Advocacy and Communication for Child Rights
It is believed that children grow best in a family or home where they can be happy, loved and understood. This means that families and those who look after children must be sensitive to child rights so they can responsibly guide children and help them grow. In Swaziland, however, child abuse continues to be one of the major obstacles to the realization of child rights, and many people remain uncomfortable broaching the subject of child abuse and acknowledging it as a reality. Children are the most affected by the negative impact of HIV and AIDS. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be HIV positive in a country with a population of about 1 million. The high HIV prevalence among pregnant women (39.2 percent) and increases in the rate of illness and death among parents, have resulted in exponential increases in the number of orphans and vulnerable children in the country. National estimates indicate that the number of orphans in the country grew from 12,000 in 1999, to about 70,000 in 2005. In addition, there are more than 60,000 children who are not orphaned, but are highly vulnerable due to extreme poverty. With the extended family networks of support severely undermined by the heavy impact of HIV/AIDS, and deaths among family breadwinners, the ability of families to provide for children is severely compromised, thus: In many cases, young children left with the vulnerable and elderly end up in the role of caregiver. Children staying with aged grandmothers are child-headed households in the making. Living with grandmothers provides a sense of family continuity. However poor grandmothers have little food to share; outside the homes, orphaned children are vulnerable to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Action Key objectives of the Communication for Child Rights project include the creation of an improved environment where children and women enjoy their rights; where domestic law and policies will be adopted by Government to fulfill commitments made under international conventions, specifically the Child Rights Convention; and where children will be engaged in meaningful dialogue on issues affecting them at the community and national levels. UNICEF in 2003 supported Government and civil society stakeholders to formulate a National Policy on Children, including orphans and vulnerable children. It is awaiting review by Cabinet and submission to Parliament for adoption and issue of supportive legislation. The new constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland makes provisions for laws that address the rights of the child and for laws aimed at guaranteeing special protection for children. It also provides that within three years of the adoption of the constitution, every Swazi child shall have a right to free education in public school, at least up to the end of primary school. With the support of UNICEF and partners, children are beginning to break the silence. Children are demonstrating their creativity through drama on various themes, including child abuse, at community and national theatre festivals. To ensure that their voices influence decision making, the children are involved in every aspect of the programme, from project formulation through execution. Considerable effort is being made through school debates, radio programmes, and social clubs to empower children with a better understanding of HIV risk factors so that they are able to act responsibly to protect themselves against HIV and AIDS. UNICEF and partners continue to support the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and civil society to improve the legal and institutional framework to protect children’s rights, by facilitating the drafting of a Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Bill as well as the issue paper for a Children’s Bill.
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