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Momodou
Denmark
11826 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Jun 2007 : 19:08:09
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DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD COMMEMORATED
By Abdou Jeli Keita
June 16 was set aside by the then O.A.U and now A.U for all African countries to commemorate the day of the African Child by reflecting on the conditions and plight of African Children, in particular, the school children of Soweto in South Africa, who were massacred by the Apartheid regime in 1976. This day raises awareness on the welfare of children. It is also used to advocate for the improvement of the continent.
As the day is commemorated annually with various themes of interest to the welfare of children, this years theme is "CHILD TRAFFICKING." In recent years, this has gained visibility as a major violation of children's rights. Mr. Salifu Jassy, a Child Protection Officer at (UNICEF), an agency of the United Nation which advocates for the rights and welfare of all children, said child protection is a serious concern to the United Nations Children's Fund. UNICEF, he said, regards the trafficking of children as a serious violation of their rights. Child trafficking is an international problem which affects many countries in West Africa, including The Gambia.
He said some of the reasons behind child trafficking; include exploitative labor, military conscription, and acquisition of their organs and for sexual purposes. He said the survival and development of children is threatened and their rights to education, to good health, to grow up within a family and to protection from abuse and exploitation are denied. He said "child bearing is a choice, but child rearing is a responsibility." Mr. Salifu Jassy, explained that, UNICEF's fight against child trafficking are three fold:
The first is, through advocacy with national governments, for states to take all necessary legal and administrative measures to prevent child trafficking and bring traffickers to justice;
The second is through a partnership with governments, NGO's and Civil Society Organisations, to protect the victims of child trafficking and help ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and repatriation to their countries of origin;
The third is to undertake research and documentation of trafficking and use the resource for mobilization at national and international levels.
Mr. Jassy urged people to create a protective environment for children, built on the conviction that a world fit for children is one in which they have the best possible start in life and ample opportunities to develop their individual capacities in a safe and supportive environment. In seeking to ensure all children grow up in such an environment, he said UNICEF, considers the following actions as vital instruments to protect children from the dangers of trafficking and sexual abuse:
"At the macro or policy level, there must be government's commitment in every country to universal primary education, as well as to secondary education. Girl's education, in particular, is recognised as one of the most effective interventions against exploitation, abuse and discrimination. Young girls ought to be in schools, not on the street or in servitude where they are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
Legislation and law enforcement need to be strengthened to ensure implementation and monitoring of international conventions, as well as bilateral agreements for cross-border co-operation. At the service delivery level, the skills and capacities need to be strengthened for those who come into contact with children, including parents and caregivers. To promote the recovery of children into their families and communities, Judges, Lawyers, Police, Social Workers, Child Psychologists and Teachers need training to support and protect trafficked children whose needs, and rights are often different from those of adults. He said at the community level, concerted efforts are necessary to improve knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviours to counter discrimination against girls and the tradition of sending children away to work as domestic labour." He said the media has a special role to play to foster open discussion on child protection issues.
Deputizing for the speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Seedy S.K. Njie, nominated member, in his address, said the day is designed to be an appropriate and effective means through which children can raise awareness on the issues that affect them to policy makers, religious leaders, parents and other fortunate children who are not facing such problems. The Gambia Government, he said, has not only maintained her position on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), but has taken positive steps to fulfill most of the Articles that are in the C.R.C. Njie called on all Gambians, especially the families and communities, to protect children from not only child trafficking but all sorts of violence against children.
Mr. Fallou Sowe, who deputized for the Director of Social Welfare delivered a paper on "Gambia's Policy Framework on child trafficking." In his presentation, he dwelt on the role of the government in combating child trafficking. He said The Gambia government has come up with legislations to combat child trafficking. He said the penalty for anyone found guilty of child trafficking, is a minimum of 10 years imprisonment an a maximum of life imprisonment that the government did set up a child welfare unit at the police, which deals with child related issues that the government organised media programs, noting that the Government is trying to put in place laws that will protect communities from child trafficking. He said the Government is trying to setup a hot line to enable communities to report any child trafficking incident and that government has also setup a task force which came up with a national plan of action.
He concluded that we must give proper home and parental care to the children and that communities must break the culture of silence and report matters of child trafficking. The commemoration of the day began with a march pass from Serrekunda police to St. Therese's Upper Basic School along the Kairaba Avenue.
Mr. Ousman Sarr Executive Director of NAYCO gave the closing statement.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 72/2007, 22-24 June, 2007
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