Recommendation on Children Rights in Africa

The Forum on the Participation of NGOs meeting on 7-9 November 2010 in Banjul, The Gambia,

Having observed the non existence of proper schools for children in many villages for children to enjoy the right to education;

Noting the deplorable state of many children as they continue to experience child abuse in various forms, including sexual violence, corporal punishment, forced and early marriage, child labour, to name but a few;

Concerned that birth registration is very low while child protection systems are not fully functional;

Concerned about the lack of specific legislation to protect children in the national legal systems thereby creating inadequate access to justice by children;

Concerned about discrimination among children relating to the rights to inherit parental property;

Deeply concerned about the lack of adequate facilities to provide protection for children, particularly for those children who were victims of war who continue to live in the street;

Hereby recommend to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to urge States to:

Explore ways to address poverty as a way of protecting children from exploitation and promoting their rights;

Formulate specific laws for children as part of national laws in countries where it does not exist;

Encourage and strengthen the African Child Rights Network to give visibility to Children’s issues;

Abolish Corporal Punishment as a form of disciplinary method for punishment for offences by children;

Establish children’s Ministry, department and or government agency to promote child rights and interest of children at state policy level;

Discourage discrimination between children by adopting legislation that recognizes the rights of all children to inherit parental property;

Provide safety nets for children by formulating laws to end the phenomenon of street children;

Further urge the Commission, as contained in previous recommendations from the Forum, to:

Reinforce its linkage and collaboration with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC);

Undertake joint mission with ACERWC to countries where there are serious violotions of children’s rights such as in D.R Congo and Algeria;

Implement the policy of providing free primary education for children to enhance the development and survival of children.

Done at Banjul, November 9th, 2010