Peru:Promotion of Children's Rights

At the age of 11, Evelyn was pulled into a van and kidnapped before the eyes of her helpless little sister. Evelyn experienced terrible things. She was threatened and forced to prostitute herself by the kidnappers. In the slums of Ventanilla, a Peruvian port city, Evelyn's case is no exception. A large number of children suffer from violence and abuse. Furthermore, the girls and boys are severely malnourished and infectious diseases are rife.  Kindernothilfe and the organization "Kusi Warma" support these children and lobby for their rights.

The Right to Protection from Sexual Abuse, Violence, Maltreatment, Neglect and Exploitation
Evelyn was very fortunate. She was freed only four months after the hijacking. However, she still suffers greatly from the trauma of the kidnapping. Today, Evelyn is 14 years old and lives in an institution where she receives medical and psychological treatment. Meanwhile legal proceedings against the perpetrators have been initiated. Forced child prostitution constitutes a huge problem in Ventanilla.

Violations of children's rights occur almost on a daily basis: almost 42 % of the children younger than twelve have already been victims of maltreatment. Children and young people are not respected and honoured in an appropriate way. 120 informative meetings and workshops will be conducted in order to prevent and combat violence against children. The information is aimed at helping to prevent the abuse of children. Adults will increasingly become aware of the children's rights and begin to advocate for the children. 
Trained volunteers inform families and advise those families which are already affected by violence or are at risk. As the volunteers are able to identify cases of child abuse at an early stage, adequate measures can be implemented in time. Another important aspect of the work is the public dialogue about children's rights with all levels of society - families, local leaders and, most importantly, with the children themselves participating.