Together with the child and family agency establishment bill, the "Children's Basic Law" is expected to be enacted on the 15th.


It defines the basic idea of ​​how to protect children's rights.


It stipulates that the human rights of children should be guaranteed and that necessary measures should be taken to reflect the opinions of children in policies.


There are also calls from the field dealing with child abuse to create a system that allows children to listen to their opinions so that the law does not end with the idea alone.

What is your basic philosophy?

The "basic philosophy" of this bill is stipulated as follows.



・ All children are respected as individuals, basic human rights are guaranteed, and they are not treated discriminatory.


・ Opinions on matters related to themselves and opportunities for social participation are secured.


・ Children's opinions are respected. Best interests are considered

Based on the fact that child-related policies have been spread across multiple government agencies and unified response has become an issue, the national

government



should comprehensively formulate and implement measures related to children.


It is each "responsibility" to carry out in cooperation with



.



It also stipulates that necessary measures be taken to reflect the opinions of children in policies.

28 years after ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child ...

Regarding children's rights, the "Children's Rights Treaty" adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 states that children have human rights as human beings, just like adults, in addition to the right to live and grow up. Respect for children's opinions was stipulated.



Japan also ratified the treaty in 1994, but there was no comprehensive law on children's rights, and the United Nations continued to recommend legislation.



While there are expectations for its enactment 28 years after ratification, the bill only states that "we must strive to take necessary measures" regarding financial measures, and the effectiveness of the stated philosophy is an issue. It has become.

NPO corporations and experts who have requested the establishment of a law on children's rights held a meeting before the enactment, and expressed their expectations for the "Basic Law for Children" and issues for the future.



In addition to education specialists, we met with NPOs that are involved in abuse prevention and child-rearing support, as well as organizations that are working to reflect the voices of children and young people in their policies.



At the press conference, he said that the law stating that "the country values ​​children's rights" is of great significance, and expressed his hope that measures for the realization of children's rights will be promoted in all situations in the future.



On the other hand, as the organization and staffing to protect the rights of children are important, it is necessary to discuss and show the budget scale and how to secure the financial resources in the Diet as soon as possible. I pointed out that it will be done.



Yuki Murohashi, the representative director of the Japan Youth Conference, who participated in the meeting, said, "Even after ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the harmful effects of not having domestic laws in place for nearly 30 years are significant, and there are many issues for children. Even if the law is put in place, it will not penetrate the field unless it is widely understood by the public, so it is necessary to thoroughly inform and train people who work with children, such as teachers. " rice field.

Sites facing abuse "It is essential to establish a system to listen to voices"

The fact that the Basic Bill for Children clearly states that children's opinions are respected and reflected in policies has raised the voice that it is essential to establish a system for listening to "children's voices" from the field of support.



At the scene of dealing with child abuse, respect for the opinions of children has become an issue, as there are cases where the person cannot hear that he / she is being abused or he / she enters a facility that he / she does not want even after being protected. A national model project has begun to hear from abused children, but only a few local governments are implementing it.



At the NPO corporation in Fukuoka City, which participates in a national organization to reflect the voices of children, about 20 staff members who listen to and speak for children are abused or live away from their parents. We listen to children's worries and thoughts and inform parents and the government as necessary.



He said that it is not easy to actually hear the voice of the child, and in the activity, select the one that suits your feelings from the cards that say "I want you to protect your secret" and "I want to meet a friend of the previous school". It is said that some children can talk about their feelings for the first time by having them go to school.

Kensuke Yasuko, a lawyer who serves as the chairman of an NPO, said, "Although I have recognized the importance of listening to children's voices, I tend to put it off because my parents, school, and administration cannot afford it. I think that there are many children who are thinking but have not yet grasped. If the recognition that "adults listen to their opinions" permeates under this law, children will realize that "it is okay to send" and protect it. It is necessary to create a system that can actually support many people so that the law does not end with the idea alone, and to make it a place where children's opinions can be heard. "

"Protecting children from sex crimes" Expectations for the Japanese version of DBS

There are also growing expectations for the enhancement of measures to protect children from sex crimes.



It is said that a mother in her 40s in the Kanto region has been suffering from PTSD symptoms for a long time because her daughter in elementary school suffered sexual damage from being touched by her teacher.

The mother was shocked to learn on the homepage that the teacher who had been dismissed from disciplinary action was subsequently working as a new staff member at a facility related to children.



I heard that my mother said through the principal, "I don't get involved in work related to children," so I felt angry at dealing with my children as if I had never done it before. I was worried about the children at the facility. "



For this reason, with the enactment of this bill, a mechanism that requires proof that there is no history of sex crimes when getting a job in childcare or education, "Japanese DBS = Disclosure and Burling Service" We hope that the introduction will be realized at an early stage.



The mother said, "I'm glad that Japan is finally taking the initiative to protect Japan with children first. I think it is risky to put a person who has committed a sex crime against a child again into a profession related to children. I would like you to proceed with discussions on the system. First of all, I would like you to take concrete measures to protect the happiness of children and not to end "safety and security" with just words. "

[Details] A new command tower for child policy?

What is "Children's Family Agency"?

In addition, this article explains in detail the bill to establish the "Children's Family Agency" that is expected to be enacted.