Promoting the protection and the well-being of children is becoming a pressing concern among countries of the world, as children are at the higher risk than others and unable to fully protect themselves due to their physical, psychological and cognitive immaturity which in their later years pose undesirable effects as well as could hold back a country's national development
To the contrary, in countries where the rights of children are protected, and their health, education and well-being are ensured, their ability to contribute to their respective community and their country as future citizens is immense leading the country to prosperity.
According to Child Right Advocacy and Development Desk Head with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs Belete Dagne, the Ethiopian government through the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs is working diligently with various Ministries such as Education, Health, and Justice, as well as development partners including the National Disaster Risk Management Commission of Ethiopia (EDRMC) to ensure the rights and protection of children.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Belete said that Ethiopia ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children in 1991. It has also incorporated the provision on the rights of children in its constitution to promote and guarantee every child rights. Accordingly, the government has been executing various activities to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of children. Further, it has developed a child policy that guides the efforts in safeguarding children's rights.
The Ministry is also working focusing on cultivating a culture of civic responsibility and preventing child rights violations, as well as running rehabilitation centers to assist victims of violence to recover from the trauma. It is also working to empower the community and stakeholders, to support the effort because ensuring children's rights is a cornerstone of nation-building.
To translate the plan, the Ministry has established Child Rights Committees that are in charge of monitoring and reporting any form of child rights abuse to the law enforcement.
In a bid to build a long-lasting system, the Ministry has been working with the Ministry of Education and the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) as well as relevant bodies in establishing children's parliament to facilitating the participation of children at all levels, to let them gain experience, enable them to voice and advocate for their own concerns, and stand up for the rights of children.
The ultimate goal of the children's parliament is to voice the children's concern at local and international platforms and protect their rights. Moreover it will let them experience the power of democracy as well as the values of Ethiopia.
In an effort to enhance awareness regarding children rights and mobilize resources, the Ministry held a number of events at different occasions on the International Children's Rights Day and African Children's Rights Day as well as in other relevant instances, he added.
The Child Development Training and Research Center (CDTRC), non-profit organization, Deputy General Manager Amberbir Tamire also said that emphasizing on the children's safety is an issue that should not be ignored or undervalued as they are the valuable asset who can decide the fate of the country. Thus, investing in children, protecting them from any form of abuse and upholding their rights, is a responsibility of all.
"We should build a protective environment that could support children's development, health, education, and well-being, and their ability to become productive members of society."
Amberbir acknowledges that there is a significant gap between the demand and supply for ensuring children's protection. "We know Ethiopia experienced droughts and conflicts that consumed the life of many and resulted in beefing up internal displaced persons and forced students to drop out of schools. All variables ascribed above affect the wellbeing of children."
To bridge that gap, it is high time to reinforce collaborative approaches with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Justice to align efforts and ensure child protection.
Moreover, enhancing productive work with regional states and authorities is important to establish and enforce child protection policies and protocols.
In the same way, partnering with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups that specialize and work in child rights, child protection and child welfare, is vital to draw lessons and exploit knowledge and skills, he underlined.
According to him, the issue of protecting children's rights is about the perpetuation of generation, and stakeholders should act in line with their duties and responsibilities. Amberbir suggested that public and private institutions should collaborate to improve the provision of health and education services to children.
He also commended the efforts by public institutions in opening daycare centers to enable mothers to engage in productive economic activities, which contributes to the well-being of children.
A prudent collaboration with educational institutions is instrumental in developing comprehensive child safeguarding curricula and training programs. The collaboration along with healthcare service providers, including hospitals, clinics, and pediatricians, should be well organized. Moreover, works to ensure prompt medical and psychological support for child victims need to be further strengthened.
Regarding the role of media, Amberbir emphasized the need for content producers to review their programs, and ensure that they engaged skilled professionals specializing in children development and behavior. He also warned the proliferation of harmful content on social media and the need for adults to help children avoid excessive exposure to electronic devices. Putting in place strong law enforcement measures is also crucial to ensure justice, fairness, and transparency in addressing children's issues, Amberbir accentuated.
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He also highlighted the need for the involvement of religious institutions, as the issue of children's rights is not the sole responsibility of a single institution.
As to him, the involvement of religious institutions in addressing the challenges faced by children is not as such visible. In the Ethiopian context, religious institutions often have significant influence on their respective communities. Through their acceptance, they could actively engage in advocating for children's rights, raise public awareness, mobilize resources, and promote community's participation to safeguard the wellbeing and rights of children.
"I strongly believe that religious institutions can play a constructive role in instilling the core values and ethics of the community and developing a sense of civic responsibility."
In this regard, working with religious institutions and sensitizing them with the necessary knowledge and tools to identify, prevent, and respond to child protection issues should be the area of action because religious fathers are capable enough to influence the behavior of individuals across the board, he opined.
