DECISION ON THE ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMITTEE OF
EXPERTS ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD (ACERWC) -
Doc. EX.CL/1257(XXXVIII)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTES of the Report of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
2. COMMENDS the Committee for the work done in monitoring the implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and thanks all those members whose terms of office ends in February 2021 for serving the Committee with dedication and loyalty.
3. APPRECIATES Member States for the measures they have undertaken in commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the African Children’s Charter.
4. ENCOURAGES Member States to assess the implementation of the Charter at country level; undertake legislative audits to harmonize national laws and policies with the provisions of the African Children’s Charter and ensure the existence of functional institutions for protection of children’s rights and implement the recommendations and decisions of the ACERWC.
5. TAKES NOTE of the ACERWC’s Guiding Note on COVID-19 and its implication on Children’s Rights and Welfare; and RECOMMENDS Member States to: establish child friendly information and communication procedures in the fight against Covid-19; ensure the continuity of every child’s right to education, provisions of essential services and parental care and protection for all children in their territory; and guarantee that post COVID-19 national recovery plans embed the four cardinal principles of child rights at the center namely: survival, life and development, non-discrimination, best interests of the child and child participation.
6. CONGRATULATES the Democratic Republic of Congo for ratifying the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; and URGES Member States that have not yet ratified the African Children’s Charter, to consider ratifying the Charter.
7. APPRECIATES State Parties which have submitted their reports on the implementation of the African Children’s Charter; and URGES those which have not yet reported to the Committee to comply with their reporting obligations.
8. ENCOURAGES State Parties that have entered reservation on the provisions of the African Children’s Charter to consider withdrawing the same.
9. APPRECIATES the Republic of Kenya for submitting its Periodic Report on the implementation of the African Children’s Charter, and ENCOURAGES the same to work towards the full implementation of the ACERWC’s Concluding Observations and Recommendations.
10. ADOPTS the theme for the Day of the African Child (DAC) 2022 to be on: Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013’ and REQUESTS Member States to commemorate the DAC and report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee.
11. TAKES NOTE of the ACERWC’s report on the assessment of the status of implementation of Africa’s Agenda for Children (Agenda 2040); and ENCOURAGES Member States to work towards full implementation of the Aspirations within Agenda 2040.
12. TAKES NOTE of the ACERWC’s General Comment on Article 22 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child regarding Children in situations of Conflicts, tension and strife, and ENCOURAGES Member States to make use of it as a tool for normative guidance.
13. TAKES NOTE of the ACERWC’s assessment on the responses of the African Union and its mechanisms to matters of children in conflict situation, and ENCOURAGES the AUC, the APSA pillars and mechanisms to implement the recommendations, and ensure integration of child protection within their policies and activities.
14. TAKES NOTE of the establishment of the ACERWC’s Working Groups on the implementation of the decisions; Working Group on children’s rights and climate change; Working Group on children’s rights and business; and Working Group on children with disability; and ENCOURAGES Member States to support and cooperate with the mandate and activities of these Offices.
15. CONGRATULATES the Kingdom of Lesotho and the AUC for signing the host agreement and ensuring the relocation of the Secretariat of the ACERWC.
16. ENCOURAGES the host Country to continue providing the required support pursuant to the host agreement; and CALLS ON the AUC to finalize the recruitment of staff and transfer of resources for the smooth operation of the newly established Office in Maseru, the Kingdom of Lesotho.