DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS
ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD (ACERWC)
Doc. EX.CL/1033(XXXI)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
2. COMMENDS the Committee for the work done in monitoring the implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
3. REQUESTS ACERWC to submit all documents to the PRC prior to consideration by the Executive Council;
4. URGES Member States who have not yet ratified the Charter, to expedite their ratification process; and URGES the Committee to continuously engage with the eleven (11) State Parties that have not reported to the Committee with a view to facilitating their reporting efforts;
5. REITERATES the right of Member States to formulate reservations on the ACERWC Charter in accordance with the relevant international laws, particularly the Vienna Convention on the Law of treaties of 1969;
6. APPRECIATES:
i) the Government of Kenya for the progress achieved in implementing the Decision and Recommendations of the ACERWC in the Communication regarding the challenges of children of Nubian descendants in Kenya; and ENCOURAGES the Government to work towards the full implementation of the Recommendations of the ACERWC;
ii) the Government of Senegal for the progress it achieved in implementing the Decision and Recommendations of the ACERWC in the Communication regarding talibes children who are forced to begging on the streets of Senegal; and ENCOURAGES the Government to work towards the full implementation of the Recommendations of the ACERWC;
iii) the Government of Malawi for adopting a Constitutional Amendment Bill which increases the age of majority from 16 to 18 years of age, which is in line with the definition of the child as it is stated in Article 2 of the African Children’s Charter;
iv) the Government of the Gambia and the Kingdom of Lesotho for successfully hosting the 28th and 29th Ordinary Sessions of the ACERWC;
v) the Government of Mauritania for facilitating the mission to the State Party in March/April 2017;
vi) the Government of the Central African Republic for ratifying the ACERWC;
7. CALLS UPON the Member States to provide ACERWC with the required financial and human resources needed in order to fulfil its mandate efficiently;
8. NOTES:
i) the findings of the continental study on the impact of conflicts and crises on children in Africa that can harm them, and URGES the concerned Member States to address the plights of children within their territory who are affected by crises and conflicts;
ii) the appointment by the ACERWC of Mme Marie-Christine Bocoum as the AU Special Rapporteur on Ending Child Marriage and CONGRATULATES the outgoing Special Rapporteur, Mme Fatima-Zohra Sebaa, for the work she has done during her term of office;
9. ADOPTS:
i) the theme for the Day of the African Child 2017: “Leave No Child Behind for Africa’s Development” and REQUESTS Member States to commemorate the Day of the African Child;
ii) the ‘Africa’s Agenda on Children’s Rights: Fostering an Africa fit for Children’ (Agenda 2040) as an African Union document and URGES Member States to work towards the full implementations of the aspirations included in the Agenda.