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 Why Child Participation
Participation is a right of every child as spelt out in the international and national child rights instruments. Unfortunately, in Uganda, this right has not been fully adhered to. In developing policy and legislative frameworks for children, children’ voices are never considered. As an advocacy effort, it is imperative that children be given the platform to express their views freely and have them duly taken into consideration.
Civil Society Organizations working with and for children are key in promoting the right to child participation. There is need to create forums for children to engage with those who make decisions and policies for children. In so doing, child rights accountability will be strengthened when children put to task policy makers to explain their actions and inactions towards children’ welfare.
It is for the above reasons that in commemorating 20 years of the CRC, UCRNN plans to avail children a platform with and through civil society organizations to engage in advocacy for change in their own cause.
Aim
The main objective of this initiative is to cause Policy makers take steps to bridge the gap between policy formulation and enforcement, taking into account the voices of children.
Planned Activities
The following activities will be undertaken to commemorate the day:
- Children’s Parliamentary Session: Children from different regions of the country will constitute a delegation that will meet members of parliament in the house. (See Profile of Activities here attached)
Strategy For Children’s Engagement
The proposed strategy for undertaking this initiative is:
- Mobilization of children; Organizations will identify children previously involved in the pre-DAC conference. These will constitute the delegation to parliament. Categories will include: Children in and out of school, Children with special needs etc.
- Geographical Representation: Children will come from the four regions of Uganda i.e. Eastern, Northern, Western and Central. The speaker will preside over the session.
- Number of Children: The proposed number of children from up country to participate in the children’s session is 100. Another 50 children from Kampala region will participate in the session.
Children from upcountry will arrive in Kampala on the 17th November 2009. A pre-session will be held on 18th and the main session with MPs on Thursday, 19th November 2009.
When |
What |
20th November 2009 |
Activity : Children’s parliamentary session
Launch of the State of the World Children’s Report 2010
Venue: Parliament of Uganda
Date: 20th November 2009
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Organizer: Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN).
Children will be facilitated to hold a debate session with the members of Parliament of Uganda on the 20th Nov. 2009. The Children’s Memorandum delivered during the Day of the African Child will be revised and presented again. The State of the World’s Children Report (Special Edition – published by UNICEF) will also be launched.
This will trigger a series of regional / district based children’s interactive fora to debate further the State of the World’s Children Report as well as expound upon children’s own views of the respect for, protection and fulfillment of their rights.
A periodic meeting organized by the East African Legislative Assembly for parliamentarians from all over Africa and invited members of parliament from other regional and continental blocks will be hosted by the Parliament of Uganda in the first week of Dec 09. The Network and its members intend to launch the Africa Child Wellbeing Report: how child friendly are African Governments published by the African Child Policy Forum at a dinner during this meeting in order to generate debate and commitment from the legislators towards addressing the recommendations made in the report.
Participants: Children, CSO Representatives and Members of Parliament.
Organizer : Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN)
Objectives of the National Children’s Parliamentary Forum
The main objective of this initiative is to cause Policy makers take steps to bridge the gap between policy formulation and enforcement, taking into account the voices of children. |
27th, November, 2009 |
Activity : National Dialogue
Theme: “Twenty Years of the United Nations Convention: Child Rights in Uganda”
Date: 27th, November, 2009
Time: 8.30hrs -17.00hrs
Venue: Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development Main Board Room 8th, Floor, Simbamanyo House, Plot 1 George Street, Kampala.
Participants: National Level Actors in the Area of Children Rights and Welfare, including Sector Ministries, UN Sponsored Agencies, External NGOs, Bilateral Agencies and NGOs.
Organizer: National Council for Children
The National Dialogue will provide a platform for mutual exchange of views, opinions and ideas by duty bearers on the process of implementation and extent of achievements of the UNCRC.
Objectives of the National Dialogue:
The overall objective is to chart on the extent of achievements of the UNCRC as regards observance of children rights to survival, development, protection and participation and the challenges encountered and recommend a way forward.
The dialogue will employ presentations and discussion of the presentations in plenary.
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16th to 25th November
2009
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Theme: Preventing Violence Against Children: Days of Activism in 10 towns
around the Country.
