Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Go Tell Fire to the Mountain by WU LYF free essay sample
World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation. The UKââ¬â¢s biggest mystery. This band has grown to be popular, mainly by not trying to be popularâ⬠¦.at least it would seem. WU LYF has gotten lots of recognition for playing few shows, turning down interviews, and remaining kind of anonymous. So maybe itââ¬â¢s all a big scheme. Some sort of reverse psychological marketing plot: the less we know, the more we want to know. In remaining unknown to most, this band has made their own label, and produced their records themselves. Theyââ¬â¢re pretty much the Odd Future ofâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.whatever genre they are. Now letââ¬â¢s talk about sound. Emo. Post-rock. Shoegaze. All these terms could be mixed together somehow, but that would only half describe WU LYFââ¬â¢s sound. One thing to keep in mind is that the band recorded the album themselves in a cathedral in Manchester. So obviously this has a very large, vast reverb to it. We will write a custom essay sample on Go Tell Fire to the Mountain by WU LYF or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lotââ¬â¢s of guitar melodies as opposed to riffs or chord progression. Very busy and vivid drums and bass that are distinctly synched together like math-rock outfit Maps Atlases for example. You could kind of say that theyââ¬â¢re like a more traditionally structured Explosions in the Sky with vocals. Though the band is self-described as ââ¬Å"heavy popâ⬠, I definitely think itââ¬â¢s much more complex than that. In fact, the music is so busy that it could very well be an instrumental project and I would still be interested. But the vocals. Loud, obnoxious, big, reverb-y, and often times gang vocals and shouting are made into this very unique, passionate sound that seemingly would contradict such cathartic music; but it doesnââ¬â¢t. Itââ¬â¢s perfect. Icing on the cake. Brilliant.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Sports and Million Dollar Baby Essay Example
Sports and Million Dollar Baby Essay Million Dollar Baby is a sports movie fused with drama and a dash romance with a running time of two hours and twelve minutes and its characters and the events that unfold are based on a true story. The movie tells the story of Frankie Dunn, an aging boxing trainer who happens to be a veteran in the sport and has committed the entirety of his life to the game but with very little to show for his work. Enters Maggie Fitzgerald who walks into Frankieââ¬â¢s gym and asks him to train her but Frankie is skeptical about the matter because he does not rank female boxing highly and he considered her too old at the age of 31 especially without neither experience nor technique to fight in the ring. Frankie also bears great guilt from back in the day when he was training his best friend and most loyal employee who suffered an eye injury that ruled him out of the sport. But Maggie would persist until Frankie accepts to train her and she develops into a strong fighter racking up win after win and a strong emotional bond is formed between the two who are also having off the ring complications with their families. Frankieââ¬â¢s daughter never responds to his frequent letters, his gym is facing closure by the bank and a fighter he was training signs up with a different manager as soon as he gets hot leaving Frankie out to dry. Maggie tries to form a relationship with her mother and sister but their only concern with Maggie is the money that she is making as a boxer and how much of that they could solicit from her after an unfortunate tragedy that she eventually succumbed to in hospital occurred during what would be her final boxing match. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Sports is an integral part of the American culture and can be classified as high culture held strongly by its people. As a country, America is rich in history and this history is synonymous with sports as well. What might have begun a hundred years ago as players on a dusty field tossing a ball has rapidly evolved in
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
What Is Involved With Writing Articles That Are Based On Descriptive Essay Topics?
