Report on The 8th African Meeting of Working Children and Youth
To be held in Cotonou from 26 October to 7 November 2009
20th Anniversary of the Convention of Children’s Rights
Working Children and Youth Build their Rights
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History and Process
Since the beginning of the years 90, the African working children and youths have got organized into associations with the support of services from the State, churches and African NGOs. These associations are federated in the African Movement of Working Children and Youths (AMWCY), which first objective is the achievement of human and socio- economical rights of working children and youths and their struggle against poverty.
The AMWCY has periodically defined and directed its activity during the “African Meetings”:
* It is created in 1994 in Bouaké (Côte d’Ivoire) during the first meeting of working children and youths from 4 countries. On this occasion, many difficulties were identified and 12 rights were defined, as well as an action plan that planed a meeting the following year in order to do a first assessment.
* A year later (October 95), this assessment was done in Bamako by WCY from 19 towns: the WCY reviewed the experiences of different associations, the progresses made and the difficulties met and from them they learned some lessons. The Movement has taken new directions: to complete the 12 rights of WCY by the duties of WCY, to reinforce the associations at grassroots level etc. ·
* The following year (October 96), it was at Ouagadougou, that WCY turned to the actions in order to build (materialize) the rights, and thus to go from a protest dimension to a development action. At this same third meeting, the WCY elected their spokesmen/women in the big international debates (Kundapur, Amsterdam, Oslo, and Geneva) on child labour.
* In February 1998, it was 29 African towns and three delegations from other continents that participated in the 4th meeting (cf. report, jeuda 101). An assessment of the effective materialisation of 8 of the 12 rights was done and the WCY have decided to reinforce the 04 remaining ones, mainly by an intense support action to the smallest WCY (under 15). They also endowed with a regional coordination by electing 8 delegates per country: 5 girls and 3 boys.
* In November 2000, 44 towns (members and observers) of 16 countries met in Bamako.They put emphasis on the development of Income Generating Activities that are able to better struggle against poverty, as well as on the struggle against child trafficking by their network of “children and youths”. The collaboration with ILO and UNICEF in the framework of national programmes was assessed as well before the representatives of these institutions. A dialogue with the authorities, firstly with the president of ECOWAS was developed on this occasion. Ministers from other countries went to participate in the panel organised by AMWCY “The technical support”, between associations, for the reinforcement of actions in favour of rights at basic level, was integrated in the AMWCY’s methods of reinforcement. The notion that: " the rights progress where the children are getting organised” was developed.
* In April 2003, 54 towns of 18 countries met at Thiès, with the support of Senegalese authorities. After the assessment of the activities of the AMWCY, the participants have defined the big objectives of the AMWCY for the period 2003- 2006: materialisation of the 12 rights, development of income generating activities, reinforcement of communication, reinforcement of capacity building of WCY and their animators, the collaboration with the authorities, local and international organisations, and the development of national co ordinations and action plans.
These directions brought about a programme of capacity building of the AMWCY in partnership with Plan, Save Sweden and Enda Third World in course of implementation. The assessment made at the end of 2005 about the progress of these objectives, shows a general progress.
*In July 2006, it was the AWCY of Burkina Faso that fully organized for the first time the 7th meeting in collaboration with its partners and authorities. Apart from assessing and defining the orientations for the following years, this meeting laid emphasis on the follow-up tools of the impact of AMWCY activities. A big panel brought together the national and international authorities, especially the President and the Reporter of the Committee of Experts of the African Union on child rights. The 12th anniversary of the AMWCY was celebrated through a popular concert of African rappers (AURA, United Artists for African Rap) that brought together tens of thousands of youths from Ouagadougou.
Today the AMWCY is internationally known, and is considered as a pioneer that “that is taking the lead”. The constant renewal of generations is one of the keys of its success; each “African Meeting” is an occasion to imagine new ideas, envisage new perspectives, and renew its leadership.
8th meeting in Cotonou October-November 2009.
Dates
Preparatory Session 19-24 October
General Assembly 26 October- 7 November
Evaluation and Programming Session 10-13 November
Organizers
The African Movement of Working Children and Youth (AMWCY) initiated the meeting. Its Regional Commission defined the contents. The AWCY of Benin is in charge of the organization in partnership with the Government of Burkina Faso, UNICEF and the other organizations partners in this country and Enda Tiers Monde that will be responsible for aspects of the international preparation.
