Dakar, Senegal, 23rdOctober 2017 – The west and central African coalition on ending child marriage organized a high level conference on ending child marriage in Dakar, Senegal from 23-25 October 2017. On behalf of AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mrs. Amira El Fadil, the Director of Social Affairs, Amb. Olawale I. Maiyegun together with the Secretary of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) Mme Mariama Mohamed CISSE, the AU Goodwill Ambassador Mme Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda as well as the AU Special Rapporteur Mme Marie-Christine Bocoum were invited by the President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E Mr Macky Sall to co-host a regional High-Level meeting on Ending Child Marriage. The main objectives of the meeting, aimed to provide a platform where governments and key actors can acquire a clear understanding of the underlying causes, consequences and solutions to put an end to Child marriage, while addressing the harmful practice as an imperative issue of the developmental agenda in West Africa and Central Africa.
The representative of the President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E Prime Minister Mahammed Dionne opened the high-level meeting on Ending Child Marriage as he acknowledged the presence of Government Ministers and Directors working on related child issues, High-level delegates, representatives of ECOWAS and ECCAS, CSOs and youth, as a testimony of the highest political will to confront this practice. The Director of Social Affairs, Amb. Maiyegun during his opening statement highlighted the efforts deployed at continental level by the AU campaign to end child marriage and assured of his continued commitment towards its full elimination. Amb. Maiyegun in that sense, urged the AU Member states and stakeholders at the meeting, to implement greater multi-sectorial approaches and partnerships in order to end the harmful practice across the region.
Several important presentations were made during the meeting. One key presentation shed light on the importance of accelerating AU Member states’ rate of adoption, ratification and implementation of regional commitments in particular, frameworks that protect girls and women rights relevant at the African Union, including: the African Common Position on Ending Child Marriage and its Action Plan; the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; the African Youth Charter; the AU Continental Policy Framework on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and the Maputo Plan of Action, amongst others… Another key presentation outlined the background of laws on marriage put in place by AU Member states in region, which called on the necessity to fix the legal minimum age for marriage 18 years old without age exceptions, contradictory laws and approbations by law/tribunal.
As a representative of the voices of the Youth in the region, a young girl presented their outcome declaration with key recommendations to address the practice of child marriage. Amongst others, valid calls were made for Member states to ensure youth open spaces are availed to involve them in the decision-making processes; as well as promote greater Sexuality Education and key interventions in order to maintain girls in school at community level.
Prof. Naana Jane Opoku, on behalf of CSO from the regional coalition on ending Child marriage accentuated on the fact that CSOs have a critical role to play in ending Child marriage. She detailed how through their involvement, they ensure strong ties together with public authorities, traditional and religious leaders, youth as well as men, which is critical in the development and implementation of national strategies and in holding Governments accountable.
During the closing ceremony, on behalf of the Prime Minister of the republic of Senegal H.E Mrs Rahmatoulaye Gueye Diop, Minister for Good Governance and Child Protection of Senegal called for immediate actions to eliminate child marriage and to realize the strong and prosperous of the continent as prescribed by the AU Agenda 2063. H.E the Minister pointed to that regards, that the republic of Senegal has elaborated its national strategy and is currently bridging it with interventions by other Member States’ in the region, to ensure their common success.
About the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa:
The AU Campaign to End Child Marriage was launched at the continental level in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the 29th May 2014, during the Conference of Ministers of Social Development. The Campaign is aimed at ending child marriage by means of supporting and advocating legal and policy actions in the protection and promotion of human rights; mobilizing continental awareness of the adverse socio-economic impact of child marriage; fostering social movement and social mobilization at the grassroots and national levels; and amplifying the capacity of non-state actors to undertake evidence based policy advocacy including the role of youth leadership through new media technology, monitoring and evaluation - amongst others. The AU Campaign to End Child marriage has been launched in 21 Member States.
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