Children call for more rights
A children's conference in Bern has called for increased efforts worldwide to combat child labour, child abuse and trafficking in children. It made the demands ahead of a planned United Nations summit in New York scheduled for September.
The conference, attended by 60 children and youths, urged the Swiss delegation to insist on international efforts to give young people a greater say in politics and schools.
A statement, released on Friday, also said children’s testimonies in court cases should be taken more seriously.
The conference was organised by seven Swiss youth associations, including Pro Juventute, Unicef Switzerland, and Kinderlobby. The five-day event was supported by the federal authorities.
In September, a Swiss delegation is due to attend a UN meeting of government representatives and non-governmental groups in New York. They are expected to adopt measures for the next decade aimed at improving the situation of children in the world.
The UN passed a convention in 1989 listing the rights of young people under the age of 18.
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