What Is Involved With Writing Articles That Are Based On Descriptive Essay Topics?An essay that describes is the key to getting an A. Whether you are writing for a school, a club, or a journal, it is crucial that you learn how to write descriptions that are not only concise but also spell easy and not too hard on the eye. It is important to create different themes and see if they work.When doing a description essay, you will find that one of the best topics is the art of painting. This is because everyone knows what a good picture is and you can really get your point across.However, you should also consider finding out what people in the audience would like to read about and come up with a topic that would be a good one to discuss. It is also very helpful to have a list of the other things that people would like to read about, so you can add those and find a theme.The key to creating different topics is to take into consideration not only what people want to hear about, but what they would also like to see as well. You might also want to think about different music, or what people would want to talk about in terms of technology.Other than being able to research different topics, you should also include in your article topic that you have covered the questions that the audience is asking. This is a great way to draw the audience in.So, to conclude, when doing research for various topics, make sure that you know what people want to know and what is important to them. It is also a great idea to follow trends, to see what people like to read and what they would like to see on a daily basis.The way to start is to come up with an outline of your essay topics, and then you can start writing your essay. Keep in mind that the more detail you can give in your essay, the better.When you write a description essay, it is important to be able to give different topic and then make it flow. Remember that your goal is to make the essay as fun and interesting as possible, so do not forget that.
Friday, March 13, 2020
How to pronounce Ma Ying-jeou (Ma Ying-jiu)
How to pronounce Ma Ying-jeou (Ma Ying-jiu) In this article, we will look at how to pronounce Ma Ying-jeou (traditional: é ¦ ¬Ã¨â¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ , simplified: é © ¬Ã¨â¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ), which in Hanyu Pinyin would be MÃŽ Yà «ng-jiÃâ. Since most students use Hanyu Pinyin for pronunciation, I will henceforth use that. Ma Ying-jiu was president of Taiwan (Republic of China) from 2008 to 2016. Below, I will first give you a quick and dirty way if you just want to have a rough idea how to pronounce the name. Then Iââ¬â¢ll go through a more detailed description, including analysis of common learner errors. Pronouncing Names in Chinese Pronouncing Chinese names correctly can be very hard if you havent studied the language.à Ignoring or mispronouncing tones will just add to the confusion. These mistakes add up and often become so serious that a native speaker would fail to understand. Read more about how to pronounce Chinese names. How to Pronounce Ma Ying-jiu if Youve Never Studied Chinese Chinese names usually consist of three syllables, with the first being the family name and the last two the personal name. There are exceptions to this rule, but it holds true in a vast majority of cases. Thus, there are three syllables we need to deal with. Listen to the pronunciation here while reading the explanation. Repeat yourself! Ma - Pronounce as ma in markYing - Pronounce as Eng in EnglishJiu - Pronounce as Joe If you want want to have a go at the tones, they are low, high-flat and low (or dipping, see below). Note: This pronunciation is not correct pronunciation in Mandarin (though it is reasonably close). To really get it right, you need to learn some new sounds (see below). How to Actually Pronounce Ma Yingjiu If you study Mandarin, you should never ever rely on English approximations like those above. Those are meant for people who dont intend to learn the language! You have to understand the orthography, i.e. how the letters relate to the sounds. There are many traps and pitfalls in Pinyin you have to be familiar with. Now, lets look at the three syllables in more detail, including common learner errors: Maà (third tone) - You are probably familiar with this sound if youve studied Mandarin since its often used to demonstrate tones and is very common. The m is easy to get right, but the a is harder. In general, the a in mark is too far back, but the a in man is too far forward. Somewhere in between. It is a very open sound, too.Yingà (first tone) - As you may have guessed already, this syllable was chosen to represent England and thereby English because they do sound quite similar. The i (which is spelt yi here) in Mandarin is pronounced with the tongue tip closer to the upper teeth than in English. Its as far up and forward ou can go, basically. It can almost sound like a soft j at times. The final can have an optional short schwa (as in English the). To get the right -ng, let your jaw drop and your tongue withdraw.Jiu (third tone) -This sound is tricky to get right. First, j is one of the hardest sounds to get right for native speakers of English. Its a voiceless unaspriated aff ricate, which means that there should be a soft t followed by a hissing sound. This should be pronounced in the same place as x, which means tongue tip touching the lower teeth ridge. iu is an abbreviation of iou. The i tends to overlap with the initial. The remaining part is somewhere in between jaw and joe, but note that the English j is quite different from Pinyin j.. The are some variations for these sounds, but Ma Ying-jiu (é © ¬Ã¨â¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ) can be written like this in IPA: ma jÃâ¢Ã
â¹ tÃâ¢ju Conclusion Now you know how to pronounce Ma Ying -jiu (é © ¬Ã¨â¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ). Did you find it hard? If youââ¬â¢re learning Mandarin, dont worry; there arent that many sounds. Once youââ¬â¢ve learnt the most common ones, learning to pronounce words (and names) will become much easier!