A week before the beginning of the discussions, the African Commission of the AMWCY will be present in Cotonou to support the Benin AWCY and local partners, and define the final program of the meeting.
Participation
Children
Delegates of the 147 AWCYs existing in so many localities from 21 African countries will be present, as well as observers from several other countries and invited guests (see below). Delegations from Latin America, Asia and Europe are also expected.
Other child lead organizations in Africa and those from other continents are also invited.
200 children, youths and their accompanying persons and guests from about thirty African countries and other continents are invited to Cotonou.
Member Countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Zimbabwe.
PossibleGuests
South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Latin America, Asia, Europe (Holland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Belgium)
Institutions, organizations and networks invited
The African Union and ECOWAS: the AMWCY was invited and participated actively in the discussions of these two bodies, “African integration” and the solidarity beyond borders is one of their main reasons of existence as an African Movement.
The AMWCY is a member of the Global Movement for Children (GMC) at the African regional level, bringing together CANGOC, Enda TM, OXFAM, Plan, Save the Children, UNICEF and World Vision. It also collaborates in the framework of RWOGAT (fight against child trafficking) with ILO, IOM, Terre des Hommes, ONUDC.
In addition to these organizations invited, the AMWCY intends inviting some friendly personalities. Authorities, artists, communicators and sportsmen, and members of friendly networks such as: AURA (rappers), CANGOC (NGOs for children), Dimitra network (mummies), African Social Forum, ROPPA (farmers’ organizations), African Wide Movement for Children (AWMC), African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), national and international medias.
General objective: The main objective of the Cotonou meeting is to assess the progress of children’s rights, the impacts of WCY activities and give new directions to the Movement.
The following specific objectives were defined by the African Commission of the AMWCY:
ü To review the progress made on our rights, our IGA and our organization
ü To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CRC (panel, march & concert)
ü To strengthen the quality and number of grassroots groups in our towns and villages
ü To strengthen our local organization through well-structured National Coordinations and our communication.
ü To develop new partnerships
ü To be better listened to, and make our views given a better consideration
Program and activities planned
- First week: Assessment
§ Presenting activity reports per country on the results of WCY activities. These presentations per country will be followed by debates.
§ Presentation and discussion of temporary results of the evaluation of the AMWCY
§ Presentation of the assessment of African children and youth on their rights (CRC).
- Second week: decisions
§ Organization of group discussions on each orientation theme for the future
§ Organization of initiation workshops
§ Production of radio programs to sensitize populations and make children’s rights known
§ Visits to authorities and organization of a panel with them and partners
§ Organization of a big rap concert to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CRC
§ Discussion and adoption of orientations for 2010 – 2014
Workshops on:
§ Listening to the youngest members and activities developed to strengthen them.
§ Communication techniques and technologies.
§ Management of associations and IGA
§ Undertaking projects and national programs
The accompanying persons will at the same time hold their own training session.
The institutions of the host country, international institutions and regional NGOs, networks and children and youth associations will participate in the discussions.
The international media, especially radio stations, will also be invited.
Contact with the population, the national authorities from the host country and international institutions is also part the program meeting, especially through the panel and the big concert planned for the second week.
Follow-up
The meeting will be assessed by participants, then by the African Commission the following week. The annual meetings of the African Commission and working groups of the AMWCY are the mechanisms adopted to make it possible to do the follow-up assessment of activities. Enda Tiers Monde, through its program, gives organizational support to the AMWCY to facilitate these mechanisms, and aspects of methodology, communication and lobbying. A new triennial program will be finalized after the meeting.
Finance
Benin’s AWCY, the Authorities and Partners of the country will mobilize funds to host the meeting (welcoming, healthcare, food and accommodation). This will also include on-the-spot expenses for the organization.
The AMWCY will participate in the expenses of the organization and transport fares.
With the support of its partners of the GMC (ILO, Enda TM, Plan, Save the Children, UNICEF, World Vision), especially from their country offices that will be involved in providing for the transport fares.
Plan WARO and ESARO will also be asked to look for possibilities of sponsoring travel expenses of AWCYs outside and within West Africa.
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