Al-Azhar and the Church issue a publication to protect children from Circumcision, sexual violence and early marriage

In today’s world, families are confronted with different forms of violence that can harm children’s physical, intellectual and moral development.
Islam and Christianity equally stress the importance of protecting children from all forms of violence.
The Muslim and Christian faiths place particular importance on the role of the family in raising children, and protecting them from harm and violence.
In this context, Al-Azhar Al-Sharief and the Coptic Church of Egypt have joined together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the international agency mandated with protecting the rights of children in all countries, to develop three publications, to reflect the position of the two great religions on multiple aspects of violence against children.
The publications are: 1. “The Islamic perspective on protecting children from violence and harmful practices”, 2. “The Christian perspective on protecting children from violence and harmful practices”. While the third is a joint study by the two institutions, “Peace. Love. Tolerance. Key messages from Islam and Christianity on protecting children from violence and harmful practices”.
All three publications are available in English and Arabic.

The publications cover the following manifestations of violence against children:

I-Child marriage and forced marriage
II-Female genital mutilation
III-Discrimination among children
IV-Child labour
V-Sexual abuse of children
VI-Absence of family care and children living on the street
VII-Domestic violence against children
VIII-Violence in schools and educational institutions
IX-Exploitation of children in armed conflicts
X-Child trafficking
XI-Violence against children on television and the internet

The three publications include key messages on the perspectives of Islam and Christianity on protection of children from violence and harmful practices.
The joint publication, which is the first of its kind in the region, aims to share these messages with a wider audience of people and groups concerned with children’s rights.
Drawing on the Holy Quran, Holy Bible and other sacred texts, were designed for use by religious scholars, imams, priests and members of the clergy and others responsible for the protection and care of children, especially parents.
It is an established fact that Islam and Christianity condemn all types of violence against children. The two faiths stress the importance of treating children with love, tenderness, affection and compassion.
Both Islam and Christianity charge parents with the responsibility to care for their children physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, and stress the importance of the family as a protective and nurturing environment in which children can grow and thrive.