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Summary: Three-day regional parliamentarian’s seminar
organized by Save the Children Sweden in
collaboration with the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia’s House of People’s
Representatives’ Social Affairs Standing
Committee.
ADDIS ABABA – A three-day regional parliamentarian’s seminar organized
by Save the Children Sweden in collaboration with the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives’ Social Affairs
Standing Committee is taking place from April 5 to 7, 2005 at the Hilton
Hotel.
The Honourable Deputy Speaker of the House Dr. Petros Olango will
inaugurate the meeting, while Swedish Embassy officials will also welcome
the participants.
The seminar that brings together parliamentarians from Ethiopia, Sudan,
Kenya and Uganda aims to raise awareness of the Members of Parliament
(MP’s) on children’s rights, and define their roles in the implementation and
monitoring of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Experts on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African
Charter on the Rights & Welfare of the Child will also share their
experience on child rights monitoring and implementation mechanisms.
The MP’s from the countries represented are expected to share their
respective experiences which are believed to enable them to have a better
understanding of the CRC within the African context.
At the conclusion of the seminar the MPs will design a Plan of Action and a
Program for Promotion of the CRC and the African Charter on the Rights
and Welfare of the Child in the region.
Also present at the seminar will be children from the Addis Ababa
Administration’s Arada Sub-city, Children’s Parliament.
“The previous meeting that was organized,” says Wzo. Amsale Negatu,
Programme Officer at Save the Children Sweden, “was a planning meeting
with Ethiopian Parliamentarians. At the conclusion of that first meting, it
was suggested that MP’s from the region also participate in the effort to
raise awareness of the issues regarding children’s rights, for networking
and discussion for the establishment of a Parliamentarian’s Child Reference
Group,” she added.
The Ethiopian government ratified the CRC on December 9, 1991 and the
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on October 2, 2002