April 15th, 2024
Civil Society Organisations Forum on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child – CSO Forum Communique to the 43rd Session of the ACERWC
Salutations: The Child representative – Miguel from Burundi in East Africa, other children representatives, The Honourable Chairperson of the Committee, Honourable Members of the Committee, HoDs of AU organs, Member States representatives, UN agencies’ representatives, fellow CSO representatives, the session delegates, good morning!
Preamble: We, the Child Focused Civil Society Organizations in Africa, are participating in 24th Ordinary Session CSO Forum from April 13th to April 14th, 2024, in Avani Maseru Hotel in Lesotho, under the Theme: Challenges and solutions of child education in Africa ;
CONGRATULATE the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on holding its 43rd Ordinary Session, and aligning to the African Union theme of ‘Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning,’
WE FURTHER commend the launch of the research findings of ACERWC’s Study on the Situation of Teenage Pregnancy in Africa: Progress and Challenges, and the development of the General Comment on Education, which aligns with the CSO’s discussion on the right to education, existing policies and programs, and the gaps as well as solutions therefrom.
We APPLAUD the Committee’s continued efforts to improve child participation in the ordinary sessions, particularly given the importance and impact of education on the lives and well-being of the children of Africa.
We HIGHLIGHT that the right to education is a springboard to the realization of Africa’s goals for her children as outlined in the African Charter on the Rights & Welfare of the Child and call on the Committee to call on states to implement and monitor Article 11 of the Charter, which is echoed by Aspiration 6 of Agenda 2024; which seeks to ensure that every child benefits fully from quality education.
WE NOTE WITH CONCERN heightened and compounded vulnerability of girls in Africa leading to trans-generational poverty, due to persistent underlying factors including; harmful cultural practices; insufficient policies and guidelines on re-entry, retention and transition of girls into higher education; insufficient institutional support hindering pregnant learners and adolescent mothers from accessing and continuing their education; lack of quality childcare, financial constraints and limited legal protection against gender-based inequality practices that are deeply ingrained in society.
RECEIVE WITH CONCERN, the reports of continued conflict as a result of political factors in many countries in Africa, giving rise to humanitarian crises that have a devastating impact on the lives of children and their access to quality education. This situation is likely to be exacerbated by the fact that in 2024, over 18 countries (which represent a third of Africa) will undergo elections. These countries have a combined population of around 310 million people. Against this background, we urge the Committee to call on all actors at the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council and African Union bodies to work together to try to find immediate solutions and ensure that children and their communities are better protected, can freely move, and are able to access the services needed for their survival and recovery, as obligated under international humanitarian law.
WE REITERATE our call for the cessation of hostilities and the full, equal, meaningful inclusion of children in the peace and development agenda, and adherence to the principles of survival and development, non-discrimination, participation, and the best interest of the child. We also call upon the Committee to champion the protection of education in conflict zones and to work with member states to endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration, as it provides a vital framework for the AU to build upon in its efforts to secure education for all.
WE UNDERSCORE that children with disabilities have ordinary needs—for health and well-being, for economic and social security, to learn and develop skills, and to live in their communities. We call on the committee to address the discrimination that hinders their full enjoyment of the right to education.
WE RECOGNIZE that: there is an intersectionality between education and SRHR and call for the inclusion of age appropriate SRHR in the education curriculum as a preventive measure.
WE NOTE the common responsibilities of parents, both fathers and mothers, as equal caregivers in developing “ the child’s personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.”
WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED by the fast-developing situation in The Gambia, where attempts are being made to repeal the legal provisions within the Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015, which prohibit and criminalise FGM; including the recent parliamentary vote that led to the bill being referred to Parliamentary Select Committees for further review.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE the statement of the Committee on the situation in Gambia but further call on the Committee to proactively engage the Government of The Gambia to protect the interests of the Gambian children and ensure that it complies with its human rights obligations by maintaining the anti-FGM provisions within the Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015.
WE COMMIT TO;
- Support the committee’s mandate in public education on the Charter; monitoring the implementation of the Charter; monitoring the implementation of the concluding observations, disseminating general comments, creating partnerships with all key stakeholders to the realisation of children as well as showcase the state of member states implementation of the Charter through the CSO and children’s reports.
- Continue to play our critical role in facilitating meaningful and inclusive participation of children in all platforms where decisions affecting their lives are taken.
- Highlight the importance of the right to education for pregnant learners and teenage mothers.
- Advocating for policy reforms that make education systems more inclusive and supportive of pregnant learners and teenage mothers.
- Fostering stakeholder engagement to raise awareness, change societal attitudes and mobilise resources in support of inclusive education..
- Create public discourse with parents, communities and children on the barriers that affect the full enjoyment of children’s right to education.
- Fully utilise the findings of the continental researches to inform our interventions and stakeholder engagements