Film star Liam Neeson joins call to end violence against children

MANILA, Philippines - A powerful video narrating a series of scenes depicting invisible violence against children has been released recently by UNICEF.

Narrated by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson, the video comes in 30- and 60-second versions.

30 second http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBEryzHILiw

60-second http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGf2xZEprU

“This is a 15-year-old girl being gang raped,” Neeson says as the camera pans across an abandoned lot.

“This teacher is beating a boy for talking back in class, while the rest of the class watches.” he says in another scene.

“Just because you can’t see violence against children doesn’t mean it isn’t there,” Neeson says. “Make the invisible visible. Help us make violence against children disappear. Join us. Speak out.”

The launch of the video comes with UNICEF’s “End Violence Against Children” initiative, which urges people all over the world to recognize that violence happens against children on a daily basis. It urges ordinary citizens, lawmakers, and governments to speak out more forcefully on this issue.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies that every child everywhere has the right to be protected from all forms of violence.

Recently, horrific attacks against children—such as the October 2012 shooting of then 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan, the fatal shooting of 26 pupils and teachers in Newtown, Connecticut last December 2012, and gang rapes of girls in India and South Africa this year—have made headlines in mainstream media.

The initiative aims to educate everyone that violence inflicts not only physical wounds but leaves mental scars on children, affecting their physical and mental health, compromises their ability to learn and socialize and undermines their development.

“In every country, in every culture, there is violence against children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Whenever and wherever children are harmed, our outrage and anger must be seen and heard. We must make the invisible visible. Despite its global prevalence, violence against children all too often remains invisible because it’s hidden behind closed doors or because people turn a blind eye to it.”

According to the World Health Organization, some 150 million girls and 73 million boys under the age of 18 have experienced sexual violence and exploitation. A report by the International Labour Organization, meanwhile, estimates that 1.2 million children are trafficked every year.

Locally, UNICEF Philippines is working with government and partners to collect evidence on the prevalence and pervasiveness of violence against children, particularly sexual violence.

“We will use the findings to develop programmes and approaches to address the underlying drivers of sexual violence against children and improve the support to survivors,” said OIC/Deputy Representative UNICEF Philippines, Mr. Abdul Alim, who adds that protecting children is at the heart of UNICEF’s mandate.

A special microsite and a social media campaign outlines ways for children, parents and communities to take action – such as getting involved, getting informed, organizing events and public discussion forums, supporting child victims of violence and working with global and local UNICEF partners.