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Critical Response Comparative Analysis Assignment. (Risk taking, which Essay
Critical Response Comparative Analysis Assignment. (Risk taking, which is the name of the chapter that has the 2 articles) - Essay Example Heroes and heroines are an important people in the whole of human race despite the action a hero does or a heroin does. Heroism has a profound belief in the value of human beings and the dignity of all human race regardless of whether one is a victim or not. This paper will outline and describe various critical analyses on how profound heroism has evidently evolved in the feminism characters and comparisons to that of masculine characters. Miriam Polster, author of the article Eveââ¬â¢s Daughter states that moving beyond stereotypic class of heroes makes s conclude that ordinary men and women are heroes. Heroes in everyday may not receive an accorded acclaim. However, private heroism becomes precise because people see their heroes every day; their heroes are so near as family, co-workers, and neighbors. Heroes have a profound respect for human life, a sense of personal effectiveness, mental courage, and original perspective about the world. People measure heroism in terms of publi city. They think that a hero is that big figure hat is seen every day, affects greatly in to the society, and largely distinguished from others. The fact is, heroism is characterized with basic traits that do not create hierarchy heroic actions but rather appreciation of ordinary guise and heroic elements. Ted Tollefson, author of article, Is a hero really nothing but a Sandwich?, describes many heroic figures like Warren Spahn, Elvis, Kennedy Carl Jung, Ben Hogan among others who have reflected back to Ted and what he intended to become. He wished to have good moves, become an electrifying orator as well as sex symbol. Ted shows how many of the generations have weaknesses for hero-worshipping as try to shed skins of their heroes like serpents. The people reach a point at which they start questioning about their heroes and why they need them. Ted explains that a number of people with heroic figure have common character traits despite the immense cultural differences. However, the re ason as to why they remain heroes is that activity they did of which, everyone else talks about. Ted explains how heroes live a life worth imitation that comes in with a number of benefits of zest and meaningful life (Tollefson, 1993). In the context of Eveââ¬â¢s daughter, you find that women have moved beyond a stereotype class of heroes where many of the women and men who are stated as heroes receive similar acclaims heroism and are accorded classic values of heroism, which are precisely equal to each other. Everyday heroes rise as different and difficult challenges arise too. The manner of tackling difficulties is different from one hero to another. In the context of People who make changes, heroism is a mere common place setting in response to challenges that affect more women that are vulnerable. In this context, inventory of heroism contain heroic characters, which are common to a bigger a number or all of the figures in the heroism state. Most of the heroes respect the hum an dignity and hold one accord for life. Heroism tries to solve challenges without hurting the victimized people. In this manner, the people a hero fights for appreciate him or her for standing in the place of the victims. When the challenge is drawn to the end, celebrations are held. The most enjoys the most is the hero himself for the privileges he gets from the people he or she helped (Polster, 2001). The mental courage in heroes permits them to be aware and accept the way people are in regard to their self-reliance and contribution of
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Anton Chekovs A Marriage Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Anton Chekovs A Marriage Proposal - Essay Example His fundamental focus is on the common man, their lives and problems and the manner in which they deal with them. A similar situation is also observed in the play ââ¬Å"A Marriage Proposalâ⬠. As the name suggests the play is about Ivan Vassiliyitch or Lemov proposing Stepan Stepanovitchââ¬â¢s or Tschubââ¬â¢s daughter Natalia Stepnaovna. Although the play is extremely hilarious and chaotic yet it is observed that Chekov uses the comical aspect of the play to reveal varied human behaviors. Moreover this revelation of characters is reiterated by employing two techniques i.e. the characterââ¬â¢s self-revelation and the explication of the fellow characters. Hence by using this technique Chekov presents the readers with an in-depth character analysis where the reader is enlightened about an individualââ¬â¢s personal perspective as well as the manner in which the other people perceive him. Since the commencement of the play Chekov divides the responsibility of each characterââ¬â¢s introduction amongst the fellow characters as it is also apparent from the fact that rather than using stage directions or any