As part of activities in commemoration of 20 years of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Raising Voices is organizing days of activism for the prevention of violence against children in 10 towns in South Western Uganda . These events intend to open a dialogue with the public on the issue of preventing violence against children. This activity compliments other media activities; including newspaper campaign, radio and television campaign.
Organizer: Raising Voices
Date and Venue
Luti----------------- 16/11/2009
Kabale - 17/11/2009
Ruhinda------------ 18/11/2009
Ntungamo---------- 19/11/2009
Rukungiri----------- 20/11/2009
Ishaka----------------21/11/2009
Mbarara--------------22/11/2009
Kinoni---------------- 23/11/2009
Lyantonde-------- 24/11/2009
Masaka------------ 25/11/2009
Participants: The day of activism is open to the general public including children and adults. |
17th Nov. |
Activity: Children’s interaction with duty bearers
Launch of RtF ‘3 years on’ Report.
Venue: National Theatre, Kampala.
Time:
Organizer: Save the Children in Uganda (SCiUG) |
18th Nov. |
Activity: Livelihood and Food Security Exhibition.
Venue: Makerere University’s Freedom Square, Kampala
Organizer: Save the Children in Uganda (SCiUG) |
16th – 20th Nov.
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1a. Opinion article in the print media giving a critical analysis of the achievements and challenges affecting fulfillment of children’s rights.
1b. Statement from SCiUG Country Director
1c. News Strips running from Monday to Friday.
Venue: Kampala
Work with volunteers to distribute fliers, car stickers and pocket-size CRC-based Calendar/Message cards around different locations within Kampala. |
20th Nov. |
Workshop on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) – focus on defilement. Targeting Magistrates, Prosecutors / DPPs office, Police (CFPU), Advocates, District leaders, regional representatives, Parents, community members, others ...
Venue: Bundibugyo.
Organizer: Save the Children in Uganda (SCiUG) |
November 20th – 25th: |
War Child Holland in Uganda has taken the opportunity, not only to celebrate this day but to join together in a strong advocacy effort to raise children’s voices on one of the issues that children themselves repetitively raise as a key negative factor in their lives: violence against them.
Violence in general is a huge area and to create change we must be focused in our message and what we are trying to achieve. As such, through learning from out programming on Safe Schools, WCH decided to focus on ‘violence in the school environment and the right of all children to an education free of Violence’.
Main activities are child led events entitled ‘let me learn with dignity’ ‘our right to an education free of violence’ at the sub county level and a TEXT MESSAGE (SMS) CAMPAIGN on the topic of physical punishment of children. See below for details.
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ACTIVITIES for 20 years of the CRC
Time, Date and Venue:
October and November:
- Creative sessions (2-4 per club) with children in Children’s Rights Clubs; GEM Clubs and Children’s Parliaments on the theme ‘Let me learn with dignity’ ‘our right to an education free of violence’ in each programming sub-county of Lira; Amuru; Pader; and Kitgum. Sessions to include creative exercise around violence in schools, art work, poetry, letter writing, drama, magazine articles etc.
- Drafting of WCH briefing note on physical and humiliating punishment
- Drafting of press release
- Child led events at the sub-county level in Lira; Amuru; Pader; and Kitgum, including opening of the exhibition ‘let me learn with dignity’ ‘our right to an education free of violence’ at each sub-county level. Participants to include children, teachers, parents, community members, government officials, police, local leaders etc.
- Distribution of PHP briefing to government officials and head masters etc.
- Press release
- TEXT MESSAGE (SMS) campaign. The main goals being 1. Awareness raising and 2. to gain information on public perception of violence against children/ physical punishment of children. Following an introductory message, the message ‘do you believe that beating children is a good form of discipline’ will be sent out to specifically collected database of phone numbers. Recipients will be invited to reply (free of charge) ‘YES’ or ‘NO’. They then will be thanked for their participation on the 20th anniversary of the UNCRC through a return message.
- Participation of Child Parliament members in the National level Parliamentary Session.
After Nov 20th
- Let me learn with dignity’ events at the District level in Lira; Pader; Kitgum; and Amuru.
- Feedback to participating children.
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