UNICEF Urges Bolivia to Fight Against Sexual Abuse of Children

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) urged Bolivia on Monday to fight against sexual abuses against children, as recent reports show the problem is worsening in the country.

Gordon Jonathan Lewis, UNICEF representative in Bolivia, said UNICEF was greatly concerned about the increasing cases of sexual abuse against children. He stressed that most of the perpetrators were not brought to justice.

"We invite the whole Bolivian society to evaluate and be self-critics on this problem," he said, "if this is the future you want to give to your children and adolescents in the country."

The UNICEF official suggested the South American country revise existing laws to guarantee children's rights and strengthen the judicial system to protect them.

Lewis said sexual abuse against children was a long-term problem in Bolivia. He therefore urged the Bolivian people to make greater efforts to create an efficient alarm mechanism to protect all the social spheres of the country.

"The sexual abuse against children and adolescents is one of the most aberrant violations to human rights, which results in devastating consequences to the victims and the society in a long-term prospect," he explained.

"Besides physical and psychological damage to the victims, sexual abuse also makes the sufferers lose their dignity in their future life," Lewis asserted.

The UNICEF official also called on the Bolivian government to adopt a functional legal system to crack down on the increasing cases of sexual abuse against children and guarantee protection and assistance.

"UNICEF calls on the relevant authorities to continue their work promoting the cooperation at all levels and to make joint efforts to eliminate all kinds of exploitation and sexual abuse against children," he said.

Fighting against sexual violence must begin with an administrative and legislative mechanism to effectively bring to justice those who sexually exploit Bolivian children and adolescents, he concluded.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)