Children

Today marks the start to the Junior 8 Summit, which will be held in Chitose City, Hokkaido, Japan, from 2-9 July. The J8 is a youth event run parallel to the annual Group of 8 Summit of world leaders. The J8 takes place every year and allows young people from around the world the opportunity to meet share their ideas, concerns and recommendations on how we can work to solve pressing global issues which are set before the G8.

At the J8 Summit, a team of young people represents each of the G8 countries, which include; Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition another delegation of young people will represent the non-G8 countries, by providing one participant from each region of the world.

The J8 is an amazing opportunity for young people around the world to get involved in the decisions of our global world for which they will soon inherent responsibility for. The summit is also an opportunity for world leaders to hear the voices of youth, and see the power for which young people have for change. The participants in the J8 are to serve as representative of youth around the world, but are also able to share their own ideas.

The G8 leaders will gather in Japan next week, as the Group of Eight summit takes place on July 7-9 in the Japanese town of Toyako. On this years G8 agenda climate change tops the list as a UN-backed deadline approaches for a new global treaty. Also priorities on the G8 agenda are poverty and HIV/AIDS, as while the progress has been seen in some areas in recent years, such as providing life saving medications and increasing children’s access to schools, the increasing of promised funds to fight extreme poverty have been missed. Therefore as the world looks at the current food prices and shortages, the need for action has become even more pressing.

Kids to learn more about the J 8 Summit and how you can send a message to world leaders click here, and find your countries J8 page. Have your say and see what others are saying by going to UNICEF’s Voices of Youth forum, young people just like this:

“My country comprises of intelligent youths who when given the right environment and state of mind, the sky is just the beginning, so to improve my country, i would invest in education, improving the state of mind of the average Nigerian child and positioning him to influence the world.”

More on the issues at this years G8 Summit:

Confronting Climate Change: A Strategy for U.S. Foreign Policy
A new Independent Task Force report says U.S. climate policy must focus on the largest economies and emitters.

News Release: U.S. must overhaul climate change strategy, says CFR Task Force report.

Backgrounder: Economic Challenges for Climate Change Policy

Ban urges G8 to move forward with Africa aid promises
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the G8 countries Monday to follow through with pledges to increase aid to Africa $25 billion. Reports surfaced that some countries might backtrack on the promises. “When it comes to climate change…and the global food crisis, these campaigns should be led by the industrialized countries — they have the capacity, they have the resources, and I hope the leadership demonstrates their political will,” Ban said ahead of a G8 summit next week.

Since 1991, every June 16th mark the day of the African Child, and is honored world wide. This year the Day is dedicated to the right of the African child to participate, particularly to be seen and heard. Today marks “The day of the African Child,” which this year is dedicated to the Right to Participate: Let Children be Seen and Heard. The visibility of children is often taken for granted in even the most democratic state, however in many nations of Africa children have become largely invisible in all aspects, despite the high instances of abuse, violence, poverty, gender inequality and low literacy rates.
UNICEF is working to highlight the importance of child participation participation in schools, community action, media, and governance, highlighting in particular the importance of the 4th Junior 8 Summit. The Junior 8 Summit which will occur next month in Japan, gives youth from around the world an opportunity to share their views directly with world leaders gathered for the G8.

Young people’s voices must be heard, UN officials stress on Day of African Child, especially in Sudan;

“Every year, the Day of the African Child reminds adults of the importance to include children in the planning and decision making processes in Sudan,” UNICEF Country Representative Ted Chaiban said, calling for greater efforts to listen to the voices of children and to protect them from harm. “With an estimated 20 million Sudanese under the age of 18 – half of the population – it is vital that the views and aspirations of this generation form a central pillar in the recovery and development of Sudan, and that these children can live in an environment free of fear,” he added.

Children across the continent of Africa remain silenced by their denial to participate in the building and reconstruction of their countries and have an active role in democratic participation. Those children who face violence in the many conflict ridden states, are most often denied, or have limited access to legal support, as well as medical, physiological care, and education. Thus while children remain the highest population of those effected and victimized by conflict they have the smallest voice, which not only impedes their own recovery, but the adequate and sustainable building of the community and country on the whole.

