Thirteen agencies working in Africa have issued a Joint Statement calling on African governments to strengthen their child protection systems to secure the right of children to a life free from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect in both emergency and non-emergency settings.
The agencies, which include UNICEF, as well as networks of NGOs, delivered their recommendations during the 22nd Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, on 6 November 2013, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The 12-page document entitled “Strengthening child protection systems in sub-Saharan Africa: a call to action, Joint inter-agency statement” can be downloaded in English here and version française here.
The Joint Statement draws on a growing body of practice and evidence on child protection systems strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa, and is inspired by the dialogue and findings of a multi-agency conference on the topic that took place in Dakar, Senegal in May 2012. To access information on this conference please link here to the conference’s wiki page.
Ten organisations later convened on April 10–11, 2013 in Dakar to determine the technical content of the Joint Statement. The objective of the Joint Statement is to:
1) present a common understanding of child protection systems in sub-Saharan Africa and why they are important and worthy of investment; and
2) issue a call to action to governments, the African Union, regional economic communities, multilateral agencies, donors, the private sector, academia, civil society organisations, communities and organised children’s and youth groups.