2nd EAC Child Rights Conference ongoing in Nairobi
The EAC Child Policy (2016) has been launched today at the ongoing 2nd EAC Child Rights Conference at the Desmond Tutu Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The EAC Child Policy provides a functional regional framework to facilitate the development, coordination and strengthening of Partner States towards the realization of Children’s rights and wellbeing.
Officiating at the official opening of the Conference and launch of the Policy, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Jesca Eriyo, on behalf of the Secretary General of the East African Community Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, disclosed that the document sets out priority areas that include strengthening national child protection systems and community mechanisms within the EAC region; and developing an integrated approach to providing quality education, health and social protection to children, among others”.
The EAC official urged Partner States and all stakeholders to use the conference as a platform to forge and strengthen partnerships for the successful implementation of the policy.
“It is our duty to ensure a bright future for today’s children as they are the pillars of the EAC. Investment in children is an EAC Treaty mandate which calls for Partner States to closely cooperate in the field of social welfare and to develop a common approach towards disadvantaged and marginalized groups including children, the youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities”.
The 2nd EAC Child Rights Conference is being attended by representatives of children from the Partner States, Hon. Members of Parliament from Partner States, Permanent/Principal Secretaries in charge of children Affairs, Representatives of the Coordinating Ministries, Interagency Working Group on Children (Plan International, Save the Children International, African Platform for Social Protection, African Child Policy Forum, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, RIATT-ESA and World Vision International), among others.
The Interagency Working Group on Children (Plan International, Save the Children International, African Platform for Social Protection, African Child Policy Forum, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, RIATT-ESA and World Vision International), GIZ, EAC Secretariat, UNICEF and the Department of Children Services Kenya provided financial, technical and logistical support towards the successful holding of this 2nd EAC Child Rights Conference.
The first EAC Child Conference was held in Bujumbura, Burundi in 2012. Since the Bujumbura conference, the EAC Secretariat spearheaded the development of the EAC Child Policy, which was adopted by the 3rd meeting of the Sectoral Council on Gender, Youth, Children, Social Protection and Community Development in March, 2016.