DECISION ON THE AFRICAN COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS
ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD - DOC. EX.CL/338 (XI)
The Executive Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the 8th and 9th Sessions of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
2. COMMENDS the Committee for its achievement in setting up a strong basis for its effective operation by adopting the required procedural and framework documents and REQUESTS that the Committee start considering the reports already received from State Parties;
3. EXPRESSES concern on the deteriorating situation of children on the continent and REITERATES the need to make Africa a place fit for children to develop and prosper;
4. URGES Member States which have not yet ratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to expedite the ratification process;
5. ALSO URGES Member States to keep children’s issues high on the agenda of their national development policies and programmes, in conformity with the provisions of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Plan of Action on Children and provide the necessary budget for their implementation;
6. CALLS ON the Committee to play an active role in the convening of the Second Pan-African Forum on Children which will be held in September 2007 to assess achievements made in the implementation of the 2001 Plan of Action on Children (Africa Fit for Children);
7. ALSO URGES Member States to fill in the questionnaire already forwarded to them on the implementation of the 2001 Plan of Action on Children and return it to the Commission before the set deadline;
8. APPEALS to Member States to provide moral, technical and financial support to Members of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child in carrying out their mandate;
9. REQUESTS the Commission to urgently operarationalise the Secretariat of the Committee to enable it function more effectively.
10. ALSO REQUESTS the Commission to submit the outcome of the Second Pan- African Forum on Children to the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children to be held in December 2007 as Africa’s position, and report back to the Executive Council.