MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, YOUTH AND SPORT

SCIENTIFIC CONFERNCE LET`S STEP TO FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE-2012

The title of the work:

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHILDREN

Author: Zabulica Ecaterina, the IX Cgrade Vasile Alecsandri T.L. Scientific leader: Ceban Galina

Balti 2012

Contains:
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Introduction 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is Discrimination Identifying Discrimination The Nature of Discrimination Direct Discrimination Indirect Discrimination Conclusion

Objectives:
After studding this work, you will be able to: understand what is discrimination recognize the nature and the types of discrimination recognize the bad influence against children

Introduction
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Motto: Life is wealth, keep it. Life is love, enjoy it. Life is too precious, dont destroy it. Life is life, fight for it. Mother Teressa There is no wealth, but life, say old people. For sure, they know it better, as they have a lot of years behind them. Life is an one-way street. And walking down this long street we can see life through many windows. Some of them are light, because there is much love. But unfortunately, some of them are very dark, because there is nothing pleasant to make their life colorful. People sometimes dont realize that life is too short to waste it in fights and hatred. I see that the biggest problem in life is how to spend it. And it matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. Life is the most precious thing given by God and we shouldnt forget it. We should care for our health, because to live by medicines to live horribly. A happy life means: health, family, children, job and of course enough money. But to have all these things we should make a new rule of life: always try to be a little kinder than it is necessary. Try to show a little loving and a lot less fighting, because discrimination and fighting make people suffer especial children. Do it and your life will be all right.

1. hat is discrimination?
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Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual, based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups, and the same against the children.

Discrimination against children

The welfare of children must be paramount

2. Identifying Discrimination
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Identifying different forms of discrimination against young people throughout our society is important. Here are some of those forms: Discrimination against Young People in Language Act your age. Children should be seen and not heard. What do you know, youre just a kid! Do as I say, not as I do. Youll understand it someday, just you wait. Discrimination against Young People in Youth Work Programs designed by adults for youth without youth. Isolation of children and youth from adults. Professional language does not allow youth to easily understand what is being done to them. Discrimination against Young People in School Students are forced by law to attend schools that may not be effective. Classroom learning relies on adults as sole-holders of knowledge. Decisions about students, including learning topics, activities, punishments, budgeting and teaching methods are routinely made without students. Double-standards in treatment, including when the belief that when teachers yell at students, they are controlling classrooms; when students yell at teachers, they are creating unsafe learning environments. People under 18-years-old are virtual non-citizens without the right to vote or any tangible political representation and minimal influence. Business policies that allow for discrimination, such as Under-14s must be accompanied by adults, and Under-18s cannot be managers. Media bias against youth that alternatively portrays youth as apathetic super-predators who are obese, stuck on computers, gang members.

3. The Nature of Discrimination

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Discrimination can be direct or indirect. Indirect discrimination is the inequitable treatment of one group disadvantaging another, as opposed to direct discrimination in which the focus of discriminatory attitudes, actions, and policies is the group itself. Discrimination can act at the level of the individual, but can also be institutional. Institutional discrimination occurs when the structures or operating policies of organizations result in certain sections of the community being disadvantaged. This concept is most familiar as institutional racism, but can apply to any group disadvantaged by stigma and discrimination, including children. Direct discrimination This can be manifest in the following ways: Overt discrimination The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw the beginnings of the exclusion of children from adult spaces, not for their safety or wellbeing but for the convenience of adults. This separateness of the childs world is now seen as natural. The res ulting discrimination is so much a norm that it is both ubiquitous and unrecognized, with hotels in the UK routinely refusing access to children (and dogs). Marginalization Through their constructed otherness, childrens status in our society is as nonpersons relegated to a social, economic and political marginalization. Marginalization is when a group experiencing discrimination is not seen as part of the core business or service. In the context of health care it is not only a modern phenomenon: when sick children are admitted promiscuously with adults, the former never have so much attention paid them as the latter Children are similarly under-represented in funding for research and development, resulting in an inadequate evidence base for much pediatric practice, particularly evident in the development of new therapeutic drugs. Over two thirds (67%) of 624 children admitted to wards in five European hospitals received drugs prescribed in an unlicensed or off label manner. Although the problem is complicated by the ethical problems encountered around consent for child participation in trials, it is largely profit driven. Drugs are not tested in children and thus not licensed for pediatric use. Even licensed drugs are prescribed off label resulting in chil dren becoming therapeutic orphans sometimes with tragic consequences.

