There is an emerging narrative that seems to emphasize that children’s rights must not be presented as exclusive but should also come with responsibilities for the children. While this school of thought is reasonable, there is a need to draw our attention to the fact that, the African continent is not even halfway towards realising Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040. Africa’s Agenda for Children presents ten (10) aspirations that require practical and deliberate actions to translate children’s rights into a reality. These aspirations speak to the fundamental rights of children living on the continent.
These aspirations will once again come to the spotlight as we commemorate the Day of the African Child this June 16. The theme for this year; “Humanitarian Action in Africa: Children’s Rights First” places emphasis on countries to ensure that ‘every child is protected against violence, and ‘every child is free from the impact of armed conflicts and other disasters or emergency situations. Both these issues are critical in the African Agenda for Children 2040.
While the entire continent is celebrating the Day of African Child; the reality for an African Child is still shocking and disturbing. The statistics and reports reveal disturbing facts that should not be ignored.
In South Africa, the estimated child homicide rate is 5.5 homicides per 100 000 children, which is more than twice the global average. This is a glaring statistic that illustrates the need for urgent action in addressing child protection in South Africa. In Mozambique, 1 million children were affected by Cyclone Idai and subsequent floods. This means 1 million more children who have been left homeless, orphaned, or out of school on the African continent and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance for their survival and development.
The violence in the border region between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger has left 1,478 schools closed. This presents a huge challenge in so far as access to education for children in that region is concerned. In northeast Nigeria, armed groups, including Boko Haram abducted 110 girls and one boy from a school. In the Central African Republic, a dramatic resurgence in fighting has enveloped much of the country, with two out of three children in need of humanitarian assistance. Not only are they at risk because of the conflict in the region but they are going to be left behind with limited access to skills that could have improved their future.
In South Sudan, more than one million children under age 5 are estimated to be acutely malnourished, including more than 273,600 who are severely malnourished due to drought. (OCHA, 13 Feb 2017). In Uganda, almost one-third of children under 5 years are stunted. Stunting increases with age, peaking at 37 percent among children 18-35 months. (UBOS and ICF 2018). Stunting is the result of growing under limited provision of food, health, and care. Research has shown that stunting has a huge impact on not only the children’s development but the continent’s progress in the long term.
The glaring statistics shared above do not present a caring ‘Mother Africa’ that is fit for her children. This demonstrate that Africa requires a lot of practical actions to protect her children. Thus, as we celebrate the 2019 Day of the African Child, we should always remember the brave action children took in defence of their rights on the 16th June in Soweto, South Africa. The fundamental question is, what should we do to lessen the sufferings experienced by children across the continent?
The effect of humanitarian crises leads to hunger, malnutrition, abuse, lack of access to education and health care, which pause a serious threat to the survival, development and protection of the children on the continent. Therefore, the 2019 Day of the African Child should highlight the huge task ahead of the African leaders, child rights actors and all key stakeholders in promoting and protecting the rights of children and facilitating unlimited access to comprehensive care and basic services to all affected children. The 2019 DAC should also be a moment of reflection on the continent’s commitments in fostering an Africa fit for Children. But most importantly, a moment to call for urgent practical actions that prioritise children’s safety, wellbeing, protection, education and health in the country budgets, policies, prevention and response programmes.
Richard Kgomotso Montsho is the Children’s Rights Manger at the Graça Machel Trust. He has 15 years’ experience in promoting and protecting children’s social, economic, protective, civil and political rights. He actively participates in the child rights reporting processes to the treaty bodies such as the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. He is an active member of the Civil Society Organisation forum in the continent. He is a great advocate for meaningful child participation; to this end he initiated South Africa’s first Children’s Complimentary report to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and initiated the development of the South Africa’s National Child Participation Framework.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trust’s goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.