Help end the scandal of children as young as six in jail 
The Universe
(July 17, 2005)
The G8 Summit in Edinburgh last week dominated the headlines and you may ask what the decisions of the heads of the world's wealthiest industrial countries have to do with you or the state of the world's poorest people and the children in prison around the world.
The answer is: everything. They hold the power of life and death because they own the food supplies, the medicines and the wealth that can give or withhold life.
It's hard to persuade these economic gods to act out of compassion and care for the poorest. They make promises to cancel debt and help with more development aid, but will they deliver? The only Golden Rule they follow is, "We have the gold and therefore we rule".
That kind of attitude has caused untold suffering and poverty driving millions to seek work abroad, abandoned children who live on the streets, facing daily arrest and imprisonment. The rich nations have dominated the world economy with policies that divide and conquer, global trade rules that favour them and their industries.
The poor are crushed by the huge subsidies the rich give to their farmers. The poor cannot sell into their markets. That's why Fair Trade is the call of the committed. The death rate of the powerless starving masses is only recently a matter of concern for them as public opinion has made people to stand up to challenge and condemn their inaction and lack of compassion.
The street children imprisoned around the world provide the most compelling evidence of the impact of poverty in the lives of the most vulnerable and the failure of governments to protect and help them.
There are an estimate 20,000 children in prison in the Philippines through out a single year. They are usually falsely accused because they are homeless, vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. Some steal food from the market, or are using forbidden solvents to ease the pains of hunger and loneliness. They are the victims of an unjust and cruel system of imprisonment that we are trying to change.
These children are frequently mixed with adult prisoners and sexually abused. Here 80-100 prisoners squat for 24 hours taking turns at lying down so congested are the small cells. The heat and stench are overpowering, the food paltry and malnutrition and disease daily hazards.
Most are innocent of any crime and the youngest we found was just six. Children as young as eight are common.
With the help of the Supreme Court, the rules have been modified to allow children to be released to a children's home if there is one that can cope with them.
Preda has established one just to take the children out of jail away from abuse, hunger and disease and give the education and a new start in life.
This week Preda and Jubilee Action in England launch a joint campaign to end the imprisonment of children. Supported by Lord David Alton and other leading British politicians, the aim is to persuade the United Nations to appoint a special envoy for imprisoned children and to reduce the number in jail by two-thirds by 2010. It will also attempt to persuade the Philippines government to speed trough a juvenile justice bill.
To make this a descent world for children means we need more than ever our spiritual vision and conviction about the dignity of the human person. [End]