Age blindness
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This is equivalent to colour blindness in racial parlancetreating everyone in the same manner, so ignoring or denying different needs. Such an approach can exclude children: for example, marina developments with inadequate barriers between toddlers and deep water. Although huge strides have been made within the health sector to respond to the accommodation needs of childrenproviding facilities for play, and ensuring parents can accompany their childrenthere are still examples of poor practice, with shared waiting rooms in primary and secondary care in which careers have to spend considerable time with very young children in surroundings that are unsuitable and stressful. The deficit model of childhood Children are seen as immaturethat is, incapable or unfinished; simply on the road to adulthood rather than people in their own right. Children as incapable Children are born to be happy. Adults continue, for the most part, to exclude children from decision making or, at best, fail to take their input seriously. Although there is a commitment to childrens participation in decision making and no shortage of guidance participation in health service development remains exceptional. For example, of 509 Trusts and health authorities, only 27 consulted children on services for chronically ill or disabled children, and only 11 of these went beyond consultation to meaningful participation in policy. Young people with serious illness have reported feeling marginalized in decision making. Although there are problems in achieving full and meaningful participation, not least the competing rights of children and parents, children can be effective partners in the management of their own treatment, and there is plenty of convincing evidence from the Child-to-Child programme showing how children can contribute effectively to health alliances and transform their lives and health. Children as immature Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it. Delinquency conceals two distinct categories, each with a unique natural history and etiology. One group engages in antisocial behaviour at every life stage life course persistent, whereas another is antisocial only during adolescenceadolescence limited. Adolescent onset delinquents do not share the pathological backgrounds found for those with life course persistent antisocial behaviours. Scientists suggest that this phenomenon is a consequence of what the terms a contemporary maturity gap in which, in modern
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post-industrial societies, essentially mature individuals are infantilized by extended education and delayed work opportunities, resulting in antisocial behaviours that are normative and adjustive. This is an important issue. Around 25% of men under 25 will have accrued criminal records to accompany them through their adult life, of which over half will have been adolescent onset delinquents. Victim blaming This term describes the phenomenon in which a vulnerable group are blamed when they experience disadvantage or harm. Pedestrian injuries, a leading cause of childhood mortality, provide a good example. Children are blamed, with prevention strategies continuing to stress child behaviours, rather than addressing necessary and more effective changes in the structure of transport systems. The strength and pervasiveness of the ideology of victim blaming in child pedestrian injuries is explained by the special position that the road transport system holds in relation to dominant economic interests. Victim blaming ideology is a strategy that serves to maintain these interests at the expense and suffering of children Another example is the Lolita syndrome, in which children are blamed for their own sexual abuse. In 1993 a man found guilty of the rape of a girl, aged 9, was given two years probation. The presiding judge said: I have been provided with information which leads me to believe that she was not entirely an angel herself. Although Lord Taylor stated on appeal that this comment should not have been made, it is a view met elsewhere. On Alice Liddell, the girl with whom both John Ruskin and Lewis Carroll were infatuated, Prose writes: what seems clear is that Alice was by no means a frail flower attracting these predatory bees; she pursued and actively encouraged their attentions. Stereotyping Children can be viewed as poor witnesses, more likely to lie than adults. This has had serious consequences for vulnerable children in care: The negative response, especially in relation to reports of physical abuse, justified the pervading cynicism of most residents in care about the likely outcome of any complaints that they might make. There is also a pervasive stereotype of children, particularly poor children, as inherently naughty, with distress frequently mistaken for badness. Research evidence shows clear links between life course persistent delinquency and abuse, poor parenting, poverty, and socially disorganized communities. Many of these young people also have neurodevelopmental problems, of which the most common is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Growing up with abuse and violence can also lead to
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anxiety and attachment disorder, both of which may lead to children fulfilling criteria for ADHD. Some children with primary hyperkinetic disorders will also be abused, or subject to poor parenting. There is thus a complex inter-relationship between abuse/poor parenting, poverty, delinquency and neurodevelopmental difficulties which ought to, but does not, inform both preventive and responsive strategies to this problem. Instead governments of all persuasions in the UK have tended to focus largely on a punitive approach. Internalized discrimination Discrimination can be internalized. A member of a group experiencing discrimination adopts and shares the views of a hostile society, thus seeing him/herself as inferior. A powerful example of internalized racism is provided by Nelson Mandela in his autobiography. He describes an incident during a period of exile in which he panics on noticing that the pilot of an airplane in which he is travelling is blackeven Mandela had internalized the view that a black person could not be capable of such a task. Children also take on societys view of themselvesas someone adults can pass in a queue unchallenged, as people having nothing to say worth hearing, as lawful victims of physical assault. Exploitation As with any powerless group, children are vulnerable to exploitation by the powerfulthat is, adults. This may be private and secret, for example, the sexual exploitation of children within families. It may be commercially driven, for example, child labour (including sexual exploitation), advertising aimed at, or using, children; or politically drivenconsider the exploitation of athletic prodigies in former Eastern Europe, given anabolic steroids in adolescence with serious consequences for their health. Child labour is traditionally seen as a problem of low and middle income countries, but Field argues that we see emerging another equally exploitive form of laboura tests and outcomes dominated education system, an insatiable schooling industry with educ ation as endless labour. Although Field is writing about Japan, her work makes for uncomfortable reading. Indirect discrimination As children are dependent and powerless they are particularly vulnerable to indirect discrimination, in which their careers are disadvantaged as result of gender discrimination, racial discrimination, or the disadvantage many marginalized groups experience because they are poor, ill, disabled, or stigmatized for other reasons..Children may of course experience, for example, racism and sexism directly. However, the focus of response strategies would still be to combat racism and gender discrimination, not childism per se. For children, indirect discrimination always compounds direct discrimination, with some children experiencing multiple jeopardy. For example, a child may be disabled, belong to an ethnic minority community, be
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living in poverty, and have a parent with mental health problems. Such a child will be victim to layers of discrimination, all of which will affect his or her circumstances. The effects of such multiple disadvantage may not be simply additive, but act in synergy to paralyze services and leave children in danger. Poverty of the children left behind by Moldovan migrants The quantitative reports on poverty in Moldova do not shed enough light on the situation of the children left behind by their migrating parents. Generally speaking, children in Moldova form an age group facing higher risk of being poor comparing to other age groups. According to existing researches, they account for 20% of the extremely poor as compared to 18.6% of their share in the population 1. The presence of children in a household substantially increases the risk of falling in poverty, with those having pre-school children facing the highest risk. This leads us to the conclusion that members of these households are particularly prone to choose migration of one or many of its members as a viable strategy for escaping poverty. As shown in this report (section 1), fathers are the most probably to migrate from the families with pre-school children, whereas mothers or both parents are less likely to migrate. Child poverty is one of the most important problem in Moldova. Children living in rural areas have an extremely high risk of poverty especially if the family has three or more children. Children in poor households have a high risk of educational underachievement and a lacking access to the healthcare services. Nowadays there are many abandoned children in our country. Parents need to leave their cildren as they cannot afford this difficult and extrimely expensive life. They leave for different countries and very often forget about their children. Money becomes one of the most important thing in their life. Here is a good example: Maria lost her father four years ago, and her mother works in a shop in Moscow. They live on what they can grow in the family garden and on money sent by their mother. I see my mother in my dreams a lot, says Maria, who wants to be a painter when she grows up. I see her coming home and staying with me. I always dream about her coming home. The phenomenon of abandoned children like Maria is new to Moldova, and there are virtually no services in place to deal with the issue. In some cases the parents are sending money home, and of course they can live from this money, but nothing can compensate for the lack of parental care for these children, so they are facing many psychological problems also discrimination. (See the annex) Family discrimination People need people. Thats why anyplace you go, anything you d o, you are sure to meet people. People who are easy to live with, as well as difficult people. It can be an

