CHILD`S RIGHTS.

“GIVE a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.” So wrote the 19th-century English writer and critic John Ruskin. Most parents will agree that it pays to love one’s children, not only because of the love received in return but, more important, because of the positive effect this love will have on them.

The book Love and Its Place in Nature observed, for example, that without love “children tend to die.” And Ashley Montagu, noted British-born anthropologist, went so far as to say: “The child who has not been loved is biochemical, physiologically, and psychologically very different from the one who has been loved.”

These findings emphasize the need for the physical presence of parents. Otherwise, how can strong ties develop between parent and child? In the world today, the needs of children have been neglected to a higher degree that children now feel threatened by a hostile society. This hostile society is a self-centered society where the rights of children are neglected. Where the child’s rights is also a concern, it is over emphasize to the detriment of the development of the child.

In cosmopolitan society, children are forced to live a life of the majority group which sometimes oppressed the children. On the other hand, a child also feels that they should be allowed to live a life of the majority whiles their parents forces them to live a life related to their culture. The question here is `Should there be a dialogue between the parent and the child as to the life they should live in a cosmopolitan society? Every part of the world has now become cosmopolitan and as such the voice of all should be taken into consideration in decision making. As this failure lead to problems among the youth in the world? Let’s deliberate a little.

In the UK for instance, there is the augment that social workers has failed the society especially the youth. Do you agree with this accertion? Well you will be right agreeing. This is because there is no single day passing without an innocent youth being stabbed or sometimes being shot to death. A lot of gang groups have been formed in communities to protect themselves against attack by rival gang group. The rate of knife crime in England has more than double in the last decade. What are the motivating factors behind such crimes?

Some child psychologist and sociologist have concluded a number of factors. Poverty, child abuse, drug abuse and youthful exuberate are among the factors that these professional believes are the factors behind high rate of knife crime in UK. Well, i think i will agree on such factors. Do you also agree?

Another factor that people don’t usually talk about is the crime against youth of African descent by youth of Caribbean descent with the later accusing the fore-fathers of the former of selling them into slavery. Though it’s not much talk about, there has been some trend in crime among some communities.

In Finland, youth crime is low and gangster live is also low but that should not deceive us. The dynamics of world economic situation and its related effect is being felt everywhere in the world and so we should be on guard.

In other parts of the world, gangster way of life by the youth as has been the main cause for minor attacks by some youth against fellow youth in the same communities.

I will conclude by saying that, social workers in the world should work towards alleviating the effect of the factors that has been blame on the rise in youth crime in the UK. Meet me next week for another interesting topic. Till then enjoy your week.