Children are the greatest asset of their countries. The future of countries; be it developed or developing; lies in the hands of their today’s children. Well nurtured, educated and healthy citizens are pillars of any country’s future growth and development.
On the contrary, failure to give due attention to children and disregard their social, economic, and legal rights, is like simply wasting these valuable assets, because the focus given has its own impact on the young generation for better or worse.
However, to generate responsible and good citizens who know their rights and responsibilities and fulfill accordingly, investing in them, nurturing them in the right direction, and helping them to lead a healthy life is crucial not only for their own self but also to improve the future of the nation. To this effect, giving the needed protection and care is of greater importance.
Realizing the crucial role of today’s children in shaping the future of a nation, countries invest hugely to meet their social, economic, legal, physical and psychological, needs as well as protect their rights, countries are working persistently. By ratifying regional and international agreements and devising their national law, they are working to create conducive environment, provided with all necessary facilities thereby to grow into responsible and useful citizens of the nation.
With this same intention, the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs recently conducted a consultation meeting with various stakeholders on ways to protect the rights and interests of children. At the meeting, the active participation and collaboration of various stakeholders was underlined to ensure children’s rights and benefits.
To this effect, the role every individual can play is incalculable; because communities can impact the young generation for better or worse. Children’s Rights Protection CEO with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs Getachew Alito said that partners should work together with the government to protect children’s rights.
Stating that a joint plan was prepared in a manner aligns with the 10 year national plan, Getachew said that consultative meeting is designed with the target to enable institutions to identify their roles and do effective work.
Furthermore, it helps Ethiopia to jointly implement the international conventions and declarations it signed to protect the rights and interests of children and prepare a comprehensive national report. Insufficient budget that is allocated to execute activities to ensure the rights and interests of children, unavailability of consistent planning and reporting system are mentioned as challenges by participants of the meeting.
However, according to the participants the preparation of a joint plan and the initiative to work together to ensure the rights and benefits of children is an encouraging move. Among others, issues interrelated with opening schools where children can attend their education in a way their rights and wellbeing are protected, providing efficient justice services; expansion of children’s health services, and prevention of children from violence is included in the joint plan.
In addition, the joint plan has been prepared to protect children’s rights to education, health, protection and justice, birth registration and other rights, it was stated. At the consultative meeting, including representatives from the House of Representatives, the Ministries of health, education, justice, transport and logistics, the labor and skills, the Ethiopian Media Authority and many other institutions have taken part.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 29 AUGUST 2023
