Luanda - The situation of most African children remains critical, due to factors related to their socio-economic situation, natural disasters, armed conflicts and the scourge of hunger.
The fact was expressed by the Angolan ambassador to Ethiopia and representative of the permanent African Union, Miguel Bembe, on Wednesday, in an interview to ANGOP, when asked to portrait the situation of African children.
The diplomat said that Africa is the continent where children are part of armed groups in greater numbers and, consequently, there is the highest rate of victims of sexual violence.
According to Miguel Bembe, this and other aspects contrast with established international norms.
According to the official, in recent years, the continent has been witnessing the increase and intensity of conflicts, with around thousands of children having been recruited by armed groups.
He added that these actions resulted in the emergence of thousands of cases of interruption of studies, forced removals from family life, the fight against sexual exploitation, the multiplication of child labour and the transformation of children into soldiers.
He noted that conflicts in Africa negatively impact children's development directly and indirectly, particularly within the family, their intellectual growth and social and cultural life.
In his view, minors in conflict situations have been victims of attacks perpetrated by the parties involved, usually rebel groups and government forces.
“Unfortunately, conflicts prevent children from having the opportunity to live and grow in a healthy environment, to benefit from medical and drug assistance, education, justice, as well as benefiting from a promising future”, he lamented.
To face this challenge, he said that article 22 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, advocates that State Parties must respect and guarantee the rules of International Humanitarian Law applicable in armed conflicts that affect children.
Likewise, they must refrain from hiring any child and adopt all necessary measures to ensure that no minor becomes a direct part of hostilities.
Miguel Bembe clarified that Article 27 of the African Charter on sexual violence against Children includes a provision that requires States to prevent, combat and protect children from this practice.
In this context, he called on States to take measures to prevent the induction, coercion or encouragement of a child to engage in any sexual act, use of children in prostitution or other sexual practices.
To address this challenge, action plans were also developed to reduce gender-based violence, as well as child marriage and impunity for violations committed during peacekeeping operations in Africa.
In the same vein, he recalled that, in 2017, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights developed and issued guidelines on combating sexual violence and its consequences, and two years later, in 2019, the AU organized an online Global Summit on child sexual exploitation, in collaboration with the WeProtect Global Alliance.
Still in the international context, he underlined that the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2015 include sexual exploitation as a form of violence.
For the implementation of the goals of the Charter, Miguel Bembe informed that the AU foresees a budget for 2024 valued at USD 1,185,302 (One Million, One Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Two United States Dollars).
These measures are part of the realization of the aspirations that constitute the AU's Agenda 2063, called “The Africa we want”.
The diplomat argued that Member States should work closely with the Commission of the Union, with the Regional Economic Communities (CER) and international partners to identify and denounce the various forms of child labour, as well as sexual exploitation and precocious marriage.
In this regard, Member States must protect children against reprisals and ensure their rehabilitation and social integration through measures that take into account their educational, physical and psychological needs.
Identifying and involving communities where there are children exposed to special risks and working with them, informing, sensitizing and mobilizing public opinion and affected groups, including minors and their families, are other actions to be undertaken in an imperative manner. MGM/ART/DOJ
