This report is issue no. 41 of the Economic and Social Rights series. The report undertakes studying the causes and aspects of (official and social) violence against children in Egypt, like kidnapping, sexual and physical abuse, negligence in social, health and educational care, road accidents … etc.
The report presents in its’ preamble section: the different sides for the phenomenon of violence against children, starting with the political sides (the role of the state) in protecting children rights and improving their health and educational conditions. The report also shows the increasing rates of children facing perversity from 4332 cases to 6536 cases. The report confirms that street children face many different crimes, as 88 boys and 45 girls were killed, 275 boys and 125 girls were disgraced, 1230 street girls were raped, 21 boys and 7 girls were tortured, 40 children were kidnapped to be used in criminal activities, as the report confirms that juvenile crimes have reached 144 cases trading in drugs 9 of them are girls, 137 cases taking drugs 6 of them are girls.
The report confirms that about 89% of the child murder crimes were committed by young workers, craftsmen and unemployed people, and that 100% of them beaten up children and caused them permanent disabilities. The report also shows the effects of these practices on our children who represent 45% of Egypt’s total population.
In the first section: the report monitors the conditions of violence against children during the first 6 months of 2005 that have reached 349 cases, assaulting children was 106 cases, bad working conditions 14 cases, household violence 66 cases, negligence in care 81 cases, violence against the society by children 13 cases and road accidents 69 cases. These types of violence were focused in 22 governorates, as in Cairo there were 85 cases, Giza 64 cases, Alexandria 34 cases, Qalubeya 22 cases, Sohag 20 cases, Gharbeya 17 cases, Monofeya 12 cases, Behira 12 cases, Asute 11 cases, Sharqeya 10 cases, Daqahleya 9 cases, Qena 8 cases, Bany Swief 7 cases, Fayoum 5 cases, North Sina 5 cases, Kafr El Sheikh 5 cases, Isma’aleya 4 cases, Menya 3 cases, Port Said 3 cases, Suiz, El Wady El Gedeed and Upper Egypt desert road one case and 12 other cases the place where they happened wasn’t mentioned.
The accidents of violence against children were published in 19 egyptian newspapers as follows:
El Ahrar 92 cases, El Masry El Youm 83 cases, El Wafd 50 cases, Nahdet Masr 29 cases, El Ahram 17 cases, El Haqiqa 11 cases, Akhbar El Youm 11 cases, Saut El Omma 10 cases, El Naba’a 9 cases, El Gomhureya 8 cases, El Maydan 7 cases, El Khamees 5 cases, El Tagam’a and El Akhbar 4 cases, El Araby 3 cases, Mayo and El Seyasy El Masry 2 cases, El Osbo’a and El Masry El Dawleya one case.
The focus of these cases in the first 6 months of 2005, as in January there were 59 cases, February 48 cases, March 55 cases, April 70 cases, May 58 cases and June 59.
Then the report undertakes the causes behind kidnapping and assaulting children that reached 106 cases because of sexual abuse, not having any children or to have revenge ove the family of the violated or kidnapped child … etc. these cases vary between sexual abuse, assault and violating children rights inside/outside schools, the streets, inside/outside the household.
In the second section, the report undertakes the aspects of child labor and the worst forms of work especially house servants, as they reached 14 cases. The most important reasons behind child exploitation in some types of jobs are sexual or physical abuse by the employer.
In the third section, the report undertakes accidents resulting of household violence, as they reached 66 cases. The most important reasons behind household violence were chastisement by the father, torture by the stepmother/father, having revenge over the other side or because of financial problems and pressure.
In the fourth section, the report undertakes the different forms of care negligence, as they reach 81 cases, as follows:
Carelessness in social care represented 40 cases, as a result of child torture in orphanages and juvenile foundations, the family carelessness in bringing up their children or getting rid of their illegitimate children.
Carelessness in health care represented 24 cases, as a result of the carelessness of doctor when treating children, kidnapping children from hospitals, absence of supervision in health care foundations and not closing the drainage and sewer covers which lead to children falling inside them.
Carelessness in educational care represented 13 cases, as a result of poisoning children when eating decayed or bad biscuits, not maintaining school buses which lead to many accidents, in addition to students committing suicide because of the hard exams.
Carelessness in food and nutrition care represented 4 cases, as a result of eating decayed or bad food or because children are not provided with enough food.
In the fifth section, the report undertakes accidents and violence committed by juvenile and delinquent children against the society, as they reached 13 cases, like stealing and murder.
In the sixth section, the report undertakes the different types of accidents that children face, like road accidents, as they represent 69 cases, as a result of mad speed, the absence of traffic supervision, explosion of tires or stoves or collapsing buildings.
In the seventh section, the report undertakes some notes about stopping violence against children, like:
The phenomenon of (street children) and the violence that accompany it from/against children is considered one of the most important problems that appeared in the developing societies especially in the Egyptian society lately. This phenomenon is a result of the bad economic conditions and the social transformation that accompany it.
The rates and numbers of displaced children who face perversion have notably increased in the past few years, as they have reached 750 thousand child.
The rates of children committing crime have also increased.
These children face violence in police stations after their arrest, investigation and imprisoned.
Children who work for daily wages in the agrarian sector face road accidents on the way from/to the work place. In addition to that, they receive low fees and they don’t have any contracting or social guarantees.
The report also presents some recommendations to stop violence against children and improve their conditions, like:
Demand the establishment of a new position at the ministry of justice specialized to supervise the treatment of children in detention headquarters (police stations, social care foundations … etc) and investigate their torture and mistreatment.
Juvenile foundations must not be just for punishment, but they must also be treatment foundations confirming the necessity of developing craft and professional training programs inside them for children to learn according to the needs of the outside working markets.
The state must recognize the danger of child labor by monitoring working children and establishing a special committee to receive and investigate their complaints and make the necessary procedures to eliminate the source of their complaints.
Labor offices must inspect the working environment (light, ventilation, precautionary means … etc), social insurance offices must supervise the hiring regulations and insure the provision of the industrial safety means. And strictly punish the violating employers.
Make new policies to improve the conditions of the families and increase the pension values enough to cover the expense of their children to protect them from dropping out of schools.
Modifying the list of professional diseases under the social insurance law no. 79 for the year 1975 by adding the new diseases that happen as a result of pesticide poisoning, diseases resulting of extreme heat … etc.
Providing periodical medical examination on working children before being hired, and providing them with meals, define the number of working hours and the types of these jobs.
Provide mobile health aid units near the industrial and agrarian compounds, in addition to providing them with modern medical equipment, and provide the medical centers with the suitable requirements to face emergencies and accidents.
The LCHR demands all CSOs in Egypt to work together in implementing these recommendations to improve the conditions of children in Egypt, guarantee their rights and a better future.