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Pan-African Parliament Seminar on Orphans and Vulnerable Children
By World Vision International on 18 Oct 2007
World Vision participated in the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) seminar on Ophrans and Vulnerable Children (OVC),which took place on 18 October 2007 in Johannesburg. The seminar aimed to strengthen the oversight role of the PAP with regards to OVC, the Millennium Development Goals and the ratification of African Union Charters.
Outcomes of the Seminar
The major outcome of the seminar was that a set of draft recommendations was made for the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Affairs and the Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disability.
Key among them were:
Monitor progress made towards the implementation of existing National Parliamentary Plans of Action for OVC (including a review of relevant legislation), and the Livingstone Call
for Action on Social Protection
Produce model examples for review/amendment of national laws, regional policies, AU commitments and international commitments on OVC
Ask for a report on why the AU and Member State governments have not responded to the urgent needs spelled out by the Heads of State in the May 2004 Abuja Commitment
Propose that the AU and Member States agree to take concrete actions on the issues raised above and report back on this to the PAP before the next session.
The Members of PAP present represented 22 African countries, which gave the seminar a truly Pan-African perspective on the OVC issue.
The discussion covered a broad range of issues related to the OVC problem, including: the need for both ratification and implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, social protection, strengthening the capacities of families to care for OVC, mobilising community based support, ensuring access to essential services, advocacy and raised awareness, the role of fathers, the importance of science and technological research and parliamentary plans of action.
A report from the seminar was given to the plenary session of PAP, which met in the week following the seminar, and actions will be taken forward by the two PAP Committees.
Click here for more information on Terms of Reference, Programme, Declaration and Participants, and for presentations by participants:
Mrs Biopelo Seithlamo, a Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which monitors ratification and implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
Mr Richard Wamimbi, Team Leader Africa, OVC Advocacy Team, World Vision International
Professor Rose September, Head of the UNICEF Cape Town Office
Dr Wanjiru Mukoma, HIV/AIDS Programme Manager at the Children's Institute, University of Cape Town
Dr Samuel Kalibala, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Regional Coordinator Country and Regional Programmes
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