100 African youth were called to an open forum to share their own experiences and discuss strategies to end violence against children. The forum was organized by Plan International, UNICEF, and the government of Ghana. It was facilitated by Maria Santos Pais, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on ‘Violence Against Children.’
The youth delegates traveled from Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Conakry; they will serve as the new advisory committee to the UN Special Representative.
The committee will have direct communication and access to the UN Representative which will increase multi-generational collaboration between children, youth, and adults. “The proposed initiative will galvanize the efforts to push for urgent and decisive action against harmful practices and violence against children,” said Adama Coulibaly, Plan’s Regional Director for West Africa.
The conference also aimed to strengthen the network of children, families and communities in Africa and reinforced the necessity of stronger political commitments and action to end violence against children.
Ms. Santos Pais praised the courage of the youth and said “I firmly believe in the important dialogue and strong partnerships with children and young people to end violence against children, including when it is associated with harmful practices. Children are hidden victims and best placed to expose those practices and help identify solutions for their prevention and abandonment.”
All West African countries ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet children in the region are still vulnerable to practices of violence. The dialogue exposed that millions of African children suffer from female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation, child marriage, trafficking, breast ironing, honor killings, forced labour, accusations of witchcraft, serious forms of violence against children with disabilities and albinism, and other practices.
19 year old President of the Ghana National Children and Youth Advisory Board said “governments need to be held accountable on all the promises they make on behalf of their countries. At this conference, we will find out governments efforts at eradicating these harmful traditional practices.”
The delegates urged the United Nations, international organizations, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child to ensure the participation of West and Central African governments. They also appealed to the African Center of Experts on the Rights and Welfares of the Child and African Union leaders to implement appropriate measures to combat violence against children.
Child rights curricula in schools and teacher trainings was also recommended in the resolution.
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Written by Rachel Pozivenec