Conference on the status of children's rights in SADC

From 14 to 16 November 2011 Save the Children, the Pan African Parliament and SADC CNGO hosted a conference on the Status of Children’s Rights in Southern Africa.

The conference was attended by government representatives from 11 SADC countries, the Pan African Parliament Members of Parliament, SADC Parliamentary Forum Members of Parliament, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, civil society organizations from 12 Southern African countries, academics and consultants.

The conference aimed at increasing the participant’s understanding of instruments and processes in promoting accountability for the realization of children’s rights. There were dialogue sessions to strengthen civil society and government’s capacity to collaborate on advocacy issues around children’s issues.

On the last day a committee was established to take forward the process of establishing a Regional Child Rights Reference Group to undertake advocacy around children’s rights in the region.The terms of reference for the Reference Group were discussed but it was agreed that further discussions at country level have to take place.

The conference also agreed that more issues should be included to the Reference Group's ToRs. The issues include identifying child rights advocacy priorities and resource mobilization, building networks and coalitions for child rights advocacy, establishing collaborative relationships amongst CSOs and governments, the implementation of regional and international instruments and protocols, reporting mechanisms and child participation.

At the end of the conference resolutions were made which will be finalised once country network consultations have taken place. They will be communicated wildly and used as a benchmark. The report on the conference will be available shortly.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

Specific Objectives

a)      Increase awareness of regional and international instruments promoting children’s rights.

b)   Review Southern African countries’ progress towards meeting their obligations in realising children and young people’s rights as outlined in the ACRWC & UNCRC.

c)    Mobilise child rights organisations within the region to formulate strategies and mechanisms to partner with governments to ensure continued implementation of UNCRC and ACRWC and fulfillment of children’s rights in the region.

d)   Raise awareness for governments in the region to draft and submit State Party reports to the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) on the status of children and youth at national level.

Conference Outcomes

1.    A sub regional children’s network is established to promote children’s rights at both national and regional level.

2.    A regional policy dialogue framework around advocacy for children’s rights is established.

Summary of Daily Programme Outcomes

DAY 1

-          Participant’s increased understanding of instruments and processes promoting accountability for the realisation of children’s rights.

DAY 2

-          Capacity building sessions for strengthening civil society and government’s capacity to collaborate on advocacy issues around children’s rights.

DAY 3

-          Establishment of a regional child rights reference group to undertake advocacy around children’s rights.

 

Day 1:  Monday 14^th November

08:00 – 09:00 Registration and Coffee

09:00 – 09:05 Opening Remarks Tim Bainbridge, Director Save the Children Southern Africa

09:05 – 09:15 Conference Objectives Boichoko Ditlhake, Director SADC-Council of NGOs (SADC-CNGO)

09:15 – 09:20 Children to present their expectations from the conference, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and Media Network on Child Rights and Development (MNCRD)

09:20 – 09:45 Official Opening and Welcome,  South African Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities (DWCPD) TBC

Objective: Overview of instruments and processes promoting children’s rights.

09:45-10:15	Key note address Promoting Accountability for the realisation of children’s in Africa,   Madame Agnes Kabore-Ouattara (Chair of the ACERWC)
10:15 -10:40	Tea /Coffee Break
10:40–11:30	Children’s Rights Instruments -          UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), UNICEF representative. -          African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), TBC
11:30 -12.30	Children’s Rights in Southern Africa – the realities, Professor Hansungule -          A regional overview of policy and legislation promoting child rights -          Successes and gaps (country examples) -          Opportunities for realising children’s socio-economic rights
12:30–13:30	Lunch
13:30- 14:15	Children present their views. Children and the Media / Child Journalists MMA Children’s parliamentarians from Mozambique SCiMozambique
Accountability for the realisation of children’s rights: monitoring and evaluation tools and processes
14:15 -15:15	Reporting processes (15 minute presentation, 15 min Q&A per instrument). 1.       Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – TBC 2.       Civil society organisations – supplementary and alternative reporting to ACRWC & UNCRC,
15:15-15:45	Tea /Coffee Break
15:45–16:45	Regional tools (15 minute presentation, 15 min Q&A per instrument) 1.       SADC instruments (OVCY Framework and Minimum Standards Package), 2.       NEPAD - APRM opportunities for putting children’s rights on the development agenda, TBC
16:45 -17:00	Wrap up and close for the day.

