The 4th Forum on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) was held between 18 and 20 March 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As is customary, the Forum was organised ahead of the 17th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) also taking place in Ethiopia. Ninety-seven activists from 23 countries (of which 19 were in Africa) attended the Forum, which is a framework for strategic partnership to improve child rights in Africa. The following recommendations were made to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child in relation to children without appropriate care:
- The committee should strongly consider having a day of general discussion on children living and/or working on the street with the relevant stakeholders, including children, with the goal to establish agreed-upon indicators that would inform policy, programmatic interventions and research.
- The committee should urge State Parties to ratify and domesticate the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally-Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) to grant greater protection to women and children.
- The committee should adopt a General Comment on article 24 of the African Children’s Charter giving consideration to issues relating to alternative care including inter-country adoptions in the best interest of the child within the African context.
- Should give an advisory opinion on article 13 of the African Children’s Charter, giving due consideration to the language that promotes the dignity of children with disabilities.
- Call upon states to properly implement laws and policies passed and adopted for the rights and well-being of children with disabilities.
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