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The Children's Rights Division monitors human rights abuses against children around the world and works to end them. We investigate all kinds of human rights abuses against children: the use of children as soldiers; the worst forms of child labor; torture of children by police; police violence against street children; conditions in correctional institutions and orphanages; corporal punishment in schools; mistreatment of refugee and migrant children; trafficking of children for labor and prostitution; discrimination in education because of race, gender, sexual orientation, or HIV/AIDS; and physical and sexual violence against girls and boys. Children's physical and intellectual immaturity makes them particularly vulnerable to human rights violations. Their ill-treatment calls for special attention because, for the most part, children cannot speak for themselves, their opinions are seldom taken into account and they can only rarely form their own organizations to work for change. CNN - School swats and human rights
August 20, 2008 Media American credibility on trial Was one of the youngest prisoners at Guantánamo rushed to court by the Bush administration for political reasons? By Jo Becker, children's rights advocacy director Published in Salon.com One of the youngest detainees at Guantánamo Bay, a 23-year-old Afghan named Mohammed Jawad, spent two days in a courtroom here last week as his defense lawyer argued that his case should never go to trial. The attorney, Maj. David Frakt, claimed that his client was repeatedly tortured and abused in U.S. custody, charges that were supported by the testimony of a senior U.S. Army criminal investigator. August 20, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version A Violent Education Corporal Punishment of Children in US Public Schools
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-369-2 August 20, 2008 Report Download PDF, 940 KB, 132 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release US: End Beating of Children in Public Schools Abusive, Discriminatory Punishment Undermines Education More than 200,000 US public school students were punished by beatings during the 2006-2007 school year, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union said in a joint report released today. In the 13 states that corporally punished more than 1,000 students per year, African-American girls were twice as likely to be beaten as their white counterparts. August 19, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Letter to the Prime Minister of Guinea As leader of Guinea’s newly formed government, we are writing this open letter in order to express our deep concern about your government’s continuing inaction in the face of severe and ongoing human rights abuses in Guinea. August 14, 2008 Letter Also available in 
Printer friendly version Guinea: New Leader Should Address Rights Abuses Urgent Need to End Impunity Guinea’s new leader should put the country’s chronic human rights problems at the top of his agenda, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souaré made public today. August 14, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version In Opposition to Senator Kyl's Proposed Amendment to US Juvenile Justice Legislation Letter to Senators Leahy and Specter of the US Senate Judiciary Committee Human Rights Watch writes in strong opposition to Senator Kyl’s proposed amendment to S. 3155, which would give prosecutors unfettered and unreviewable discretion to prosecute juveniles aged 16 or 17 as adults for certain listed offenses. July 30, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Iran: End Executions of Juvenile Offenders 29 Adults and Two Juvenile Offenders Hanged The Iranian judiciary should immediately halt all executions of juvenile offenders and Iran’s parliament should move swiftly to ban such executions, a group of human rights organizations said today. July 29, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Kids pay the price for Judiciary Committee's inaction By Carol Chodroff, advocacy director, US Program Published in The Salt Lake Tribune Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee, should show up for kids. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008, the most important juvenile justice legislation Congress has addressed in years, is up for consideration in the Senate next week. This critical bill, which has strong bipartisan support, would improve public safety by reforming the juvenile justice system. It would increase mental health and drug treatment services for youth, improve confinement conditions and reduce disproportionate sanctions for minor adolescent misbehavior. July 26, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Letter to the Minister of Education regarding concern over continued use of corporal punishment against children We are writing to urge you to take decisive action on the problem of violence against children, and specifically corporal punishment in schools and in other settings. We believe that in your new role as Minister of Education, you will have a crucial function in improving the future of young Kenyans and protecting their rights. July 23, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Letter to Minister for Gender and Children Affairs regarding concern over continued use of corporal punishment against children We are writing to urge you to take decisive action on the problem of violence against children, and specifically corporal punishment in schools and in other settings. We believe that in your new role as Minister of Gender and Children Affairs, you will have a crucial function in improving the future of young Kenyans and protecting their rights. July 23, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Letter to Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affair regarding concern over continued use of corporal punishment against children We are writing to urge you to take decisive action on the problem of violence against children, and specifically corporal punishment in schools and in other settings. We believe that in your new role as Minister of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, you will have a crucial function in improving the future of young Kenyans and protecting their rights. July 23, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Kenya: Government Should End All Corporal Punishment The government should make it a priority to end violence against children whether in the home, school or elsewhere, five human rights organizations said today in joint letters to Kenya’s ministers of education, gender and children affairs, and justice. July 23, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Human Rights Watch Amicus Brief on Juvenile Detention Argument to the Supreme Court of Argentina on International Standards on Juvenile Detention Human Rights Watch filed an amicus brief in the case of García Méndez, Emilio and Musa, Laura Cristina s/case No. 7537 that is now before the Supreme Court of Argentina. We argue that the system by which Argentine judges authorize the detention of children under 16 years of age in conflict with the law violates international human rights law set forth by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It also contradicts basic principles outlined in the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules), and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. July 18, 2008 Amicus Briefs Also available in 
Printer friendly version India: Protect Those Displaced from Chhattisgarh Violence Andhra Pradesh Should Not Punish Families That Fled Violence Andhra Pradesh should protect and assist thousands of families who have fled the conflict in neighboring Chhattisgarh, Human Rights Watch said today. State officials should act immediately to end the government’s discrimination against the displaced people, Human Rights Watch said. July 16, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version “Being Neutral is Our Biggest Crime” Government, Vigilante, and Naxalite Abuses in India’s Chhattisgarh State
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-356-0 July 15, 2008 Report Download PDF, 1700 KB, 172 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release India: End State Support for Vigilantes Prosecute Rights Violators and Protect Internally Displaced Communities The Indian central and Chhattisgarh state governments should hold accountable government security forces and state-backed vigilantes responsible for attacking, killing, and forcibly displacing tens of thousands of people in armed operations against Maoist rebels since mid-2005 in southern Chhattisgarh, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. July 14, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Respect Human Rights in School Discipline Policies Letter to the Jackson, MS Public School District Board of Trustees from Human Rights Watch and the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative As national and international human rights organizations, we urge the Jackson Public School District to adopt a new policy that utilizes Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) and restorative practices in school discipline. These methods are effective for reducing disciplinary incidents and improving learning in schools, and are consistent with international human rights standards. July 14, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version In Support of Provisions on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders in US Juvenile Justice Legislation Letter to Senators Leahy and Specter of the US Senate Judiciary Committee Human Rights Watch urges the Senate Judiciary Committee to incorporate language in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act to promote early identification of mental health and substance abuse disorders among juveniles in the justice system, increase training for staff and juvenile justice stakeholders on mental health and substance abuse problems, and provide an increased focus on rehabilitating young people in home- and community-based care. July 14, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version ICC: Good Progress Amid Missteps in First Five Years Court Needs Continuing International Support for Challenges Ahead The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made notable progress in bringing justice for the worst crimes despite mistakes in policy and practice, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today that assesses the court’s first five years. Human Rights Watch urged greater international support of the ICC to meet the political and financial challenges ahead. July 11, 2008 Press Release Also available in
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