A World Fit for us... children
Thousands of working African children from 13 African countries have published the first results of a global survey by children on the world’s progress on development for children. The children – who work in jobs ranging from domestic workers to shoe polishers – report that whilst there has been some progress in some areas on education and child participation, poverty is still endemic.
To read the full report, 'A World Fit for us... children', click here.
The following are the key messages from the children's report:
The following messages based on the report, have been prepared by the AMWCY, as a contribution to the “Millennium+5 Summit”:
Our present situation:
Poverty: there are many programs aimed at poverty reduction and yet our situation does not change.
Exploitation: Excessive and exploitative work continues together with violence on the part of adults against working children, and appalling forms of labour continue such as mines and plantations.
Security and War: When war happens we only have our parents to protect us, and some adults involve us in war.
Being Heard: Certain people listen to us, others do not; but mostly our point of view is not taken into consideration, however, when children are organized people listen more
Education: there are not sufficient schools particularly in rural areas; the quality of the education is not good and not good nor adapted to our reality. More girls are in school now but some drop out too early.
Health: there is progress in the fight against Aids. But the medicines are expensive and there is no infrastructure and it is difficult to get care in rural areas.
Our recommendations:
To children: Let’s be organized and united and retain self respect and be thoughtful in our actions so we can claim our rights.
To adults: Listen to us, encourage us pay attention to our proposals when taking action. And keep your promises!
To governments: Fulfill your commitments support our initiatives fight against poverty and exclusion. Manage the country’s resources well to ensure development in for our countries; with understanding and tolerance. And protect us against conflict, illness and disasters.
To the international community: Reinforce your efforts to support our governments and the children. Make sure that children on every continent are truly equal: good education, good health and jobs for our parents
To the private sector: Make investment to stop poverty for both children and our parents. Build houses and provide clean drinking water
First Results From Africa (April 2005)
The first child-led organisations from Africa have responded to the GMC's World Fit for Children campaign by reporting on the progress of their countries in building a world fit for children.
The first child-led organisations from Africa have responded to the GMC's World Fit for Children campaign by reporting on the progress of their countries in building a world fit for children. Read the first results here!
Responses came from the following countries: BN- Benin, DRC-Democratic Republic of Congo, CI- Côte d'Ivoire, GA- Gambia, GB- Guinea Bissau, GC- Guinea Conakry, ML- Mali, MR- Mauritania (Rosso), NG- Niger, RW- Rwanda, SG- Senegal, ZI- Zimbabwe.
The African Movement of Working Children and Youth (AMWCY) disseminated the questionnaire in January 2005 to its affiliated children's associations and other child led organisations or groups of children who are interested in expressing collectively their views. This was done in order to develop dialogue with national and regional authorities, public opinion, civil society and the international community. These dialogues have been recommended in particular by ECOWAS during the 'peer review on childhood' and they aim to improve the programs and actions in favour of children.
This first rank of reactions after a few weeks of debates within the children's associations, gives a first tendency of children's responses. The full publicity of the questionnaire to other child-led organisations will be carried out during 2005.
Email completed questionnaires and send your questions to ejt@enda.sn, with copy to jeuda@enda.sn.
