Key Note Address by His Excellency the Minister of Social Welfare of the Republic of Angola, Dr Joao Baptista Kussumwa

Gala Dinner, on the occasion of the

Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Preparatory Consultation for the

UN Secretary General’s Global Study on Violence against Children

at Kopanong Conference Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

18 July 2005

Your Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

  1. On behalf of the delegation that accompanies me and on my personal behalf, I would like to thank you for the invitation extended to us to participate at the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Preparatory Consultation for the UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence against Children.
  1. The Angolan population is very young: approximately 60% is under the age of 18 and is framed within sub-cultures showing evidence of various initiation rites, both male and female, with the view to prepare children to assume future challenges in life.
  1. The armed conflict which saw Angolasunk into, during three decades, had a serious impact on her social and human impact, leaving unbearable scars, and the majority of basic social infrastructures destroyed, to the point that public services were no longer viable, including health and education.
  1. With the signing of the Luena Protocol in April 2002, the armed conflict came to an end, hence opening new perspectives for the lives of children. Ever since, the government has endeavoured its efforts in the development of services and tasks which aim to revert the social construct (situation) and bring about greater and better protection to children against all forms of violence that they have been subjected to – whether physical and psychological.
  1. The Constitutional Law of my country states that a child constitutes an absolute priority; as such she/he enjoys special protection within the Family, the State and the Society at large.This is with the view to ensure an integrated child development.The Constitution also establishes the principle that the harmonious protection and development of a child are the responsibilities of the State and Society.
  1. Angola adhered to and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Protocols, the African Charter on the Rights and Wellbeing of the Child; the United Nations Minimum Standards for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Regulations), the Convention no. 6 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Night Child Labour, among others.
  1. All forms of violence, including physical, sexual and psychological practiced within the family, community, schools, pre-school care centers , institutions providing social welfare or health services are to be condemned and are set within our current Judicial Code, and we call on Courts to apply the law accordingly.
  1. In order tohave better knowledge on issues of violence, studies and surveys were conducted in the context of child protection, namely on children at risk, children with special needs of protection (accused of black-magic), with the aim to:

a)Explore the current knowledge and better understand the phenomenon;

b)Statistics/data collection

c)Evaluate the prevalence of this phenomenon and its incidence rate (growing rate).

d)Provide an insight on the design and development of intervention programmes that could provide alternative solutions to problems affecting children.

  1. Within the framework of the current studies, a series of workshops have been taking place in someprovinces, with assessments’ results that enable correction of mistakes, as well as the reintegration of these children, in the framework of the Rights of the Child, making it possible to take socio-educational, cultural, legislative and administrative measures.

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

  1. The Study on Child Labour, Exploitation and Trafficking of children informed the need to organize meetings and sensitisation and mobilisation seminars in order to strengthen our protection measures against child labour exploitation and trafficking, having resulted in the formation of an Intersectoral Commission at different levels, national and provincial, integrating the Social Cluster Ministers and provincial governments.

11.In the meantime, we are testing pilot experiences consisting of the creation of Child Protection Committeesat provincial and local levels. These are aimed at promoting dialogue between the government, communities, families, traditional authorities, religious sects, churches and non-governmental organisations. Such dialogue also will raise awareness of the population on the protection and support of children’s rights. The feedback received indicates that, this initiative has been of benefitto children as there has been reduction in the rate of violence and abandonment of children, while the population has become more aware of issues.

12.Child Protection Networks are yet another mechanism used in the country, which is being piloted. These networks comprise government social actors who are part of the child protection integrated system, municipal administrations and non-governmental organisations working with children. The coordination (appointed sit) of this network is annual and on rotation basis.

  1. At national level, we have identified other critical areas and we are inthe process of developing a research proposal for the migration phenomenon, violence, sexual abuse and delinquency. At local level, a new level of people’s movement in order to better monitor women and children, free registration of children; formation of teams aimed at locating children and reuniting them with their families; meetings with children and communities; the closure of night clubs involving children who in turn engage in child prostitution. We conduct seminars for training of trainers, including the prevention and danger of landmines and HIV and AIDS STIs (sexually transmissible infections).
  1. As a means of promoting child participation during this Global Movement, the Study on Violence against Children, we had several meetings (at all levels – in schools, learning institutions with/ for children and communities). Throughout the country, approximately 63,000 children, between 9-18 years old, handed their proposals and suggestions for adults to reflect on.
  1. On a closing note, I would like to inform you all that this year, for June children’s celebrations, children chose the theme “Violence against Children” providing therefore an opportunity for consultations/reflection and meetings involving members of Government, Justice/legalprofessionals, advocacy institutions, UNICEF, NGOs and churches.
  1. Our government hopes that, with these words, we can contribute, through our experiences and joint decisions, so that, once we overcome this negative scenario of violence against children which endanger their psycho-somatic development; the overall balance of those will lead our African Continent in future; in years to come – - we will meet again – not to deal with “Violence against Children” But yes; We will be meeting about the contributions made by the society, by families, towards an integrated development of children in our countries, in our regions, in particular, and all over Africa.

Thank you!

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