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Child Rights Weekly Update
National News NGOs Review Simplified Version of the Sexual Offences Act 2006 NGOs handling children issues met this week to discuss the simplified version of the Sexual Offences Act 2006. The simplified version will offer the public and children a simpler account of the Act so that they understand what the sexual law says. It was agreed that when publishing the simplified version, a disclaimer be included. This is a paragraph stating that the simplified version of the Sexual Offences Act was not conclusive law and the version was not for use in courts. Participants of the meeting held at AMREF also agreed that a list of definitions be included as some words were complex for example 'indecent Act'. NGOs represented at the meeting were Child Welfare Society of Kenya, Childlife Trust, Goal Kenya, Concern World Wide Kenya, The CRADLE, ANPPCAN Kenya chapter, GCN and KAACR. For more information, contact Email: [email protected] CREAW to Lobby for Development of a Youth Sexuality Curriculum Centre for Rights Education & Awareness (CREAW) in collaboration with the university of Nairobi plan to lobby for a youth sexuality curriculum for use in schools and universities. This move was hutched during a stakeholders workshop held this week in Nairobi to review the successes of a two year Youth and Sexuality programme. The programme dubbed, 'Youth Taking charge of their sexuality - a student exchange and legal exchange programme sought to engage young people in addressing the challenges faced in relation to their sexuality. The programme supported by Ford Foundation was also aimed at equipping the youth on campus, in schools and in the community with information to enable them take control of their sexuality. Stakeholders at the workshop assisted CREAW and partners identify gaps and areas for further intervention noting that the programme was timely and will assist the youth understand their 'sexuality rights'. Negative sexual challenges experienced by youth in institutions of learning include, sexual harassment and exploitation of female students, gender-based discrimination and 'exile' practices among students in the residential halls, STGs, cohabitation of male and female students and promiscuity or reckless sexual behaviour. All these negative attitudes and practices relating to sexuality are viewed to constitute violations of sexuality rights of the student population on campus. For more information, contact Email: [email protected] Actionaid International Launches Guide on Women Rights and HIV/ AIDS in Africa Actionaid International this week launched Mutapola: A Resource and Action Guide for Women's Rights and HIV and AIDS in Africa. Mutapola is a resource and action guide for actionaid staff and partners who deal with HIV and AIDS issues. It is a basis for training up to community level. Mutapola is a tool for identifying policy issues with impact on women and girls in HIV and AIDS programming. It is also a quick reference for basic facts and statistics on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls in Su-Saharan countries. To achieve the above objective, the guide is made up of six modules that can be used either individually or as a package. The issues covered are current and emerging and would be reviewed periodically. The module components are women's rights and HIV /AIDS: an overview, Women's rights dimensions of HIV prevention, Treatment of HIV and AIDS, Care and Support, HIV/AIDS and sustainable livelihoods and policy and advocacy. For more information, contact Email: [email protected] Upcoming Events in Brief National News 14 July Leadership, advocacy and effective participation training Venue: Ngong township Organizer: KAACR Contact: [email protected] 25 July Community Support Groups workshop, Kuria Venue: Kehancha Municipal Hall Organizer: KAACR Contact: [email protected] Regional and International News 6-8 August Regional Consultative Conference for Child helplines in Africa Location: Uganda Contact: [email protected] 12-15 August 4th Annual Youth Assembly Location: New York Contact: yaapplications @faf.org 5-7 September 60th annual NGO/DP1 Conference Location: New York Contact: [email protected] 21 September Day of General Discussion 2007 Location: Geneva Switzerland Contact: [email protected] 24-26 September First International Conference on Child Sexual Abuse in Africa Location: Nairobi, Kenya Contact: [email protected] 19 November World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse 1 December World AIDS Day 13-14 December Child Labour, Education and Youth employment seminar Location: Paris, France Contact: [email protected] The Child Rights Weekly Update (CRWU) is published by Kenya Alliance for Advancement Children (KAACR) as a medium of sharing information on events happening within the child rights sector nationally and internationally. For those interested in participating in specific events, we urge you to contact the hosting organization. KAACR is a national umbrella NGO for cooperation and information exchange on children's rights in Kenya. Compiled by: Jane Njogu Edited by: Timothy Ekesa We welcome your contributions to the Newsupdate through the following contacts: Head Office P.O. Box 73637, 00200, Nairobi Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: 4450256/7, 0722-780224, 0733-287964 Fax: 4450092 Coast Region P.O. Box 2820, Mombasa. Tel: 041-221395 Western Region Office P O Box 6853 Kondele, Kisumu