AFRICA: 2nd Civil Society Organisation Forum on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child [final report]

Summary: African Child Policy Forum, AfricaWide Movement for Children, Institute for the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision.

Email: [email protected]

Summary Report - Full Report

The second Civil Society Organisation Forum aimed to contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) and to foster closer collaboration among civil society organisations (CSO), the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) and other stakeholders in the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Africa.

The main objectives of the Forum were to:
• Contribute to proper implementation and monitoring of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Africa Call for Accelerated action for an Africa Fit for children; and
• Foster closer collaboration and co-operation among Civil Society organisations; The African Union Commission, its structures and organs; the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and other stakeholders for promotion and protection of children’s rights
and wellbeing in Africa.

This Forum strived to achieve the following sub-objectives:
• To educate, share and learn from one another about important child rights issues, mechanisms and processes.
• To provide recommendations to the ACERWC on various child rights topics.

The CSO Forum covered some fundamental areas of the African Charter and the Committee of Experts including:
• The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and its mechanisms to monitor children’s rights
• How far has the African Charter been implemented
• The progress and challenges of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
• How civil society uses the African Children’s Charter to change laws and policies
• Child rights budgeting
• Roles and responsibilities of the Committee Members
• Nomination and selection of Committee members according to the Rules of Procedures
• Experiences of the NGO group to the CRC Committee on how they influence selection of CRC Committee members

Further information

• First Civil Society Forum Meeting on and around the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child - full report (May 2009)
• Read CRIN's guide to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
• Advancing Children’s Rights: A Guide for Civil Society Organisations on how to engage with the African child rights committee
• Read reports from previous Days of the African Child