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| Musa Chibwana, CRNSA Chair addressing the conference |
PREAMBLE
1.1.
We, representatives of child rights focused
organizations from across Southern Africa, which brought together a number of
stakeholders including parliamentarians, government officials and various civil
society organisations, meeting under the auspices of the CRNSA to reflect on
building a strong child rights movement in Southern Africa
1.2.
Inspired by the desire to see children’s rights, protected, promoted and
fulfilled in a world in which every child attains the right to survival,
protection, development and participation
1.3.
Recognising that every
child matters, all children matter irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, age,
race, or gender
1.4.
Cognisant of the need for a stronger movement of the child rights sector in
order to speak with a unified voice for and with children.
We therefore deliberated on a number of child rights
issues of concern, which should be made a priority by state parties in Southern
African and the African Union. Now therefore we call upon SADC to:
1. ADOPT a specific children’s protocol
2. MAKE state parties implement the SADC basic minimum package of services
3. ENSURE meaningful participation of children at levels of decision making,
in particular ensuring that each country has a state-funded children’s
parliament
5. OF NOTE, Swaziland to ratify the African Charter on the Welfare of the
Child
6. ALLOCATE and increase budgets for children at all levels while guaranteeing
meticulous budget monitoring
7. THAT, all communications from the
African Union be translated to Portuguese for the benefit of countries speaking
this language
8. GUARANTEE timeous reporting to treaty bodies, especially the
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, where no other southern
Africa region has reported except Tanzania
9. PRIORITIZE child abuse prevention
and early intervention programs
10. EXPEDITIOUSLY pass comprehensive child related laws and policies
11. BE role models in championing children rights
12. ADDRESS the contradictions arising from the existence of dual
legal systems (customary law and civil law) especially where harmful practices
13. ADOPT all outstanding Optional Protocols inter alia the Optional Protocol on communication
14.
ENSURE that there are
centralised databases on specific issues are created and maintained and that
these are readily accessible to multilevel stakeholders.
15.
ADDRESS violence, particularly
sexual violence, placing emphasis on rehabilitation and education.
