Where is the UN?

[village_person]

The story behind this heartbreaking photo

LOOKING at this photo of a malnourished child you would be forgiven for mistaking it for a picture from a famine. But you would be wrong.

This little boy, this innocent starved, naked little boy, was accused of being a witch in Nigeria and was shunned by the community as a result.

His story has come to light after a picture of a Danish woman Anja Ringgren Lovén feeding the little boy, now named Hope, went viral.

Anja is the founder of the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation, which attempts to save ‘witch children’ and change attitudes of Nigerian communities towards this archaic and cruel practice.

[...]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/the-story-behind-this-heartbreaking-photo/ne...

And the UN has the hide to lecture us about children in detention on Nauru. Are any of the children on Nauru being accused of being witches by Australian authorities? Are any of the children on Nauru being denied food and water? The UN deserves nothing but contempt.

[moonflyte]

Poor little thing. Where’s all the millions in aid? Every day we are bombarded with stories of children starving and being married off at 11.

There‘s such a thing as compassion overload but I still give.

[donnashuggy]

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/lifelines/2014/04/between-life-death-2014429134223181989.html

[the_great_she_elephant]

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@village_person wrote:

The story behind this heartbreaking photo

LOOKING at this photo of a malnourished child you would be forgiven for mistaking it for a picture from a famine. But you would be wrong.

This little boy, this innocent starved, naked little boy, was accused of being a witch in Nigeria and was shunned by the community as a result.

His story has come to light after a picture of a Danish woman Anja Ringgren Lovén feeding the little boy, now named Hope, went viral.

Anja is the founder of the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation, which attempts to save ‘witch children’ and change attitudes of Nigerian communities towards this archaic and cruel practice.

[...]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/the-story-behind-this-heartbreaking-photo/ne...

And the UN has the hide to lecture us about children in detention on Nauru. Are any of the children on Nauru being accused of being witches by Australian authorities? Are any of the children on Nauru being denied food and water? The UN deserves nothing but contempt.

---

It's an horrific story, and thank God for the selfless and dedicated humnanitarian workers who saved him - workers who, according to your philosophy should have been looking after the homeless and destitute in their own country (or does that only apply in Australia?)

You ask if any  children in Nauru are being accused of witchcraft by Australian authorities - why? There is no suggestion that the child in question was accused by Nigerian authorities.

The practice occurs at a village level as a result of superstition and lack of education and and I imagine  it is a practice the Nigerian government is trying to very hard to stamp out.

Do you want the UN to send a peacekeeping  force into  every country where children have  have died or been brutalised during 'exorcism' rites? 

 http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/19/justice/maryland-exorcism-deaths/

http://www.livescience.com/37274-toddler-exorcism-death.html

These practices are barbaric and need to be stoped, but unless they are sancioned by the governments of the countries involved it is not the duty of the UN can hardly be expected to become involved.  

[lind9650]

The only way I can see those atrocities to be stopped, is through education. Education and ecsample. This is a hard task for any Government to try to stamp out all those old, inherited superstitions and false beliefs. Most of those things happen in hard to reach little villages where people can not read or write and have no idea about the rest of the world. Not only in Africa, but also in other countries.

Perhaps if someone would form an international organization of volunteers that are willing to go to such places and teach the people new ways of living. Then offer the Government the assistance of such volunteeds, but it will be frought with danger of their own life. Those village chiefs or elders will not tolerate interferance in their way of controlling their people.

Catch 22 I'd say.

Erica

[moonflyte]

As sad and appalling as it is I'm afraid it's been going on for centuries and we cannot save them all. 

We, and many other countries give billions in aid but it seems nothing we can do can stop the wars and evil practices that are still happening. It is cultural and as abhorrent as it is it won't or can't be stopped.

[Anonymous]

Do you want the UN to send a peacekeeping  force into  every country where children have  have died or been brutalised during 'exorcism' rites?

i don't see the OP mentioning the

united nations peacekeeping force.

this is more of a human rights issue

which does come under the UN -

un human rights council

the OP should be pleased to know

that the UN is not completely silent

on the issues:

The UN Human Rights Council has published IHEU’s written statement on witchcraft in Africa. The statement documents the abuse of children and others through accusations of witchcraft and supposed witch “cures”. IHEU calls for improved education and policing to eliminate these twin scourges.

Geneva, March 10th  2014 – WHRIN launches what may be the first ever report into the global scale of witchcraft accusations and persecution, muti killings and human sacrifice at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

These practices are barbaric and need to be stoped, but unless they are sancioned by the governments of the countries involved it is not the duty of the UN can hardly be expected to become involved.  

what is the role of the unhrc then?

the links you posted are referring

to cases where the individuals are

serving lengthy jail sentences for

killing their children.  there is no

need for the UN to get involved. 

there are laws already there to 

protect children.