UNICEF: Report highlights violence against children in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria, 20 October 2009 After two years work, the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs (SCFA) in collaboration with UNICEF has concluded a report on the Situation Analysis of Children (SITAN) in Syria. The report notes that despite corporal punishment being prohibited, children are subject to violence at home and in school. It states that males both experience and practice violence more than women and that violence is worse in rural areas. The degree of violence is inversely correlated to the level of education of the parents, especially mothers. The report says that although Syria has ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on child labour, the practice is still prevalent in poorer regions. Its estimated that 150 million children between the ages of 5-14 worldwide are engaged in child labour. To read the full story, visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_51476.html