Faces of Costa Rica
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Marching
for Children's Rights
Thousands of people marched through the streets of downtown San José on July 18, 2003, a sea of white moving towards the Museo de Los Niños (Children's Museum). They walked almost a kilometer, protesting abuses against children and calling for increased criminal penalties for those people who commit child abuse. Almost 1.5 million Costa Ricans are under the age of 17, totaling close to 40 percent of the population. The protest march was organized by PANI, the Costa Rican national child welfare agency. President Abel Pacheco spoke at the protest. PANI organized the protest in response to the disappearance and murder of eight-year-old Vanessa Gonzalez. |