Hope for Somali children on the International Day of the African (Video)
Somalia joins the rest of the continent to mark the Day of the African Child with renewed commitment from the government to improve the welfare of children, with support from development partners.
Somali children were among those most affected by the two decade-long war and suffered, various hardships including malnutrition, lack of access to medical care, lack of education and a high infant and child mortality rate, among other challenges that left their future seem bleak and uncertain.
The Somali child is however emerging from this gloom through deliberate action by the Federal Government of Somalia with support from various partners, key among them, the United Nations.
The government manifested its commitment towards improving the welfare of children by ratifying the Convention of the Rights of the Child in January 2015, thus committing to protect the rights of children and ensuring that there are appropriate policies and legislation in place to enhance their wellbeing.
According to a 2014 report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 76,000 children enrolled into school in the 2013-14 academic year. In partnership with the government, UNICEF launched the Go-to-School initiative in September 2013, which aimed to send 1 million children and youth to school. 6 out of every 10 Somali children however remain out of school, with more effort from the government and partners going toward addressing this situation.
In terms of health, some progress has been made for children, with access to vaccinations enabling the prevention of deadly diseases. In 2014, Somalia registered only 5 cases of Polio, down from 194 in 2013. There was a mass vaccination drive by UNICEF, following a measles outbreak that affected 10,000 children. UNICEF also registered over 300,000 outpatient consultations for child medical care.
Children, however, continue to face malnutrition, with at least 44,000 of them severely malnourished at any one time despite ongoing efforts to extend much-needed humanitarian assistance.
Mohamed Omar Nur, the Director-General for the Ministry of Women and Human Rights says that the future is bright for Somali children because the government and its development partners have put measures in place to help improve education, healthcare and general welfare for children.
“The Ministry has done a lot for children with the support of UN agencies and the African Union. As we mark the Day of the African Child, it is with pleasure that we note that Somalia signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child which was approved by parliament and assented to by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The ministry is currently working on the policy of the management of children and the African child humanitarian law. If we do not put in place laws and policies to safeguard children rights, then they will suffer and that is why the ministry has put a lot of efforts to make sure the laws to protect and safeguard Somali children are in place,” Mr. Nur said.
Mr. Nur also noted that despite the big leap in child protection and support, children in Somalia continue to face challenges, mostly in livelihood, due to high poverty levels that hinder many parents from providing the essentials for their children.
The consensus from the government and partners however is that the future of the Somali child is one filled with hope, built upon the positive steps and progress noted each new day.