African Child Day Activities Round Off

Week-long activities to mark this year's edition ended in Yaounde on June 16.

Rights of the Child

As part of week-long activities to mark the 23rd edition of the Day of the African Child organised nationwide, a one-day workshop to train senior staff of the Ministry of Woman's Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF) on the use of international legal instruments in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child, took place on Thursday June 13, 2013 in Yaounde. Speaking during the opening, the Technical Adviser Number Two in MINPROFF, Lucie Victorine Bekono, called on participants to participate actively in the workshop in order to be able to face challenges on the field.

Protecting Newborn Babies

In line with the 23rd edition of the Day of the African Child, the staff of the National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF) Hospital in Essos Yaounde launched the project for the Contribution in the Reduction of Infant Mortality and Elimination of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV/AIDS (CRÈME) on Wednesday June 12, 2013. The project which was launched in the presence of junior parliamentarians consisted of training the staff of the hospital on the reception and assistance of all newborn babies notably the vulgarisation of the "Kangaroo" method for the little-weight births. The CRÈME project also aims at creating awareness on the birth declaration and intends to carry out a systematic examination of all newborn babies referred to the Yaounde V Council.

School Violence

Still on the 23rd edition of the Day of the African Child the Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf Hadidja Alim, last Friday June 14, 2013 in Yaounde, played host to the 180 junior parliamentarians for a guided tour around the capital city, educative talks and a sumptuous lunch. The Basic Education Minister edified the "Honourables" who had come from the 10 regions that government is doing all in its power to use the school as a medium to fight violence against children. Amongst some of these forms of violence, the President of the National Assembly of Junior Parliamentarians, Hon. Patrick Tchouankap cited corporal punishment and psychological violence by teachers, discrimination between rich and poor children, female genital mutilation, rape and early marriages, amongst others. At the end of the talks, the Basic Education Minister handed school kits and other gadgets to each junior parliamentarian.