with police and NGO networks in otherStates. 238Other important initiatives to reduce the vulnerabilityof children to being trafficked centreon taking action to fend off the economic pressuresthat face families in difficult situations.In Albania, the Swiss Government Cooperationfor Development funds vocational trainingfor young people at risk of trafficking toequip them with marketable skills so that theycan find work at home. In the countries of theMekong, ILO–IPEC has supported microcreditgrants, vocational training, job placementand small business development for familiesat risk. All of these initiatives reinforcethe coping mechanisms of families and adolescents,and reduce the likelihood that theywill leave to look for dubious work, or fall preyto recruiters exploiting their desire to improvetheir situation. 239Providing safe physical environmentsAs discussed above, there is considerable evidenceof a relationship between the physicalenvironment and violence, particularly inurban settings. A number of measures canbe taken to alter the physical environment ofcommunities in order to reduce the risk of violenceby and towards children. These includeimproved lighting, reducing the number of‘blind’ locations (alleys, underground causeways,etc.) where violence can be perpetratedunseen, and creating safe routes for children ontheir way to and from school and other communityactivities. In locations such as shantytowns and refugee camps, particular emphasisis placed on creating safe routes to communalwater collection, and to bathing and toiletfacilities.At a more fundamental and long-term level,efforts should be made to improve housingand basic infrastructures (schools, health services,etc.) in crowded and squalid urban environments.A variety of approaches are possible.Some experts hold that the most effectiveapproach to dealing with severe overcrowdingin poor urban areas is to de-concentrate housingwhere possible, change local regulations toallow more logical use of space, and improvethe quality of the surrounding environment. 240At the same time, efforts must be made toimprove inadequate neighbourhood facilities,such as lack of places for washing and laundry,lack of toilets, lack of recreation spacesfor children, and lack of community facilitiessuch as day care and team sports.From a political point of view, some of this maybe difficult to accomplish if municipal authoritiesare reluctant to improve ‘illegal’ urbansettlements through fear that this will act as an