other technique he utilizes dialogues as a mode for explaining the characters of Lemov and Natalia. Lemov represents a young nervous man who is at a point in life where he badly desires to get settled though he is agitated at broaching the subject with the respective brideââ¬â¢s father Tschub. This hesitation is highly apparent in the lines where he says, ââ¬Å"It is not the first time I have had the honor of turning to you for assistanceâ⬠¦ I beg your pardon I am a bit excited Iââ¬â¢ll take a drink of water firstâ⬠(Chekov 499). These lines depict his restlessness as well as provide the readers with an interesting insight about his character that he is a young man at brink of committing himself in a matrimonial relationship and the whole process of asking for Tschubââ¬â¢s daughterââ¬â¢s hand makes him jittery. Lemovââ¬â¢s dialogues also enlighten the readers about the reasons for marrying Natalia as he says, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m coldâ⬠¦the chief thing is to settle mattersâ⬠¦Iââ¬â¢m thirty-five a critical age you might sayâ⬠¦I must live a well regulated lifeâ⬠(Chekov 500). In other words Lemov represents a guy in the prime age of getting married, who has a bad case of nerves about committing himself in a binding relationship. However he is brave enough to be willing to take the plunge because of his stature in life and the requirement of his health i.e. he believes having a wife will cure him from a bad heart. Moreover he is a man who has the habit of either talking in riddles or straying from the actual topic as it is evident from his failed attempts of proposing to Natalia. As time and again he says, ââ¬Å"Only listen until I have finishedâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Chekov 502) rather than coming directly to the point he keeps getting in arguments with Natalia because of his lack of being able to steer the conversation in the right direction. Moreover through his assertions the readers realize that he considers himself a self-righteous and a fair man which is again concluded from his assertion, ââ¬Å"my lady I have never appropriated other peopleââ¬â¢s property and I shall permit no one to accuse me of such a thingâ⬠(Chekov 503). His indignation further highlights his personality traits to the readers although Natalia believes otherwise. However it cannot be denied that he is a highly principled individual yet he has a kind heart and has the tendency of eventually giving in to an argument. This is apparent from the lines, ââ¬Å"it was only principle of the thing the property isnââ¬â¢t worth much to me but the principle is worth a great dealâ⬠(Chekov 507). These parallels of opinions about Lemovââ¬â¢s character i.e. his personal opinion about himself and
Thursday, January 30, 2020
UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay Example for Free
UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay UNICEFââ¬â¢s mission is to advocate for the protection of childrenââ¬â¢s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, 2008). Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations (UNICEF, 2006). The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights (Freeman, 1996). In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under eighteen years old often need special care and protection that adults do not (Alston, 1992). The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life (UNICEF, 2006). The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child (Jasper, 1994). Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects childrens rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services (Jasper, 1994). By agreeing to undertake the obligations of the Convention, national governments committed themselves to protecting and ensuring childrens rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child (Stein, 1998). Most of the governments have incorporated this issue in their development plan courtesy of UNICEF. UNICEFs work for the overall protection of childhood is guided by the principles and standards established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Walker, 1999). In advocating to protect childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, UNICEF helps to change the legal and policy framework of States parties and to improve understanding of the Convention itself at all levels of society (Walker, 1999). Among other activities, UNICEF works in nearly 160 countries to support ratification and implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF draws attention to the duties of governments, families, communities and individuals to respect those rights and supports them in doing so. During armed conflict, children are targeted for the worst possible violence and abuse, including abduction, rape and recruitment as child soldiers, and may be forced or coerced to take part in atrocities (Peters, 1997). Because children are among the most affected by conflict they become victims and witnesses of these offences (Brandes, 1999). The lack of accountability for conflict-related crimes against