South Sudan minister decries child abuse

By Ngor Arol Garang

June 18, 2011 (JUBA) – Agnes Kwaje Lasuba, the minister of gender, social welfare and religious affairs of the government of South Sudan on Saturday decried all forms of child abuse, especially violence and exploitation.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune follow her remarks on the occasion marking the Day of the African Child day the minister lamented that worldwide, children experience violence, exploitation and abuse, and are engaged in exploitative conditions of work or trafficked for labour in difficult conditions.

“Children in circumstances such as these are seeing their human rights infringed in the most fundamental ways of suffering, both physically and psychologically,” she said. Lasuba added that every child needs an environment where laws, services, behaviors, and practices minimise children’s vulnerability to risk as well as strengthening their own resilience.

Minister Lasuba opined that effective child protection depends to a large extent on changing the mindset of families and communities so that attitudes, beliefs and practices that harm children will no longer be tolerated.

“The most effective child protection system is re-enforced by positive social consensus. Attempts to impose change from outside often leads to resistance,” she added.

She made it clear that the government of South Sudan highly supports initiatives maximizing partnerships between national governments, civil societies, the private sector, international NGOs and bilateral and multilateral organisations in promoting child protection.

The official assured that her ministry will always encourage the development of a common approach to programs and advocacy and ensure that the best effective systems for protecting children are established for the protection of all children in South Sudan.

While noting that a related argument is that the concept of child rights is opposed to family and social units, she pointed out that the Children’s Act 2008 gave parents centre-stage in their children’s development.

“The legal instruments equally oblige states to respect, protect and support parents so that they are able to give their children appropriate guidance and be directors as they grow up to adulthood,” she concluded.

Giving an overview of the network, James Wani Igga Maring, Speaker of South Sudan Legislative Assembly who spoke as chief guest on Thursday, June 16, at the Day of the African Child celebrations in Juba spoke about the fate of children who had been displaced from their homes.

The leading member of the South Sudan’s party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), said the increase in refugee and internally displaced children is caused by poverty, conflicts, failing states, natural and human disasters and climate change. According to him, some children move with their families, others move independently, while others are trafficked for their labour or to be sexually exploited.

The theme of this year’s celebration was “All together for urgent action in favour of street children’’.

The official said that the theme for this year’s celebration as chosen by the African Union is a simple call for all governments, civil society, NGOs, communities and children to act decisively by putting in place strong administrative and legislative measures, working together as a community and providing the necessary support for those children who work and those who live in the streets.

He explained that the African Child Day is commemorated every year on 16th June, mainly as a remembrance to the massacre of young people in the 1976 Soweto uprising of students against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. He revealed that it is evident that in the African continent, a number of children are increasingly forced to the street as a result of poverty, abuse, torture, rape, abandonment or orphaned by wars and diseases.

“As a government under the leadership of President Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit, we are committed to the protection of children and promotion of their welfare. You are all aware that the president has pronounced a zero tolerance to child sexual abusers especially rape and has on several occasions highlighted government’s resolve to ensure children are protected and given the chance to grow,” he stated.

He finally called on South Sudanese and non-South Sudanese residing in the region to take urgent action to help of street children.

To help these children, Igga said the parliament of South Sudan has enacted a Child Act that he expects all other institutions of government to implement. He hopes all parts of government will work together to strengthen institutional cooperation between stakeholders to support rights of individual children who are in difficult situations across the region.

(ST)