What are the rights of our children?
By Wenne Madyt Dengs
February 10, 2015 (SSB) — South Sudan as an independent state has several impending acts to be enforced. The law is not helpful when its rules are not guiding any public. The majority of citizens in South Sudan are still under the captive of illiteracy which inexorably gives enough room for lawmakers to be swift in enacting laws and not prerequisite to disseminate to the citizens in all angles which chiefly include ones under grassroots.
Purportedly, many of us fail to understand our roles, even the people in the authority don’t know they are given chance to serve the public. Authority means the duty to set rules and give guidance. The people in authority guide us, and the rule helps us to live with one other in harmony.
In reference to what I have realized and have physical evidences in my own community and in South Sudan as whole; children are not taken as valuable assets. A child is taken as a human being while ignoring their state of fragility and vulnerability. They are sometimes taken to be co-workers in reducing the burden of adult people’s mandatory house work. Children are given heavy household duties that may negatively affect their growth physically or mentally. They participate actively in some communities to sustain their daily bread. Children grow wild gradually till they became enemies to their own parents in some cases as a result of undignified treatment.
A child is a person under the universal age of 18 years. Children have their special considerations which is integral to their rights. However, they share the same attributes given by fundamental human rights.
In our own child act 2008 spells out the following children’s rights.
- All children have a right to life
- All children have a right to basic needs which include food, shelter, education and healthcare
- All children are equal
- All children have right to play
- No child should be forced into child labour
- Children should be protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation
- Children have the right to information
- priority should be given to refugee children, children with disabilities and those without families
- All children have the right to participate in development of community and country
Children right against child labour
- Children can start working only when they are 18 years or older
- Children should not be allowed to do any work that poses a danger to their physical, mental or moral health.
- Children may do light work, as long as it does not threaten their health and safety. the light work should not stop them from attending school
- No child should be forced to work
- All children should be protected against slavery and prostitution
I can say this is 21st century; it is a gift to both adults and children who are the hosting human being of this digital century. Technology is improving day and night in some parts of the universe but South Sudanese are still analogical. I feel ashamed of myself when I see a person coming from abroad especially those who come from United of America, Australia and other developed countries returning with the contradicting motive of investing in purchasing illiterate ladies with numerous cows which are given to primitive parents who will take cattle as a symbol of wealth. These parents never send their children to school as they presume to have everything. This is already a disadvantage impose on children by expensive marriages catalyst by dollars-holding-brothers from mentioned states instead of encouraging our people
Completely, we are all against the above rights as per my observation and will really make sense if we take courage and join the world in loving and caring for our children and they are our leaders of tomorrow and our future representatives.
The writer is a freelance journalist and poet; He can be reached through: wennemadyt63@gmail.com
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