Tuesday 16th of June marks the 30th World Day of the African Child. This special day is an occasion for us to look back on our major projects in Africa, where we have been working for more than 25 years. From the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Morocco, Angola and Burundi, we are taking action so that children in all African countries can enjoy their rights equally and in all circumstances.
| The 16th of June was chosen to commemorate the riots of June 16, 1976 in Soweto, South Africa, during which hundreds of children were massacred as they marched for their right to education and equality during the Apartheid. Since then, this date has been chosen to represent African youth and not to forget this terrible event. |
Child participation at the heart of our actions in Africa
In order to celebrate all children, from Africa and elsewhere, and to highlight their specificities, IBCR places great emphasis on their participation in all its projects. Because we are convinced that girls and boys have a role to play in defending their rights now, we put listening, participation and child protection at the heart of all our actions.
With almost half of its population under the age of 18, Africa is a young and dynamic continent, where children are able to express their needs and defend their rights. As an organization dedicated to the protection of these rights, we owe it to ourselves to listen to them. Our projects in Africa thus give a large emphasis to encounters and exchanges with children. Meetings and workshops are organized to allow them to give their opinion, share their point of view and their reality. In some of our projects, they are also involved in the creation of training that will be provided to the professionals responsible for protecting them to ensure that it is representative of their realities and situations and best meets their needs.
In our multi-year projects in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo, children have participated in different ways. In 2017, for example, we worked with several groups of children in Ouagadougou and Kinshasa, most of them living on the streets and hosted by local associations and NGOs. In this case, they actively participated in the creation of training and audiovisual tools through meetings and theatrical workshops led by actors from the Les Béjarts troupe and members of the IBCR. Find out more.
African Child Day for Justice in Burkina Faso
In the case of Burkina Faso, the theme of this year’s Day of the African Child is: “Adapted support for children in contact with justice”. A theme directly related to our project in the country, whose tools and training for professionals working with children are oriented around this angle . As part of this day, the local IBCR team participated in several activities:
- Co-facilitation of a workshop on juvenile justice and alternatives to imprisonment on June 12
- Participation in the JPO Commemorative Ceremony on June 16, organized by MFSNFAH on the theme “Ensuring access to child-friendly justice in the context of a security crisis”.
- Recording of a television programme as part of the BF1 channel’s cap enfance positive project. It will be broadcast on June 17 with the theme: “a multisectoral approach to improve support for children in contact with the justice system in Burkina Faso”.
Our completed projects
Many of our past projects have also placed a strong emphasis on child participation. We invite you to read or review these news items which give an overview of some of these projects in Africa:
Madagascar
The IBCR, in partnership with UNICEF and the Ministry of Population, Social Protection and Promotion of Women of Madagascar, conducted a study on violence against children in order to draw a portrait of the cycles of violence that children experience in their families, schools and workplaces.
The words, experiences, opinions and proposals of children and protection actors were the central focus of this study. More than 700 young people were consulted on their experience and perception of violence in their daily lives.
Read more.
Morocco
As part of the PRODEF voluntary cooperation programme, a Children’s Municipal Council has been set up by the Bayti association in Essaouria, in partnership with young people, their parents and the Essaouira city council, and with financial support from the French Embassy in Morocco.
Read more.
Tunisia
With Gözde Erdogan, legal advisor in the framework of the volunteer cooperation programme, IBCR worked on a project with the organisation ADO+ to offer a creative space for reflection and guidance for adolescents in their advocacy work. The project entitled “Junior Academy of Political Culture” helped to raise awareness and build the capacities of several adolescents on advocacy techniques for the acquisition of their civil rights. In light of the skills acquired, these adolescents analyzed the gaps in their municipality in order to conduct an advocacy project.
Read more.