New ACEI resolutions.

These resolutions were presented and accepted by ACEI members at the Annual Business Meeting on April 15, 2003.

Resolution Child Soldiers

Whereas an estimated 10 percent of all combatants--more than 300,000 young people--are child soldiers, defined as under the age of 15, engaged in deadly violence [of non-criminal type] as part of an armed force; and

Whereas the recruitment of child soldiers is deliberate, systematic, and primarily conducted by abduction, beatings, drugging, and death threats; and

Whereas the use of child soldiers is illegal, morally reprehensible, a violation of international norms and treaties, and perpetuates the societal myth that children, particularly orphans and the poor, are expendable assets; and

Whereas more than 22 million children have been displaced by war, abandoned, and suffering from the effects of malnutrition, hunger, disease, violence, poverty, and sexual, physical, and psychological abuse,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

ACEI urges governments and non-state armies to publicly recognize and condemn the use of children as decoys, lookouts, suicide bombers, minefield testers, and other personnel who mobilize and replace adult armed forces; and

ACEI urges governments and non-state armies to analyze their doctrines and rules of military engagement to address child soldiers, and to identify and promote nonviolent ways to support causes; and

ACEI advocates for long-term, worldwide commitment to the disarmament, demobilization, psychosocial and developmental rehabilitation, education, and reintegration of former child soldiers; and

ACEI supports the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other humanitarian groups that monitor child-soldier combat situations, counteract propaganda, and teach the value of human life; and

ACEI advocates for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol to the CRC on Armed Conflict, which outlaws the involvement of children under the age of 15 in any hostilities and sets strict standards for the recruitment of those under 15 years of age; and

ACEI supports peaceful resolutions to conflict and endorses United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's call for mankind to end violence and "come together to restore the sanctity of values we hold dear--tolerance, pluralism, peace, and respect for every human life."

Resolution on Sexual Exploitation of Children

Whereas more than 1 million children worldwide--primarily girls and young women--suffer the degradation and life-threatening risks of sexual exploitation, abuse, trafficking, and commercial sex; and

Whereas children are forced into the estimated $5 billion a year (US) worldwide sex trade through coercion, false promises, beatings, sexual assault, death threats, demands from relatives/ guardians, abduction, and under the guise of religious, cultural, or class customs; and

Whereas the illegal behavior of using children for sexual purposes denigrates the victims' status in society, causes physical and psychological damage, and increases the spread of HIV/AIDS; and

Whereas, after warnings by the World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and human rights groups, governments, parents, caretakers, and other adults in both developed and undeveloped countries have failed to eliminate this abuse,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

ACEI publicly recognizes that the use of children for sexual purposes is illegal and immoral behavior that crosses all international boundaries, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, and social class, and as such, requires an international commitment to its eradication; and

ACEI identifies children as victims, not perpetrators, of these abuses, and supports the criminalization and long incarceration of any adult who solicits or engages in using children for sexual purposes, facilitates the behavior, or earns remuneration from the sexual exploitation of children; and

ACEI endorses free education for children with curriculum that allows students to explore and discuss sexual exploitation in a non-stigmatizing way, and programs that teach adults that this abuse should not be encouraged, condoned, or considered a tradition or custom practiced by any social or economic class; and

ACEI supports UNICEF, EPCAT, and other organizations that monitor human rights, and urges psychosocial and developmental rehabilitation, education, and reintegration and repatriation of sexually exploited children and adults; and

ACEI advocates for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography, which gives special emphasis to the criminalization of serious violations of children's rights--namely, the sale of children, illegal adoption, child prostitution, and pornography.

Resolution Thanking Local Committee and Headquarters

Whereas ACEI as an organization promotes collegiality among membership; and

Whereas, the local conference committee and Headquarters staff have invested and expended commitment, time, energy, and other resources to the 2003 Association for Childhood Education International Annual International Conference and Exhibition; and

Whereas, the membership benefits greatly from this successfully planned and implemented conference,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The ACEI membership extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Local Conference Committee and Headquarters staff for the 2003 ACEI International Conference and Exhibition.

Resolution on Children

Whereas ACEI is an International Organization; and

Whereas ACEI has, in the past, ratified resolutions on the fair and equitable treatment of children; and

Whereas ACEI has called for the ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and

Whereas ACEI believes that the most important dream of youth is the hope of education; and

Whereas there has been progress in the area of children's rights as reported in the publication WE THE CHILDREN,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: ACEI and its membership renews its commitment to work toward the betterment of children worldwide.

ACEI and its membership renews its commitment to promote equal education for all children and youth.

ACEI and its membership, as advocates for children and youth, renews its commitment to end child exploitation, violence, and abuse; promotes peace education and humanitarian efforts through cooperation and advocacy with other organizations; and encourages fair and equitable treatment for ALL.

We the Children. (May 2001). New York: UN Special Session of the General Assembly on Children.