children can leave child victims vulnerable to further violation and abuse. Accountability in post-conflict situations can fulfill a number of important functions (Peters, 1997). It contributes to the process of healing and helps children understand that they are not to blame for what has happened. By investigating and documenting violations committed, accountability processes raise public awareness of the impacts of conflict on children (Dobrish, 1999). Accountability can also help to break the cycle of violence, restore confidence in democracy and the rule of law, and strengthen the legitimacy and authority of the new government (Fox, 1997). In recent years, truth, justice and reconciliation processes have begun to focus specifically on crimes committed against children and have involved children proactively, including through testimony that bears witness to their experiences(Dobrish, 1999). The recent involvement of children and adolescents in providing testimony to international and national courts and truth commissions has demonstrated their unique role as participants and as members of their communities (UNICEF, 2008). But if children are to engage in transitional justice processes their rights must be respected. The review and analysis of emerging good practices on the involvement of children and adolescents in truth, justice and reconciliation processes has brought to light a number of dilemmas. For example, it is recognized that children and adolescents who have been recruited to take part in hostilities are primarily victims of armed conflict. At the same time, many argue that some form of accountability for crimes committed by children is in their best interests and could contribute to processes of reconciliation and reintegration (Teitelbaum, 1999). Mechanisms of accountability for serious violations committed during armed conflict include a wide range of options, such as judicial prosecutions, truth commissions, restorative justice processes and traditional practices (Kurmay, 1996). When children engage in truth, justice and reconciliation processes, new possibilities and new challenges are encountered. In a number of instances, child-friendly procedures have been introduced to safeguard the rights of children who become involved and to support their protection throughout the process (Teitelbaum, 1999). This can help build childrenââ¬â¢s confidence and restore their sense of justice in the social and political order, while also establishing a mechanism of accountability for crimes committed against them. However, many questions remain as to how best to protect the rights of children involved as victims and witnesses in these contexts. Ideally childrenââ¬â¢s participation should strengthen and enhance their protection, and protection measures should enable participation (Kurmay, 1996). In the long term, if children are excluded from transitional processes, they may become frustrated and vulnerable to a continuing cycle of violence, impacting future generations. Failure to address their concerns also wastes the capacity and potential of children and adolescents to serve as catalysts for reconciliation and peace-building within their own communities (Dwyer, 1999). The importance of furthering efforts to support childrenââ¬â¢s involvement in transitional justice processes was identified during an expert discussion on Transitional Justice and Children convened by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC) in November 2005. It was proposed that research on children and truth commissions be undertaken, identifying good practices and lessons learned, and recommending strategies to improve and facilitate childrenââ¬â¢s participation in future truth commissions(UNICEF, 2006). Documentation on the role of children in truth commissions was initiated by UNICEF IRC and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) (UNICEF, 2006). In the course of research underway on children and truth commissions, a number of issues have emerged requiring further research and analysis in order to better understand the potential and the limits of childrenââ¬â¢s participation in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). As a result it was decided to initiate an Expert Paper Series on Children and Transitional Justice, addressing a broad range of issues, including judicial accountability, truth-seeking, local, traditional and restorative justice processes, and institutional reform. The Series has helped to build a network for sharing information and expertise, generating discussion and debate among key stakeholders (UNICEF, 2006). These include child protection advocates, government agents, legal experts and academics. The objective of the expert paper series is to improve accountability for crimes against children and to protect the rights of children involved in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). Specific papers will document and analyze emerging good practices and lessons learned; evaluate the potential role of children; and anticipate and promote strategies for involving