November 20: the international celebrations of Children's rights in a nutshell

On November 20, the World Children’s Day was celebrated all over the world. For the FAAI, this day marks the commemoration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the occasion to reaffirm our engagement towards children for the respect of their rights.

Children’s rights promote protection, well-being, and development of the child but in addition embrace much larger objectives. Prepare the future of our children and making them aware of current issues is to all the more important to ensure a bright future for all. Children’s rights deserve to be better known in the world. The ignorance of these rights can be at the origin of inequalities or violence, even involuntary on the part of the close circle of the child or the authorities.

Therefore, prevention and raising awareness about the rights of the child at the international level is a central step in the approach of the FAAI for children’s protection.

Our international partners have organized activities allowing all contributors involved in child protection – educators, social workers, but also parents and children to express themselves on these fundamental rights. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and in the Republic of the Congo, our partners speak out.

In Madagascar – children’s rights and protection of the environment

Each year, our local collaborators celebrate November 20th while including the children they take care of in the activities. This day is a special occasion for them to “have a good time, in an environment very different from their daily life in the street. It is a way of giving them hope, the desire, the will to change” shares Christine Magny, coordinator of Graines de Bitume.

The partner associations of our project “Sandratra” (Graines de bitumen, NRJ, HARDI and Manda) came together for a reforestation day with a key message: “children have the right to live in a pleasant and sustainable environment”. Indeed, Madagascar is strongly impacted by climate change. The famine that has raged in Southern Madagascar for 3 years has just been declared “the first famine due to climate change” according to the World Food Program.

This mobilisation brought together 980 young people and made it possible to raise awareness about environmental risks and the importance of preserving nature : “the child has the right to live in a healthy environment. He then becomes an actor, a small ambassador for the planet” explains Héry, head of education at Graines de Bitume. A great opportunity to advocate to national authorities, as an educator from the NRJ center explains to us, “in order to set up a collaboration between the State and the civil society working with children, but also to remind parents of their responsibility in the realization of the rights of their children”.

In Congo - the promotion of rights for all children

In the Republic of Congo, our partner REIPER held its fourth edition of the children’s rights festival. The programme included a round table under the theme: “Promotion and protection of the rights of the child for a Congo worthy of children” to which the child protection sector, representatives of local and national authorities were invited.

This day is an opportunity for child protection professionals “to assert their duties, to recognize that men and women must give the best that they have for children regardless of nationality or beliefs. Beyond any festive celebration, it is crucial to show on this day that the child who was hungry has been nourished/ must be nourished, the child who was sick has been cared for/ must be cared for” tells Joseph Likibi, coordinator of REIPER.

The round table was the occasion to challenge the public authorities and allowed to formulate proposals for improving child protection policy. To end the celebration on a high note, a cultural awareness show was held with the active participation of children and artists.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a celebration through the lens of protection

Our partner REEJER organized a community dialogue in one of its member’s structures Vivre et Travail Autrement (VTA) which welcomes young girls. The event, held in a public space under the topic “Right to protection” gathered more than 500 participants. The municipal political authorities as well as members of the police attended the songs, dances and theatrical sketches played by the young beneficiaries.

“Let’s encourage our children to identify their rights and duties, to promote and defend them. It would be a better strategy to ensure the protection of all children, including those in vulnerable situations” concludes an educator from REEJER.

 

Let's mobilize to transform the rights decreed by the International Convention on the Rights of the Child into concrete actions in favour of all children without exception!