Children who are accused of violating criminal codes and laws are often not given a fair trail, but dealt with informally by the local police. This denies a child access to a fair trial and thus often leads to inappropriate action and often abuse. Often a child’s access to fair trial or other various forms of participation are denied simply due to a lack of resources and knowledge, which therefore must be addressed by both the state and the international community to see that children are not marginalized. This is especially crucial for those who are victims of gender based violence, including rape as a weapon of war; as well as for those children who are being reintegrated following conflict, such as child soldiers.

UNICEF and other NGO’s working towards participation have a lot of work on their hands, however they are off to a good start. What one needs to see done to ensure that children across Africa are both seen and heard is to: increase resources and programs to all organizations working with children; work to end corruption and impunity of such violent crimes committed against children; establish child specific training programs for all personnel working with children; establish judicial systems designed to protect the violation against children’s fundamental rights.

For more information on the legal framework regarding child participation see Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which includes the right of the child to be heard and have his or her view given consideration in all judicial and administrative proceeding affecting him or her. For further information please see the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child, for which article 4 states, how is in the best interest of the child and thus provides for the right of the African child to have his or her view considered in all proceedings affecting him or her.



For more information and news please see:

On the day of the African Child, UNICEF in Sudan calls for children to be heard and better protected

Rwanda leading Africa in Promoting Children’s Participation

Malawi’s Youth Parliament convenes in run-up to Day of the African Child

Many eyes and ears have been on Chad as the child trafficking case gets underway. The children, most of which proved to have family, the majority of which contained at least one parent, have been left in limbo. The children who have all been placed in protective custody of the Chadian Social Services, may have to wait months before they are returned to their families. Many of the ‘Kidnap’ children may not get home ever, as it is too difficult to determine their backgrounds.

Legal framework a hindrance in ‘child-trafficking’ case in Sudan and the Congo. Chadian and UN officials say the absence of a child trafficking law in Chad will hamper efforts to prosecute members of the French charity Zoe’s Ark, who were arrested in the country while trying to take 103 children to reported host families in France. The lack of a law may pose many issues in prosecuting this case, the largest being trying the case under a lower offence. The case which is to be tried as an abduction case, will be much harder to prove, than that of human trafficking.

“There are no other penalties in the abduction chapter [of the criminal code] stronger than the one we chose. Our penal code is limited. It doesn’t cover [many] infractions. There is a gap”, said Ahmad Daoud Chari, state prosecutor in Abéché, the eastern Chadian town where the members of the association were arrested.

The failure of the law in this case only highlights the need of so many states and countries to put into place specific laws against human trafficking and slavery. Four Chadian nationals have appeared in court in Ndjamena, charged in connection with the attempted airlift of 103 children to France. The four, officials from the border town of Tine, were charged with “fraud and complicity to kidnap minors.” Six French members of the charity Zoe’s Ark, three Spaniards and a Belgian are in jail awaiting trail. A French lawyer, Gilbert Collard, arrived in Ndjamena Nov. 6 to take charge of the charity workers’ defense (BBC). While release was given to the three French journalists and four Spanish airline stewardesses detained under suspected implication in the illegal evacuation of the 103 children.

The case has had the world watching and debating the question of international adoption, especially from Africa, which many have already been left with speculation of too loose of adoption laws. The case has now promoted many other countries to look at the situation in their own country. The Chad arrests prompt suspension of international child adoption, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “I have taken this decision as a precautionary measure,” Aimé Emmanuel Yoka, the Congolese minister in charge of justice and human rights, said on 1 November. A 2006 study, showed that approximately 2,000 children where victims of cross-border trafficking, conducted by the Congolese government, the justice and peace commission and the UN Children’s Fund.

While the children of this debacle sit in wait, the debate rages on, and we sit in astonishment and anticipation for the outcome of this case. What the outcome will be for the those accused of trafficking is still a long ways off, and one can only hope that this case will bring much needed attention to lack of laws against human trafficking and slavery.

