(Courtesy of Save the Children, Roberta Cecchetti)

 

The conference took place in Dakar, Senegal, on 10-11 May and saw the participation of 128 delegates from 17 African countries. Every country delegation was composed of representatives from the Government, UNICEF and civil society. 16 children also took part in the discussion with their unmistakable capacity to bring the reality, their daily reality, into the debate.

 

 Numerous personalities and experts from Africa honored the conference with their presence, participation and commitment. Amongst them Agnes Aidoo, Expert on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child,  Agnès Kabore, President of the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of Children and Najat Malla, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. 
 
The conference explored the many realities facing children in West Africa, including the high rates of children separated from biological families and orphaned, the predominance of Informal care arrangements, the minimal options, regulations and standards across formal care, and lack of data on the needs and situation of children deprived of parental care in the region.

 

Family strengthening was identified as one of the priorities by all the country delegations. And the adoption of real family policies integrating socio-economic support with psychosocial support and parenting skills as the real challenge to take on.  Additionally, children firmly highlighted that they want to be considered as responsible and capable actors. They also asked all the adults present, through their different roles and positions, to commit to support parents to care for their children.
 
Informal care arrangements are a fundamental and evident reality in the lives of people in the region.  The conference highlighted how this reality is barely known and therefore hardly, if at all, integrated into child protection systems strengthening approaches. There is therefore a strong commitment in the region and a call to all decision-makers to ensure that communities are listened to and supported to strengthen the informal practices that are positive for the protection of children.
 
All documents and presentations as well as the final outcomes and commitments will be uploaded by the end of May on the conference website: http://www.conf-famillepriseencharge-dakar.org/(French only).
 
 For any further information please contact Clare Feinstein, CPI Regional Representative for West and Central Africa: claref@waf.savethechildren.se

 

Mobilisation autour du renforcement de la famille et de la prise en charge alternative en Afrique subsaharienne francophone: moment forts 

(Courtoisie de Save the Children, Roberta Cecchetti)

 La conférence a eu lieu à Dakar, Sénégal, les 10 et 11 mai avec la participation de 128 délégués venants de 17 pays d'Afrique. Chaque délégation était composée de représentants du gouvernement, d'UNICEF et de la société civile. Seize enfants ont pris part à la discussion avec leur forte capacité à amener la réalité, leur réalité de tous les jours, dans les débats. De nombreuses personnalités et experts d'Afrique ont honoré la conférence de leur présence, participation et engagement. Parmi eux, Mme Agnes Aidoo, experte du Comité sur les droits de l'enfant de l'ONU ; Mme Agnès Kabore, Présidente du Comité Africain pour les droits et le bien-être de l'enfant et Mme Najat Maalla, rapporteuse spéciale de l 'ONU sur la vente d'enfants, prostitution et pornographie enfantine.
  
 La conférence a exploré les réalités multiples dont font face les enfants d'Afrique de l'Ouest, dont le pourcentage important d'enfants ne vivant pas avec leurs parents biologiques et orphelins ; la prédominance de la prise en charge alternative informelle ; le peu d'options, de standards et de régulations pour la prise en charge formelle ; et le manque d'information et de données disponibles sur les enfants privés de prise en charge parentale dans la région.