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Amnesty calls for steps to end violence against girls

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Amnesty International has urged governments and school officials across the world to take concrete measures to end violence against girls — particularly in schools.

In a report titled ‘Safe Schools: Every Girl’s Right’ — to be released on International Women’s Day — Amnesty International has said the governments’ failure to address violence against girls is unacceptable.

“Virtually every government claims to abhor violence against women and girls. Schools are a place where governments have direct responsibility and can start backing up their words with concrete actions,” a statement issued by Amnesty International on Thursday to flag the release of its report said.

The statement took note of a recent survey in India — ‘Study on Child Abuse: India 2007’ — as per which Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Delhi have consistently reported higher rates of abuse in all forms compared to other States. Delhi, in fact, topped the list with 87 per cent female young adults reporting that they had faced one or more form of emotional abuse during their childhood.

According to the release, Amnesty’s report showed how violence in and around educational institutions “remains pervasive” with girls across the world continuously facing the risk of being sexually assaulted, harassed or intimidated on their way to school or inside school premises.

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