A call and promise for action, Children's Statement in Addis Ababa

Summary: Children's statement at the closing session of the conference 'Violence against girls in Africa', taking place in Addis Ababa from 11 to 12 May 2006. 

A call and promise for action
Children’s statement
 
As children from all over Africa, we would like to thank all the NGOs who organized the children’s meeting and especially Save the Children’s regional office for East and Central Africa.
 
We would also like to thank the Africa Policy Forum for having organized this conference. We would like to encourage you to continue to organize this kind of forums and continue to invite children and young people from all over Africa.
 
We would also like to thank Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, for taking his time to come and share his time with us children.
 
We girls and boys from 6 countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda commit ourselves to:
 
Sensitize other children and our communities on children’s rights.

• To form child clubs which teaches children and the communities about child rights and violence against children.
• To do our best not to violate other children’s rights.
• To use dialogue and discussions with our peers, parents/guardians and teachers to solve conflicts.

 We would like our governments and other responsible organizations to:
 

• Adopt and implement laws against all forms of violence, including corporal and other forms of humiliating punishment, child sexual abuse, FGM, etc.
• Create awareness raising programs on violence against girls and boys.
• Give a chance to girls and boys to participate in all activities to fight against violence and discrimination.
• Create awareness of the population on the consequences of violence by using child friendly tools for example media to reach children and adults.
• Create child friendly reporting centers where children can report abuse cases.
• Create guidance and counseling clubs in the schools.
• Enable children to have access to the international, regional and national mechanism such as CRC and ACERWC.
• To encourage a follow up on the UN Study on Violence against Children recommendations, three years after the study has been finalized. Children should be involved in this follow up to see how much the government has done to implement the recommendations and how much they have done to involve children in this process.

We would now like to conclude with a poem.
 
Violence, violence, violence
Why do you need to focus your eyes so much on the African children
Why do you want to ruin the fruits of tomorrow
We the African children are tried of sexual violence, corporal punishment, and gender inequality.
 
Violence, violence, violence
Where do you come from
Who are your parents
Why are you the enemy of peace and love
Oh, God we wish one day, violence and peace could have a peaceful talk
 
Violence, violence, violence
You made us the children of Africa,
Loss all the hopes in the educational life
You made our future useless,
We are the future leaders and doctors,
teachers, parents doctors, leaders and all the people
why do you violate us
 
We the African children want peace, love, care and unity
 
Give us peace today if you want good fruits tomorrow!!!
 
 
THANK YOU!!!