CIVIL – Center for Freedom most strongly condemns abuse of children and minors for political and elections purposes. Based on CIVIL’s long-term monitoring, cases of abuse of children and minors have been determined also after the start of the campaign for presidential elections in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Political abuse of children is forbidden by law! According to Article 12, paragraph 4, of the Law on Child Protection, abuse of children for political or religious organization and action is forbidden.
CIVIL reminds political parties, parents, the media and institutions that every child, without any exception, has the right to a dignified life, and to enjoy all the rights stipulated in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Law on Child Protection. Many children do not have access to quality education, health care protection and dignified living conditions. They have the right to a carefree childhood, free from daily political events.
Children’s place is outside of politics! Political parties and their supporters must contribute to child protection, and not to their abuse. The state and the institutions have an obligation to provide children with physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development, a healthy and normal way of living in conditions of freedom and dignity!
CIVIL continuously alerts the public, political parties and the institutions about abuse of children for political purposes, and demands from the institutions to sanction all those who in any way involve children in politics.
CIVIL urges: STOP political abuse and indoctrination of children! We must not allow children’s development to be contaminated with ideological, political, ethnic, religious, gender or social antagonism and mobilization.
CIVIL demands from the institutions to take decisive sanctions against all those who will try to put children and minors on their list of activities. This simply has to stop immediately!
CIVIL calls on observers, supporters, members and citizens to report political abuse of children, as well as hate speech, abuses and other election irregularities.
Reports can be made by email (monitoring.civil@gmail.com), Facebook, by phone (02 / 5209 176), on the online application for election irregularities or personally at the organization’s office in Skopje.
