Empower, Protect, Prevent
- ATE/CHILDREN NOW
- Apr 1, 2008
- 2 min read
Updated: May 7
At the World Peace Summit 2008, held on March 29th in Wellington, New Zealand, global leaders came together to discuss crucial issues affecting the future of our children. In his impactful speech, Children Now's CEO Ricaardoe Di Done focused on the challenges posed by street gangs and the importance of prevention and education. Below is a summary of his speech, where he shed light on the social realities that youth face today and the steps needed to empower children to thrive in safe, supportive environments.
My main objective is to make sure that all children in the world have all the tools that they need in order to flourish in life. Our main focus is prevention and education – why should we cure when we could prevent the problem altogether?
Two of the most important challenges that we face in the future are the impact of climate change and the upbringing of our youth. In discussing climate change and the physical environment, we believe that we must also speak of our human environment and all the other factors that affect the future of our children.
One of the major social ills that is plaguing our children’s future and hindering their environment is Street Gangs. I therefore decided to produce an educational book entitled Youth and Street Gangs, which focuses on prevention and explains the nature of this new social reality that our children are facing. My goal was simple: produce a tool that will inform them on certain social issues, as well as clearly demonstrate the choices they have towards them, so they may evolve in a sane and secure environment.
There are many risk factors that will incite a young person to join a youth gang:
Family-related characteristics – such as dysfunctional, abusive, or negligent homes;
Socio-economic factors such as poverty and unemployment;
Educational factors such as poor academic performance, low attachment to schools, negative labeling by teachers, and educational frustration;
Community factors such as high crime and unsafe neighborhoods, and the presence of gangs in the neighborhood;
Negative individual and peer group factors such as prior delinquency, anti-social attitudes, aggression, alcohol and drug abuse, interaction with delinquent peers, and illegal gun ownership.
A stable home is a protective factor that will help keep youths out of street gangs. The family is one of the most important and solid building blocks that is needed to ensure that teenagers avoid becoming involved in street gangs.
Parents must speak to their children about the dangers and consequences of gang involvement and of adopting risky behaviours such as consumption of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. The more young people and those who look after their development, including parents and teachers, are informed, the more we will be able to prevent and eradicate the problem of street gangs and the various effects which result from it.
Click below to read Mr. Di Done's full speech from the 2008 World Peace Summit.
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