In 1991, the then Organisation of African Unity – the forerunner of the African Union (AU) – designated June 16 as The Day of the African Child (DAC). This was to honour the courage of the children who participated in the protests, to celebrate Africa’s children, and to inspire a reflection and action towards addressing the challenges that children on the continent face on a daily basis.
Towards this end, every year a theme is chosen for DAC, this year’s theme for the purpose being ‘Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030’.In selecting this theme, the AU is reconfirming the importance of linking the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Agenda with the rights of children, emphasizing the need to invest in all children.
The aim is also to stress the fact that the commitment of States to child rights commitments of States need to be made central to the implementation of SDGs. Furthermore, bringing the focus on the global 2030 Agenda provides a platform to reflect on how it applies to Africa’s children today.
The DAC’s theme brings to the fore issues that need to be taken care of to ensure that Africa’s future leaders grow up in supportive environments that will enable them to make the continent rise to the heights it is meant to reach.Tanzania, which boasts a huge young population, needs to maximise its potential by ensuring that all its citizens are educated, can access and afford medical care and must work to eradicate poverty among all its citizens.
To achieve that, the process must start at the very beginning – with our children. Promoting empowerment and equal opportunity for all children calls for the targeting all social and economic groups in order to ensure that no child is left behind, with particular focus on prioritising the rights and needs of the poorest and most marginalised.
This will serve to address implementation gaps as relates to children’s rights in Tanzania, particularly the realisation of social and economic rights, through good governance, targeted policies and provision of the required services.Indeed, this is the foundation for empowering all children to reach their fullest potential, leaving not a single soul behind.
To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all children, Tanzania has an obligation to take as many appropriate measures as humanly possible to provide quality education that is both equitable and inclusive.
This would be through, among other measures, developing or making increasingly accessible primary, secondary and tertiary education. Particularly, targeted measures must be taken to encourage regular attendance while reducing drop-out rates, and to ensure equal and equitable access to female, disadvantaged children – including children with disabilities as well as children from indigenous groups and rural areas.
For children with disabilities, measures must be taken to provide inclusive and equitable access to quality and equal education through the provision of assistive education devices and targeted training to promote self-reliance and participation, especially in relation to preparation for gainful employment. Again, this is needed more in rural areas and in poor communities than elsewhere.
In a society steeped in patriarchy, traditions and cultures, the issue of gender equality cannot be disregarded when talking about the status of children, both current and future.
Discrimination on the basis of gender provides a pathway for the violation of other basic rights of the one discriminated against, such as rights to education, expression and participation.
Gender inequality bears a close link with poor outcomes in the education of girls in Tanzania. Despite progress made over the years to achieve equality, particularly in relation to access to education, many girls in Tanzania still face barriers to remaining in both primary and secondary schools.
Gender equality is a necessary foundation for the full and free enjoyment of human rights and for securing sustainable peace, prosperity and development in any nation.
Equal access for girls to education, health care, participation in decision-making processes in the social, economic and political spheres will benefit the girls but also entire families and society at large.
Thus, the particular needs of the girl-child must be addressed in light of these rights if we are really to achieve gender equality for sustainable development. Gender equality is crucial for achieving all national goals, including the eradication of hunger and poverty.
Alongside inequality in education, girls continue to face discrimination and violence in both public and private spheres. Thus, for Tanzania, this year’s theme is timely indeed as it calls to attention the need to protect children from all forms of violence.
This ranges from gender inequality, economic exploitation, deaths from violence and torture, outdated and harmful traditional practices to the lack of structures to ensure safety and equal access to justice for all children.
Access to justice is of fundamental importance for the advancement of children’s rights and as relates to defending their interests, particularly those children in need of protection against acts that threaten or violate their rights.The law remains one of the most effective tools for societal development, at least by providing the context within which the political, social, economic and cultural advancement of any nation can be achieved.
As such, Tanzania needs to reform outdated laws such as the Law of Marriage of 1977, ensure re-entry for girls who get pregnant in schools, as well as, where necessary, initiate laws and policies that will be generally beneficial to children.
Structures must be put in place to protect children and ensure that they are given a fair opportunity in the justice or judicial system. This is decisive for their psychological and psychosocial development as they need to grow and develop into adulthood free of fear and unintended, often irreversible, consequences.
It is high time Tanzania chose to invest more seriously in ensuring her children grow up free from violence and exploitation, with a particular focus on those languishing in most vulnerable situations and in marginalised areas.
When and where there is violence against children or other violations of their rights, society suffers. In much the same vein, the protection of children’s rights contributes to the wellbeing, security and progress of society as a whole.
Accountability, transparency and monitoring are critical tools for galvanizing efforts towards the achievement of national, continental and global goals and ensuring that real and measurable progress is made within stated timeframes.
As part of action towards the goal of “Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030”, Tanzania needs to initiate the assessment of its development plans with a view to prioritising children’s rights in line with the AU’s agenda – including the SDGs.
To strengthen the institutional frameworks relevant for pursuing the SDGs, Tanzania ought to undertake an assessment of the strengths and gaps of its various institutions in order to clearly identify and plan the means and methods of intervention.
This would include engaging in data collection and research in order to better understand the nature, magnitude and impact of the problems, better plan for the solutions, and facilitate more effective collaborations between various stakeholders.
Last, but not least, it is well worth remembering that children are also agents of change and ought to actively participate in the planning and implementation of the national agenda whose achievement requires putting children directly at the centre of the agenda now, as they grow into adulthood.
This will ensure that whatever is done will be with the full participation of children and is not in any way detrimental to their rights.
In Tanzania it is commonly said: “Kupanga ni Kuchagua”, essentially meaning that judicious planning involves making informed choices. As we celebrate this year’s Day of the African Child, we should help ensure that Tanzania chooses to plan for her children TODAY so that TOMORROW they will have reached their full potential and served her well enough, hopefully.
• Long-serving Tanzanian media expert Valerie N. Msoka wrote this piece with help from the Concept Note for DAC 2017, as drawn up by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
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