This report is issue no. 60 of LCHR’s Economic and Social Rights series. The report monitors violence against children during the second half of 2007 analyzing articles published in the Egyptian newspapers about this issue, describing the problems that children suffer from and revealing the size of violence they face.
The report monitored 465 violations against children that included 233 death cases leading to a total of 386 death cases during the whole year of 2007.
The report monitored 120 sexual abuse cases, 21 physical assaults, 47 cases of household violence, 121 cases of health, social, educational and nutrition negligence cases, 4 violations against working children, 16 violations against street children, 7 cases of official violence, 23 murder cases, 25 kidnapping cases and 81 miscellaneous cases including road accidents.
The first part of the report presented cases of household violence against children, which have varied for various reasons, like involuntary urination, bad behavior, stopping to work, revenge of his family, family arguments, financial problems, jealousy, discipline, poverty or mental illness. Such violence has led to the death of 38 children with different methods, like strangling, throwing off balconies, hitting with metal or wood objects, throwing in sewers, waterways or the river, throwing under a train, burning, knife stabbing and kicking out of the house. There were also 5 cases of families abandoning or giving up their children for money. Mothers, fathers, brothers, stepmothers, stepfathers, grandmothers and aunts committed these violations.
The second part of the report monitors sexual abuse cases against children, 7 of them were inside schools varying between sexual harassment and rape. And there were 21 household cases varying between sexual harassment and rape, which have led to the death of one child after being raped. Fathers, stepfathers, brothers, nephews, uncles and cousins committed these violations. And there were 92 cases outside the house and school varying between sexual harassment and rape and leading to the death of 10 children. Unemployed people, drivers, workers, shop owners, carpenters, criminals, students, bakers, salesmen, employees, grocers, handymen, mechanics, engineers, fishermen, electricians, and shoe polishers committed these violations.
The third part of the report monitors physical assault cases against children inside the house, school and outside them, which have led to the death of two children. These violations have varied between beating up and exposing to electrical shocks leading to many injuries and permanent disabilities.
The fourth part of the report monitors the kidnapping cases leading to the death of one child. These cases have varied for various reasons, like asking for ransom, revenge, robbery, forced marriage, rape or for not having any children.
The fifth part of the report monitors the deliberate murder cases that have varied for various reasons, like sexual abuse, robbery, family or neighbor arguments, revenge or discipline. Grandfathers, employees, bakers, garbage collectors, fishermen, salesmen and mechanics committed these crimes.
The sixth part of the report monitors the negligence cases against children’s rights to healthcare, social care, education and nutrition, which have led to the death of 92 children. These violations were at homes, schools, clubs, hospitals … etc. these violations have led to deaths, injuries, poisoning and illness.
The seventh part of the report monitors violence against working children that have led to the death of one child and the injury of 25 others. Work owners, businessmen, housewives, engineers and others, committed these violations.
The eighth part of the report monitors violence against street children varying between dealing drugs, robbery, pick pocketing and beggary.
The ninth part of the report monitors official violence against children, which have led to the death of 3 children and the injury and detention of several others. These violations have varied between torture in police stations, detention areas and in the state security department.
The tenth part of the report monitors miscellaneous accidents and violations that have led to the death of 63 children and the injury of 36 others as a result of gas explosion, suffocation, falling off buildings, drowning, road accidents, electrical shocks, dying under collapsing buildings or being hit with unintentional fire shots. Drivers, farmers, employees, bakers, contractors, workers and soldiers committed these violations.
At the end, the report presents some results revealing that the number of killed children is increasing, as it was 208 children in 2006 and 386 children in 2007. Then the report presents some recommendations, like implementing alternative economic and social programs to stop the increase of poverty and violence rates, raise the awareness of the public opinion about protecting children’s rights and taking the necessary procedures for punish9ing the violators, in addition to developing the skills and capacities of social and educational workers to better deal with children and guarantee their rights to safety, equality and decent living.
For more information, please contact the Center. The full report will be published on the LCHR website when its translation is finished