|
|
Mauritius: «Parents are not assuming their responsibilities»
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
L'Express (Port Louis)
11 January 2008
Posted to the web 11 January 2008
Bilkiss Jaffaralli
Port Louis
The minister of Women's rights, Child development, Family welfare, Indira Seebun, said yesterday that schools, NGOs and parents should be more conscious of their role in children's lives.
With the start of the school year this week for most children between 5 and 20, parental duties have become an issue that is being much discussed. The minister of Women's rights, Child development, Family welfare & Consumer protection, Indira Seebun, has expressed her deep concern about children bunking classes and spending their time on the streets. She raised the alarm in a meeting with the press yesterday calling upon all those concerned to cooperate.
During hours when they should be in class, some children are found on the streets, in games spaces, cyber cafés and clubs. Some kids aged 5-6 years old have been involved in gangs and "obscene" acts. "We warn all parents who are not assuming their responsibilities," declared the minister. While being quite severe with parents, she called upon all the stakeholders involved in the fight against "street children" to join hands and to get all these children in class for the new school year.
"Sanctions will be taken against any person using children to beg on the streets and against the biological parents of the children."
Because of financial problems, some parents keep elder children at home to look after their younger siblings. Indira Seebun requests such parents to contact her ministry where they will be given help so as not to deprive their children of education. The importance of education has been highlighted. It is the solution to alleviate poverty and social problems. The minister suggests that appropriate values and good manners be given at home itself and during early childhood.
The ministry is providing various facilities such as a "day-care center" at Baie-du-Tombeau, transport facilities and courses on "early childcare and development" for financially deprived families. A "Parental Empowerment Programme" and "Family Support Programmes" have also been set up to create better understanding between parents and children and help parents raise sensible issues with their children.
The issue of women carrying babies and small children to beg on the streets was also raised. "We shall not tolerate such practice," says Indira Seebun. Sanctions will be taken against any person using children to beg and against the biological parents of the children. A request was made to NGOs and the pu-blic to approach in a friendly way any child on the streets during school hours and ask him the reasons for not being in class and take appropriate actions. Hotline numbers 113, 119 and 139 have been provided for any required intervention.
Where "children's rights are often highlighted", the minister also reminds the pa-rents of their responsibilities, specially concerning the safety of their children. Before putting their children in a nursery, parents must check whether the nursery does have a license to operate, if they have the appropriate staff and to ensure that the children are in security. The parents are also advised to enquire well in advance about school van drivers and to have their contact numbers for any enquiry.
|
Even if the year 2008 has been declared as the "Non Violence Year"; there is still a misconception of violence in Mauritius. Violence does not concern women but also children and men. Violence also means psychological and not only physical. Indira Seebun thus requests everybody who has the future and safety of children at heart to help in the fight against child abuse and "street children".
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 L'Express. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
