DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON
THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD (ACERWC)
Doc. EX.CL/923(XXVII)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report and the recommendations contained therein as well as the observations and comments of Member States;
2. CONGRATULATES the election of Madam Sidikou Aissatou Alassane Moulaye, the new Chairperson of the Committee and her Colleagues in the Bureau and ENCOURAGES them to pursue their efforts in the fulfilment of their noble continental mission;
3. CALLS UPON all Member States that have not yet done so, to ratify, domesticate and implement all legal regional and international instruments pertaining to human rights in Africa, in particular the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and to submit on a regular basis to reports of implementation of the Charter;
4. WELCOMES
i) the launching of the Campaign for ending Child Marriage in Africa by the Chairperson of the Commission in close collaboration with the First Lady of Chad, in presence of other African First Ladies;
ii) and SUPPORTS the concrete measures taken by Chad, Ethiopia and Niger aiming at immediately ending child marriage in their countries;
5. CALLS UPON on all Member States to intensify their efforts in ending Child Marriage in Africa, in accordance with the existing legal instruments and the 2012 Assembly Declaration on the Shared Values in Africa;
6. EXPRESSES
i) its strong support to the Theme chosen by the Committee as: “Conflict and crises in Africa: protecting all children rights” for the Day of the African Child in 2016;
ii) its grave concern over the phenomenon of child soldiers, the sexual exploitation, abduction and smuggling of children on the continent, all of which contribute to the unacceptable degradation of the rights of children and serious threats to their development, welfare and future as well as that of the continent as a whole;
7. URGES
i) the Governments of South Sudan and Central African Republic to continue their efforts in addressing the challenges of children in their respective jurisdictions and complying with their obligations as set by regional and international legal instruments;
ii) the Government of Senegal to implement the recommendations of the Committee regarding the issue of children known as “Talibes” and continue in their efforts to address that issue;
8. STRESSES the need to focus on the education of young girls as a way of further enhancing protection of children as well to establishing minimum norms and standards relating to health, safety, hygiene, education content and quality as well as accommodation.