The ‘cycle of abuse’, we’ve all heard the phrase a million times, yet I often think we forget what it means. It does not only mean the cycle, or stages, in which abuses are carried out. A child who grows up in an abusive home, is sexually abused, is a victim of trafficking, a child soldier…unfortunately the list of grave injustices against children goes on and on, is never able to escape the cycle of abuse. Therefore a child of abuse is at an increased risk to become an abuser, victim of sexual assault, become socially isolated, turn to drugs and alcohol, and various other form of self destructive behavior or susceptible to varying forms of continued abuse. We, as an international community must work to ensure that all children have been given their right to protection, both to prevent such abuses, and to assist the abused in their recovery. Therefore substantial physical and psychological care must be given to victims.

No matter what you say, or what you do, it all leaves a mark on the children around you. A child who witnesses violence and war, is forever scared by what they see. A child who hears nothing but negative, cannot erase the voice that says, “you can’t”. But the child who witnesses peace and love, will carry that with them forever and continue to share hope for the future.

We cannot erase the mistakes of the past, but we can leave a bigger impression on a child with hope, than with despair.

“When a woman is not educated, all the nation is in danger, because it is the woman who gives the basic education to the children.”-Arthur Omar Kayumba, 16, a member of DRC’s Children’s Parliament (Children’s Parliament’ Sets High Bar in Congo)

Children are giving out legal advise and harsh warnings to others, including adults, in the Democratic Republic’s Children’s Parliament. The Children’s Parliament is composed of 150 child members, all under the age of 17.  These children work on their own accord and seek little advice or supervision from adults. Established in 2002 with the support of UNICEF, and inaugurated in September 2003 with 36 members, and receiving international recognition for the promotion of children’s rights.

The work of the Children’s Parliament is no joke, and there rulings are no laughing matter, these children work hard and their hard work and dedication to both human rights and the development of their country has quickly surpassed many of their adult counterparts. This year alone they have heard over 150 cases, and while most are brought forward by children, they are seeing an increasing number of cases from adults, mostly women. While the rulings may not be legally binding, the support given to the community is undeniable. When rulings are not followed the Children’s Parliament will contact the Special Police.

Once can easily see that the Children of the DRC’s Children’s Parliament are not just tomorrows leaders, but the leaders of today. These children are the hope for the future of a nation ravished by over a decade of armed conflict and civil unrest, and the future looks brighter with minds like theirs at the helm.

“When I see such kinds of problems, it makes me think that in the future, I will become a man of revolution to fight against this mistreatment of children. All the world knows Congo is a big, rich country, and I would make it worthy of its name. I want to be president of the republic,” said 14 year old Eddy Musoke, the parliament’s adviser on protection for children (Children’s Parliament’ Sets High Bar in Congo).

The children the Congo, have faced struggle and hardship, on all sides of the the conflict The DRC is one of the poorest countries, even though it is one of richest in resources in the world. Child Alert published a report in 2006, illustrating the high price Congolese children where paying for war.  And while it is more than apparent that much needs to be done to bring peace and stability to the children of the Congo, many of the Congolese children themselves are not going to sit idly by and wait for the adults to give it to them.  Children inherit the sins of their fathers, so to speak, but the children of the DRC’s Child Parliament, refuse to make the same mistakes as their forefathers.  Their youthful wisdom and positive outlook for the future, is sure to benefit not only the children of the DRC, but children around the world.

Children’s Parliaments are Azerbaijan, which was introduced earlier this summer. Other countries with Children’s Parliaments include, India, Great Brittan, Jerusalem, Iran, Palestine, France, Iraq, and many others. The Children’s State has a full list of Children’s Parliaments and other relevant information.  Children, especially children of conflict, are often wise beyond their years, and we must not turn our heads away from them.  Children are the future leaders, and when allowed to grow and prosper they can teach us something about humanity, and give us hope for peace.