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Background
Extreme poverty remains a serious and, in some cases, growing problem in the developing world, especially in Africa. It is particularly serious and alarming amongst children. Yet the problem of child poverty, especially in developing countries, is neither fully documented nor directly addressed in the formulation of economic and even anti-poverty strategies and policies.
Child poverty is intricately linked with child rights. Fulfilment of children's rights is largely dependent on access to an adequate standard of living. That is why Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) spells out the duty of State parties to recognise the right of every child "to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development."
Child poverty is a major, possibly the biggest obstacle for the fulfilment of rights in Africa. Our knowledge of it, however, is limited. What little we know is based on scattered empirical data and anecdotal evidence. We don't know enough about the nature, dimension and magnitude of the problem. Nor do we know enough about what is being done to address it or how to deal with it.
Hence, the rationale for The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) to organise the Third International Policy Conference on the African Child, on the theme of Child Poverty. The conference will engage policy makers, child rights activists, children's organisations and researchers from within Africa and around the world and address key issues that ought to be at the forefront of the development agenda.
Objectives:
The objectives of this conference are to:
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draw attention to the issue of child poverty in Africa
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to exchange information on the nature, measurement and dimensions of child poverty and policy experiences
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to initiate dialogue on areas for future research and policy work with special attention to entry points having the greatest impact on children
Partners and participants:
The conference will be organised in partnership with international child rights and development agencies. International Child Support (ICS), ILO, IOM, Plan International, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF have expressed interest to join hands in the organisation of the Conference. Participants will include government policy makers, child experts and researchers, child rights activists and children's organisations from within Africa and around the world.
Conference Programme:
The conference programme includes sessions on:
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Child rights, child wellbeing and child poverty
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International and African perspectives of child poverty
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Poverty through the eyes of the African child
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International and African experiences in dealing with child poverty
Venue and Date:
The Conference will take place from 12-13 May, 2008 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Be a part of this important conference and look for more updates.
Contact:
Sarah Pallesen, e-mail:
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