The ‘Day of the African Child’ is a day when the African nations come together in unison, to recall and reflect on the achievements made and more importantly, on the challenges that confront children throughout the African continent.

Botswana as a member of the African Union commemorates the Day of the African Child on June 16 every year. This day was designated by the African states as a “Day of the African Child” at a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The day is marked by massive children’s participation and communicating all matters pertaining to the enjoyment of their fundamental rights which include, among others, the right to life.

In an endeavor to take this day to the people, the Ministry of Local Government has been commemorating this day with different communities around the country. The theme for 2009 is “Africa fit for Children: Call for Accelerated Action towards their Survival.” This theme calls for accelerated action to address the problems that impact negatively on child survival and development. Over the past decade children’s right to life has been compromised mainly due to the AIDS scourge and road carnage. The Government of Botswana has made efforts to address this issues as reflected by our success rate under the Prevention of Mother to child Transmission (PMTCT) Programme which is implemented by the Ministry of Health and my Ministry.

The objectives of the 2009 commemorations are;
• To educate children on their right to life, their survival and development;
• To advocate for the making of laws and establishment of government structures that ensure child survival, development and protection;
• To increase awareness on the need for wider coverage of children in the realization of their survival, development and protection;
• To foster alliances and collaboration which promote investment in the welfare of the current and future children;
• To strengthen and empower communities on issues of child survival, development and protection through public education.

The Ministers of African Union Member States responsible for promoting and safeguarding the rights and welfare of children met in Cairo, the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the Second Pan African Forum on Children: Mid-Term Review from 29 October - 02 November 2007 to consider and review the progress made in implementing the 2001 Declaration and Plan of Action of Africa Fit For Children. They focused their deliberations on the ten priorities set out in the Plan of Action, namely: Overall framework; Enhancing Life Chances; Overcoming HIV/AIDS, Realizing the Right to Education; Realizing the Right to Protection; Participation of Youth and Children; Actions at all levels; International Partnership; Follow-up Actions and Monitoring; and a Call for Accelerated Action.

At the end of the Forum, AU Member States reaffirmed their commitment towards the achievement of the targets for the 2001 Plan of Action and committed to the following priority actions:

1. Allocate sufficient resources in the national plans, Poverty Reduction Strategies and the supporting Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks and budgets for implementing various elements of the Africa Fit for Children with a focus on marginalized children, including those from poor families, vulnerable, children who are orphaned and children with disabilities.

2. Strengthen health systems in order to provide good and quality maternal and child health services and develop health centres and hospitals that are child and youth friendly, in line with the Africa Health strategy;

3. Scale up universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support (linking with other health measures on promoting reproductive health and reducing Tuberculosis, Malaria and other related diseases) with an emphasis on adolescents, young girls, women, children living with HIV and AIDS and the most vulnerable segments of the society;

4. Promote and implement multi-sectoral programmes on ending violence against children, including neglect, abuse, sexual exploitation, child labour and trafficking guided by the findings and recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children as well as support activities such as lifelines and safe havens to rehabilitate and reintegrate child victims of abuse, sexual exploitation, rape and trafficking;

5. Promote the right to participation of all children (particularly of those who are marginalized, children from poor families, children with disabilities and children who are orphaned and vulnerable) based on their evolving capacities through establishing appropriate consultative for a including child rights clubs, children’s parliament, associations.

That's all for now.

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