Day of the African Child, June 16 |15 June 2019
‘We cannot and must not fail our children’
“We cannot and must not fail our children – we must restore their dignity and do our utmost for a world 100% free from fear and violence, for ALL children whether in crisis or otherwise! Together we can achieve this.”
The appeal comes in a message from Dr Erna Athanasius, the chairperson of the National Council for Children and the National Commission for Child Protection, on the occasion of the Day of the African Child on June 16.
Dr Athanasius’ message reads:
“Commemorating this June 16, 2019, the Day of the African Child, we are not only honouring our children, but we are commemorating the student uprising in Soweto on June 16, 1976. These students took action in defence of their right to an appropriate education. Thus, we celebrate a proclamation of the rights and well-being of children throughout Africa! We celebrate and appreciate the fact that our children are crucial to the future of our continent and our world.
“Ahead of Children’s Day this year, Save the Children published a 2019 Global Childhood Report, in which it was established that although the world has made remarkable progress in protecting childhoods, due to strong political leadership, social investments and the success of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), one in four children are still denied their right to a safe and healthy childhood worldwide. 50% of refugees in Africa are children, and 1 in 3 migrants is a child. Today, millions of children are victims of conflict, forced out of their origins, denied an adequate, safe and nurturing start in life - their birth right. In Africa this is heartbreakingly evident still, despite pledges and the advances made. Children in Africa endure the most consequences of armed conflict, strife and other humanitarian crises and are usually inadequately protected. Their right to medical care, to clean water and sanitation, nutrition, and quality education, constantly violated. Hence this year’s theme ‘Humanitarian Action in Africa: Children’s Rights First’.
“When we study the Sustainable Development Goals, it is clear that they impact on all aspects of a child’s well-being. 17 Global Goals, with 169 concrete targets measured by 232 specific indicators. 35 of these indicators are directly related to children. These goals are a call to leave no one behind, least of all, the children. UNICEF urges us to ‘Count every child, because every child counts!’ Let us pledge, together with our continental brothers and sisters under the umbrella of the African Union (AU) to ‘count every child, everywhere’!
“On this Day of the African Child, as we reflect on the importance of children’s rights and child protection we must recall that specific target within the SDGs (16.2) ‘to end all forms of violence against children, and end abuse, neglect and exploitation of children’, was called for by children themselves in 2015, as a stand-alone priority! ‘Zero violence against children by 2030’. Today we also heed the 2016 call of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) 25 year agenda, ‘Agenda 2040: Fostering an Africa Fit for children’, where Aspirations 7 and 9 seek to ensure that ‘every child is protected against violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse’, and that ‘every child is free from the impact of armed conflicts and other disasters or emergency situations’.
“The National Council for Children (NCC) Seychelles, has just concluded Child Protection Week, but our work is far from over. We call on everyone as we strive for a Seychelles free from violence against children, and why not, an Africa Free of Violence against Children … an Africa fit for Children!
“We cannot and must not fail our children – we must restore their dignity and do our utmost for a world 100% free from fear and violence, for ALL children whether in crisis or otherwise! Together we can achieve this.”