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ugly world. But it can also be a beautiful world, with interesting people and fascinating happenings. And how beautiful it is for you it depends in part on how well you have learned to relate at home. In short, noble fathers have noble sons. Family is the place where there is understanding and friendship. Family peace and harmony is crucial to the welfare of society as a whole. But unfortunately, there are families, where children suffer because of some rules, duties or something else. It is a common misconception that a home complex can make rules against children. This is completely false, however, it happens all of the time. In rare situations, homes can make some, limited rules against children. Absent the rare situation, it is illegal for home to have rules which prohibit children from playing outside, riding bikes, playing with toys, laughing, screaming, or having fun. The only time that a home can make rules against children is if there is a potential danger to children and the rule isn't too broad. For example, it would be okay for a home to have a rule that says, "No children under 5 years of age in the pool without a parent." This rule is reasonable and protects the child. However, it would be illegal if the rule said, "No children under 17 years of age may be in the pool without an adult." This rule is much too broad, as some children under 17 years might not need assistance. It is always illegal for a home to have rules which state, in effect, that children are not allowed to play, walk, sit, stand, or talk in the common areas. In other words, it is illegal to require children to stay indoors. This is true even if children cause noise. The law realizes that children make noise and requires society to put up with this noise, provided that the children aren't being unreasonably loud. For example, it would be okay for a home to prohibit children from playing drums or playing their radio very loudly. However, it would be illegal for a home to penalize children for laughing, talking loudly, or getting excited in public. Although a landlord may want a quiet complex, the law does not permit it. Rather, the law requires all complexes to accept reasonable noise from children. By the way, if a landlord threatens or attempts to evict a person because their children made reasonable noise, then this would be discrimination. Children are the only real investment we can make for the future. Nobody will deny that children are better cared for and controlled in families where they can learn distinguish right from wrong. I am absolutely convinced that the family is the place where love, fidelity and compassion become real and part of who we are. Thats a very important point. A happy family is one in which any problems or difficulties can be coped with. Its a fact that in an ideal family children are put at the heart of all decisions, so that whether families
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stay together or split, they always think of the children first. I think that fidelity, love, compassion, mutual respect and welfare are the most important things in a happy family. Unfortunately, there families that have some more important thing in their life money. That`s why they leave their children and very often forget about them. This has exerted a dramatic impact on the relationship among spouses and among parents and children. As the migrants themselves believe, migration weakens social-moral family ties, family may break-off and negative behavior of the adult members emerges (see Error! Reference source not found.).
Negative effects generated upon migration of one or another family head member Negative effects Men migrants, % Women migrants, % Weakened socio - moral family ties 25,8 40,8 Family break-off 7,9 20,0 Childrens poor school/university results 10,8 24,2 Childrens negative behavior Familys adults negative behavior Migrants health deterioration Exposed to robbers attacks, theft, other crimes 9,0 7,5 20,1 2,5 16,2 16,2 23,0 2,6 Total, % 33,1 13,8 17,3 12,5 11,8 21,5 2,6

