Children in Southern Sudan condemn negligence, demand more care
June 16, 2010 (BOR/RUMBEK) – More and more children in Southern Sudan’s Jonglei state are becoming vulnerable in the streets because of negligence, says state official during the commemoration of International African Child Day on Wednesday.
These also include child exploitation and lack of protection. Children are not accessing medical services and education due to limitation of these basic units and inability by some parents to provide for their kids, Maker added.
“Many of our children are pouring to streets….even here in Bor town [due to insecurity, insufficient educational and health centers], but lack of parental care may be the main cause,” he noted.
Children during the occasion expressed disappointment in both their parents and the government. Presenting poems, school pupils criticized both the government and parents for turning a deaf ear on children’s plight for protection and provision of basic services.
They said the government was not doing enough to promote access to education in terms of building schools and paying teachers’ salaries. Parents came under fire for forced early marriages and gender in equality where in many instances only boys are allowed to go to school while girls are preferred to only attend to domestic activities.
Organized on Wednesday under the theme, ‘Budgeting for Children’, the International African Child Day is an event which is commemorated on June 16 every year since 1991 in memory of thousands of black South African children who were killed by the Apartheid regime while protesting inferior quality of their education and demanded lessons in their own languages in Soweto in 1976.
Today’s commemoration in Jonglei State – the only state where child abduction is frequent in Southern Sudan – comes two weeks after a child was killed in Makuach Payam (about 15 km east of Bor town) and another one carried away by abductors.
“Though child abduction is common in Jonglei, the State Legislative Assembly is yet to enact a law that would punish culprits,” says Peter Chol Wal, the Speaker of the state parliament.
“It is a crime [but] we are starting and I think there will be a bill that will be done [tabled] by the Assembly concerning this [child abduction] issue,” he told Sudan Tribunein his office on Wednesday.
With numerous promises by government to move faster in addressing insecurity in order to halt child abduction and improve the quality of education, a lot remains to be done to alleviate the poor conditions of children in Jonglei State.
In Lakes state, thousands of children from various primary schools in Rumbek also gathered at Rumbek Freedom Square to commemorate the Child Day. They equally expressed challenges they have been facing and advocated for their rights.
A girl child representing Mabor Ngap Primary School told the gathering that as children they wanted their rights respected in order to protect what she described as their “interests in school.”
She added that their rights will shield children from abuse, a practice that hinders their development, health and access to education. She made an unequivocal appeal to the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and Non Governmental Organizations operating in Lakes State to commit themselves to availing a special budget for children’s go to school initiative.
She appealed for accurate planning that will guarantee child’s right with learning material, health facilities and food among others. She also condemned forced early marriage, explaining that it denies girls an opportunity for education.
Ajok Mayuom, student from Ager-Gum Primary School, joined her colleague to condemn early marriage of girl child, saying that it was a concern of many school-going girls. She laid blame on parents for the practice of early marriages, adding that she was confident that her own parents would not force her out of school for marriage.
The International African Child Day was also commemorated in many other states in Southern Sudan.
(ST)
Nan dit
Children in Southern Sudan condemn negligence, demand more care
Well Mr.commissioner you are right in your statement,but whom do you think can advocate their rights? for me individually it is a duty of the government and the parent to protect child rights.Since you are the one of government’s wing you have to do something or it will be like seeing the thief polling out your money in your pocket and cry for government’s help instate of stopping him.
Do we have enough hospitals,good schools,qualified teachers in Southern Sudan? no, when you are employed in the government as a minister ever one think of sending his/her children a broad for better education leaving the children of poor behind.you all send your children and wives to Hordon(Jordan) for special treatment and try to post this whatever useless speech to innocents’ ears. Shame on you and our government.