LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) has emphasized the need for government ministries, departments, and agencies to promote children’s rights in times of disasters as enshrined in the United Nations General Comment Number 26 (UNRCR GC26).
NYNCC National Coordinator Dominic Nyasulu told the stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in the capital Lilongwe that line ministries including education, natural resources, gender, and youth must take a leading role in advancing UNRCR GC26.
“Today’s activity herein is under the child rights pillar. The pillar seeks to empower CSOs in Malawi (including child-led organizations) to effectively advocate and hold the state accountable for the fulfillment of children’s rights and equitable access to quality social service delivery systems.
“Key stakeholders are government ministries, departments, agencies, and CSOs directly linked to child rights and programming. This is to raise awareness on General Comment number 26 and also see who MDAs are integrating the UNRCR GC26,” he said.
Nyasulu added, “UNRCR-GC26 demands states put measures that safeguard children’s rights and protection during disasters due to climate change effects. This is the reason we want line ministries that deal directly with children must advance the agenda.
“This is a starting point to advance UNRCR-GC26 agenda by engaging government departments, ministries and agencies, other stakeholders including children themselves to be part of the conversation for easy implementation”.
In his remarks, Deputy Director for the Child Affairs Department in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Kondwani Mhone said UNRCR-GC26 agenda implementation needs collaboration, not government alone.
Mhone assured the gathering that efforts are being made to localize the UNRCR-GC26 agenda
With funding from Save the Children International (SCI) under the SIDA Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Capacity Strengthening Programme, NYNCC) in partnership with NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGO–CCR)’ meeting attracted participants from government agencies, ministries, primary and secondary schools, CSOs and among others.
Since 2022 NYNCC and NGO–CCR have been implementing the SIDA programme under four pillars; Capacity Strengthening, Child Agency, Child Rights, and Civic Space.