children in future transitional processes(ACF, 2007). It is anticipated that studies undertaken in this series will help to guide the involvement of children in truth, justice and reconciliation processes in post-conflict transition. UNICEF works closely with other human rights bodies such as Human Security Network (HSN). This is an organization which has a long-standing commitment to human rights and to the protection of the most vulnerable both in peace and in times of conflict (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network plays a decisive role in advancing the implementation of the Convention and of its two Optional Protocols, and in reaffirming, in each and every decision the general principles of non discrimination, best interests of the child, survival and development and participation of the child (UNICEF, 2008). The year 2007 was a landmark year for the protection of childrenââ¬â¢s rights. Indeed, 2007 marked the 18th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Marta, 2007). As the Convention entered a new stage of adulthood there was an opportunity to celebrate the many important achievements and to critically reflect on the best ways of addressing the challenges ahead. The year was also marked by the General Assembly mid decade review of the follow-up to the Special Session on Children. This process was an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to children, to advance the Millennium Agenda and further consolidate a world fit for children (Marta, 2007). By 2007, there is a full prohibition of all forms of violence against children in 19 countries (UNICEF, 2008). Legislation was adopted in The Netherlands where law enactment is being supported by a communication plan designed to inform parents and the general public about the legal ban in the lead up to its entry into force. New Zealand has banned the use of reasonable force for parents in the disciplining of their children (ACF, 2008). In a number of other nations draft legislation has been prepared and in others public commitments have been undertaken to ban all forms of violence (ACF, 2008). Once the changes become effective within each of these States, one fifth of the UN Member States would have extended legal protection to prevent violence against children (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF have recently developed and launched a Handbook on what parliamentarians can do to protect children from violence (UNICEF, 2008). With the participation of parliamentarians and international organizations from more than 100 countries, the launch was an opportunity to anticipate actions parliaments can take to ensure childrenââ¬â¢s freedom from violence, including through their legislative power, and to encourage and oversee government action and to promote the allocation of resources for relevant programmes and interventions(UNICEF, 2008). The Handbook will be translated in national languages and used as an important tool to support follow-up to the UN Study on Violence (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network have partnered to promote its wide dissemination and use. Naturally, legislation is only meaningful when it is effectively applied. To make law enforcement a reality it is important to engage children in the process of implementation (Masson, 1999). It is for this reason that UNICEF has joined efforts with a number of partners to produce the child friendly version of the UN Guidelines on justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime. The child friendly version was launched at the recent Crime Prevention Commission, in Vienna (UNICEF, 2008). The previous months show the instrumental role played by Professor Pinheiro as a global advocate and a catalyst for social change. But the task is just beginning and only by moving the implementation forward can we build a world free from violence for every child, wherever he or she may live (Marta, 2007). France hosted a major conference in 2006 where a wide range partners endorsed the Paris Principles to stop the recruitment and use of children in adult wars. The document represents the state of the art knowledge in the prevention, protection and reintegration of children recruited by armed forces and groups. And it has a unique potential to ensure the realization of childrenââ¬â¢s rights more broadly (UNICEF, 2008). These milestones are mutually complementary and provide a strategic vision for the future. More importantly, they give us a golden occasion to make a real difference in the lives of children (UNICEF, 2008). At the heart of this process are two closely related dimensions; child participation and the prevention of violence and conflict. Together, they both support the protection of childrenââ¬â¢s rights. A recent study of the Innocenti Research Centre a partner of UNICEF on ââ¬Å"Birth Registration and Armed Conflictâ⬠revealed a few truths. Birth Registration is a permanent and official record of a childââ¬â¢s existence (Marta, 2007). It is a fundamental human right and has strong implications for the