CONCLUSIONS
What would you like to be remembered as in this life? When this question was put before me, I feel confused at first. But after thinking seriously about it I try to picture myself as a grown-up person loved, respected and wanted by all. I looked around me for role models whom I can follow easily. Then I realize my mother is the best example of the kind of woman I want to become. She inspires me to grow up into a sincere woman who does service with a smile. An educated, caring mother is like a candle that fills the room with light driving out darkness. If you want to be happy, make someone else happy, is a wise saying. It is equally true that happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops sprinkled on yourself. In todays world of stress, struggle and discrimination it is a great thing if I can bring cheer, hope and liveliness to my family and surroundings. It is also important to be educated and well-informed. When the mind is enlightened with knowledge there is no place in it for cheap feelings and low thoughts. The world is full of opportunities. We must look for them. If we cannot get what we like we must learn to like what we get. It will be very useful to develop our ability to adapt
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to our circumstances. At the same time we must chase our dreams and try our level best to achieve them. To dream and to dare shall be our objectives. Every girl cannot become a Florence Nightingale or Mother Theresa. But everybody can show charity within their own limits. A poet has long ago said that love of fellowmen is love of God. To conclude, I would like to be remembered as a ray of sunshine which was a source of warmth to family and friends. Finally I want to quote an old prayer which is my guiding principle in life.

Oh, Lord, grant me the strength to change things that need changing, the courage to accept things that cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.

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Annex
Number of children whose parents migrated abroad, as of February 2005
Districts Both parents migrated December February 2003 2005 810 367 497 1047 716 670 1148 1002 302 427 1107 60 709 1057 1248 712 1359 358 426 833 624 1247 537 568 970 1090 598 733 587 47 495 1051 1523 927 2099 17803 7122 3026 27951 One parent migrated 2509 601 1157 2436 1609 1440 2593 2077 430 777 2259 488 1245 2604 1324 655 3622 1681 1648 1753 1053 2617 842 1303 425 1759 1523 854 1623 595 2210 3084 3980 1611 11864 39437 15339 13475 68161 Children gone abroad with parents 93 182 12 152 243 43 94 130 164 74 25 119 4 67 28 41 192 62 63 332 164 104 63 66 30 11 153 0 29 0 84 81 91 148 567 1945 1051 715 3711 Children that left the school because of migrating parents 0 0 0 4 2 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 6 14 0 1 29 19 1 49

Anenii Noi 247 Basarabeasca 245 Briceni 19 Cahul 1230 Clrai 621 Cantemir 412 Cueni 326 Cimilia 419 Criuleni 162 Dondueni 16 Drochia 1056 Dubsari 185 Edine 402 Fleti 1018 Floreti 1114 Glodeni 749 Hnceti 1034 Ialoveni 294 Leova 461 Nisporeni 344 Ocnia 421 Orhei 1236 Rezina 589 Rcani 359 Sngerei 380 Soroca 768 Streni 460 oldneti 383 tefan-Vod 326 Taraclia 313 Teleneti 254 Ungheni 1283 UTA Gagauzia 1573 Mun. Bli 539 Mun. Chiinu 3738 Rural Small towns Cities Total 22976 Source: Department for Migration

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