Press Statement on the Day of the African Child-June 16 2008

“Let Children be Seen and Heard”

DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights joins the rest of the continent in commemorating the Day of the African Child on June 16 2008. The day marks the anniversary of the Soweto Uprising in 1976 when thousands of black school children took to the streets to protest against the inferior quality of their education as well as to demand the right to be taught in their own language. Following two weeks of protests, more than one hundred children were killed by law enforcement authorities and more than one thousand children were injured.

In 1991, The Organisation for African Unity (now referred to as the African Union) initiated commemorations on June 16 in order to honour the memory of those who participated in the protests in 1977. The Day has also become an opportunity for countries to review progress towards the realisation of children’s rights in the areas of education, health, social security and recreation.

The theme for this year is “Let Children be Seen and Heard”. The theme recalls Article 7 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Articles 12 and 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which provide that State parties should allow children who are capable of forming their views, the right to express those views freely in any matters affecting the children and that serious consideration should be given to these views.  

DITSHWANELO acknowledges the fact that the Government of Botswana does, in some instances, create platforms for children to participate in public processes. For example, the Ministry of Local Government facilitated a children’s consultative forum to enable child representatives to contribute their views regarding the amendment of the Children’s Act. In most cases, however, the views of children are not deliberately and adequately solicited and captured in policy and budget processes.

We call upon our Government to set up effective child participation programmes in development processes as children have the potential to influence these processes positively.  DITSHWANELO urges the government to give children the opportunities to meaningfully participate in development processes by considering ethical issues and practice standards for carrying out child participation work.

DITSHWANELO also calls upon civil society organisations which work directly with children or on issues affecting children to deepen their insight and skills to facilitate child participation by changing attitudes around how we relate to children and accommodate a new way of partnering with children.   

We urge civil society organisations to engage with creative techniques and activities which facilitate child participation. We further urge civil society organisations to integrate child participation into their programmes.

DITSHWANELO challenges Batswana to explore our cultural and religious practices which may have an impact on levels of child participation and to consider the link between the level of child participation in the family and the disciplinary measures used within the homes.  

16 June 2008
Gaborone