enjoyment of other human rights it thus stand as a vivid illustration of the indivisibility of childrenââ¬â¢s rights and a call to always keep a child centered approach. In times of war, birth registration gains a special relevance for child protection, for the prevention of child recruitment, abduction and exploitation, as well as for access to humanitarian assistance (ABA, 2007). Over 25 truth commissions have been convened in various countries over the last decades and several have addressed the experiences of children (ABA, 2007). But the Truth Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Sierra Leone was the first truth commission to specifically focus on children as victims and witnesses, and to profile childrenââ¬â¢s role as actors in the reconciliation process. It is also the first case where a childrenââ¬â¢s version of the Commissionââ¬â¢s report was prepared (ACF, 2008 ). The childrenââ¬â¢s version of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report is one example of how children can contribute to community efforts towards reconciliation and transition, while helping to break the cycle of violence and re-establish confidence in the rule of law. UNICEF has had its fair share of challenges in protecting the rights of children. Civil wars especially in Africa have always targeted the children as recruits and this has always been a hurdle for the organization to overcome. Advocacy for children rights in a civic war infested area has not always been easy for them since the lives of the employees are also threatened. Lack of political will in various countries to support the UNICEFââ¬â¢s initiatives has been another monster in children rights protection. Some government agents like the police may be uncooperative in issues of child trafficking, pornography and other related cases hence the risk of failing to catch non-convicted abusers. Other barriers that have been along UNICEFââ¬â¢s path to success are undeveloped, unimplemented and conflicting policies on children rights and responsibilities in many countries. Lack of adequate funds to support their initiatives especially in less developed countries. Traditional practices and taboos among communities are also a major impediment since some encourage abusive practices against children such as communitiesââ¬â¢ warriors, early marriages, and local slave trade among others. Children are members of their communities and by taking part in community action they increase awareness and confidence and build their capacity for citizenship (Teitelbaum, 1999). Through their involvement in community reconciliation efforts, children can become advocates and catalysts within their families and communities, energizing reconciliation and nation building efforts (Jackson, 1999). It is by addressing the root causes of conflict and providing realistic opportunities for young people that we can begin to break the inter-generational violence that has resulted in protracted conflicts in many countries today. Finally, as we move forward and support actions to prevent all forms of violence in peace and in war through UNICEF, we must not forget that at the centre of all our efforts are individual children whose lives hang in the balance of our actions. We cannot wait another minute. When Graca Machel prepared her report in 1995, she was asked by a child, ââ¬Å"How long will it take before things get better? A month, a year? â⬠Today that child is an adult and another generation of children is asking the same question (UNICEF, 2008). How long will it take? The life of a child leaves no second chance. That is the urgency that must drive us in our efforts to make a real difference, a lasting difference. References: Alston, Philip, et al. , Children, rights, and the law. Oxford England: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Alston, Philip. The best interests of the child: reconciling culture and human rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. Angel, William D. The international law of youth rights : source documents and commentary. Dordrecht ; Boston : M. Nijhoff, 1995. Carey, Jacqueline M. Section of Family Law Home Page. American Bar Association Family Law Section. URL: http://www. abanet. org/family/ Cohen, Cynthia Price. Childrens rights in America : U. N. Convention on the rights of the child compared with United States law. [Chicago, Ill. ] : American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, [in cooperation with] Defense for Children International-USA, c1990. Freeman, Michael. Childrens rights : a comparative perspective. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt. : Dartmouth Pub. Co. , c1996. Jasper, Margaret C. Juvenile justice and childrens law. Dobbs Ferry, NY : Oceana Publications, 1994. Masson, J. M. (Judith M. ) Out of hearing : representing children in care proceedings. Chichester ; New York : Wiley, c1999. Mezey, Susan Gluck. Children in court : public policymaking and federal court decisions. Albany : State University of New York Press, c1996.
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