Solutions to challenges facing children in Africa explored

Researchers at the Community Law Centre’s Children’s Rights Project were part of the experts who presented at the second installment of an advanced short course on Children's Rights in Africa hosted by Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. The course which ran from 21 to 25 July brought together over 50 child rights researchers, practitioners and policy makers from across Africa.

The aim of the course includes examining legal and policy frameworks governing children’s rights in Africa, specific challenges facing children in Africa and explores solutions to some of these challenges.

The Children’s Rights Project head, Prof Benyam Mezmur who was one of the presenters talked about realising children’s rights through the treaty mechanisms and the United Nations and his other presentation was on African Union treaty bodies with children’s Rights mandate. Dr Assim Maria Usang, presented on how to use child law mechanism for children without parental care.CHR.jpg

Other presenters included Community Law Centre’s Fellow, Prof. Julia Sloth- Nielsen who presented on African Union framework for the promotion as well as the protection of children’s rights and United Nations children’s rights framework.

Edmund Foley, the former head of the Children’s Rights Project at Community Law Centre presented on realising children’s rights through the reporting mechanisms and the role of civil society organisations, while Dr Lucyline Nkatha Murungi, Head Children and the Law Program, African Child Policy Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and an Alumni of the Centre presented on how to make children’s rights work for children with disability.

According to Centre for human rights, participants who attended this year’s course have confirmed that the programme offers an ideal opportunity not only for advanced training in children’s rights, but a rare opportunity for networking with experts in the field.

Community Law Centre’s researchers including Dr Aquinaldo Mandlate also presented at the first installment of this course which took place last year.

images by Centre for Human rights