Day 2: Tuesday 15^th November

Strengthening civil society and government’s capacity to collaborate on advocacy issues around children’s rights

09:00-09:15	Recap of day 1.
09:15–10:15	Stakeholders collaborating to improve State Party and Civil Society reporting on the status of children -          State Party reporting: Shared experiences from South Africa/Tanzania (TBC) on the constraints faced by governments  Government  Representative -          Southern Africa Civil Society’s role in drafting and submitting alternative or shadow reports  SADC-CNGO,
10:15–10:30	Tea /Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:30	Children’s rights and Customary / traditional law. -          Customary law study  Patricia Martin & Buyi Mbambo
11:30-12:15	Training sessions. 1st session Breakaway training session’s:  each session is 1 hour long and participants can attend 2 sessions. (a)     Raising Children’s Voices -          Child participation in the reporting process, -          Children and the media, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) (b)    Building coalitions and networks for child rights advocacy -              Zambian civil society experiences at national level (child rights   forum) and regional experiences (corporal punishment network) -             Opportunities to engage with SADC: strength of a child rights network (c)     Resource mobilisation for children’s rights advocacy -        Budget tracking and monitoring process and tools Idasa -        Utilising budget monitoring findings to inform advocacy Idasa (d)    Reporting Mechanisms: how to use instruments to document children’s realities -        African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children -        African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) -        Universal Periodic Review -        UN convention on the Rights of the Child
12:15- 13:15	Lunch

13:15: 14:00	Training session 2nd session Breakaway training session’s:  each session is 1 hour long and participants can attend 2 sessions. (a)     Raising Children’s Voices (b)    Building coalitions and networks for child rights advocacy (c)     Resource mobilisation for children’s rights advocacy (d)    Reporting Mechanisms: how to use instruments to document children’s realities
14:00–15:30	Working groups Rotating coffee table discussions (rotation every 30 minutes with 2 facilitators staying at each session). 1.       How to develop a structure for regional civil society collaboration. 2.       Identifying child rights advocacy priorities for the region. 3.       How civil society can work together with government to improve implementation of regional and international child rights instruments & protocols
15:30 – 16:00	Tea /Coffee Break
16:00-16:50	Feedback and plenary from Working groups.
16:50-17:00	Close

Day 3: Thursday 16^th November  (half day)

Establishing a regional child rights reference group

09:00-09:30	Recap of day 1&2.
09:30–10:30	Discuss development of country networks and nominate interim child rights reference group representative per country.
10:30 10:50	Tea /Coffee Break
10:50-11:50	-          Presentation and discussion of draft Terms of Reference for the interim child rights reference group -          Plenary discussion around draft governance structure of the interim child rights reference group
11:50-12:00	-          Confirmation of interim committee  in plenary
12:00 -12.30	-          Resolutions SADC-CNGO & Noma
12:30 -13:00	-          Brief report by rapporteur Closing
13:00-14:00	Lunch

Travel and Accommodation Details – Sponsored participants

Dear invited guests,

Welcome to the Southern Africa Regional Conference on the Status of Children that will be held at the Pan African Parliament, Gallagher Estate in Midrand.

The conference will take place from 14-16 November, and for this period you will need accommodation.

We have identified a well known hotel, just walking distance from the Conference venue, called

The Executive Hotel.

Address:  31 Gallagher Ave, Midrand.

Tel:  +27(0)11 021 9115

www.midrandexecutivehotel.co.za

Most of the other delegates will be using this hotel, and it is the most affordable one in the immediate vicinity.

·         Your room rate includes breakfast

·         Dinner is in the form of a full buffet - kindly let me know if you have any dietary requirements

·         Free parking is available

·         Free internet is available at the hotel

Transport from the airport to Midrand- and back

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE GAUTRAIN ONLY OPERATES BETWEEN 05H30-20H00 DAILY

·         YOU will have to purchase a Gautrain ticket at the Gautrain station located at the airport. On your return to the airport, you can use the same card, so do not discard  it.

·         The cost of the Gautrain Card is R10.00 and the trip to Midrand costs R27,00 . The bus ride to the hotel will cost you an additional R6.00.

·         Select the pay-as-you-go option, when purchasing your Gautrain card. The buses you will find just outside of the train station where you disembark.

·         Total cost for the return trip to the airport =150 South African rand- and you can load the whole amount on your card when purchasing it.

·         So make sure you have the correct amount of money - in South African Rand - to purchase the Gautrain Gold Card, and to load the rest of the money on the card for your return trip.

·         From the airport, you will have to stop over at Marlboro and change trains to get to Midrand.

·         So please listen to the announcer in the train and follow the indications given at the station and refrain from using earphones.

·         Please disembark from the train at the Midrand station.

·         When at the Midrand Station, please get on the bus marked Sunninghill.

·         The Bus will drop you right in front of the hotel, so please tell the bus driver that you need to get off at the Executive Hotel, when you board the bus.

·         If you are not sure- Please ASK the relevant helpers at the station for assistance, they will be more than happy to help.

IF YOU DO NEED TO BE  AT THE AIPORT BEFORE 05H30 OR  ARRIVE AFTER 19H30:

Alternative arrangements will be made by booking a shuttle to pick you up at the airport/ hotel.

PS Tours will be waiting at the airport at the back of the arrivals hall, next to the information counter for you.

If for some reason, you cannot see the driver, kindly contact.

PS Tours Mr. Solly Maritz +27(0)82 452 5818. Who will be more that willing to help you.

Or at his office +27(0) 12 565 4246

Or via Email:  pstours@lantic.net

IN CASE OF ANY EMERGENCIES, THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WILL BE ON CALL:

Ms Immogen Visser

Administrator

Cell:  +27 (0)82 809 0521

Looking forward to seeing you in South Africa!