CIBITOKE November 29th (ABP) – The ceremonies for the celebration of the International Day of the Rights of the Child, in Burundi, took place on Friday, November 25, in the capital of Cibitoke province and were enhanced by the presence of the Vice-President of the Republic, Mr. Prosper Bazombanza, along with the Minister in charge of Human Rights and other representatives of the country’s institutions, and childhood partners, under the theme “Inclusion and non-discrimination for the well-being of all children”.
That day, which saw the participation of representatives of children, including those living with disabilities, was marked by the dialogue between children and the Vice-President of the Republic, who answered their questions. He advised them to put in the effort in their studies and to take advantage of the opportunities that could allow them to move forward.
He gave a lot of advice to parents to respect the life and well-being of the child. He acknowledged that there are cases where parents violate the rights of their children, unintentionally. Thus, the government spares no effort to promote and enforce the rights of children, he said.
For the Vice-President, the government has achieved a lot since the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, whether in terms of education, health, and others. He also revealed other government projects in childhood, including the computerization of birth registration, the child protection code, and the Merankabandi project which focuses on the welfare of marginalized children. . Vice-President Bazombanza urged three ministries, namely the ministry in charge of human rights, that of justice and that in charge of the interior for consultation with a view to strategies aimed at eradicating the phenomenon of children in situation of street. He did not forget to salute the multifaceted support of partners in general, and particularly UNICEF, and pleaded to always lend a hand to the government, in the implementation of the PNDB 2018-2027. For the Minister in charge of Human Rights, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike, the occasion was to commemorate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to self-assess for strategies aimed at promoting the rights of the child. . Regarding the phenomenon of street children, she asked for government guidance to address this issue. As for the Representative of UNICEF and the UN, his commitment is to do everything in his power to enforce the rights of children. He challenged everyone to protect children, to help them grow, and to have the same chances of reaching their potential.