It’s terrible and unbelievable the rate at which children’s rights are being violated. For God’s sake, I keep on asking my self why these innocent people continue to be harassed. I find no answer. At times I think that people do not fully understand what a child really is. A child is not a newly born baby.

Article one of the United Nations Convention defines a child as any human being below the age of eighteen years (18). Any child under the age of 18 has to be protected absolutely from anything which can bring misery to their dear life.

On the other hand, child abuse is the physical, psychological or sexual mistreatment of children. Most child abuse takes place in families while the other portion occurs with in child based organizations and schools.

Children are young human beings who evidently have a certain moral status. There are things that should not be done to them for the simple reason that they are human beings.

As a mater of facts, children have to be protected from any form of physical, mental, sexual abuse and exploitation to mention but a few.

They (children) are not allowed to vote, to marry, take alcohol, have sex, or engage in any paid job by a parent, legal guardian, or any other person.

One form of child abuse I would like to bring out in the public is child trafficking. Child trafficking is one such rampant abuse in Africa. This form of violence is commonly found in developing countries Rwanda inclusive.

By definition, child trafficking if is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, of children for the purpose of exploitation.

It can also be described as any act or transaction whereby a child is transferred by any person or group of persons to another country for child labour, slavery, prostitution, armed conflict, domestic servants, and hazardous child labour to mention but a few.

A case in point is the recent case of Rwandan Habyarimana aged 15 who was taken to Uganda for sale Ug 23 million. This is a clear evidence that child trafficking is real and operating.

Child trafficking is not a new form of child abuse as you may think; this act done to the innocents has been and is still taking place both in developed countries and Africa. Like any other African child, a Rwandan child has to be protected from this form of violence.

Being one of the signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which was first adopted in 1989, Rwanda has to give zero tolerance to the abuse and violence against her children.

Article 11 number 1 of the convention on the rights of a child says "States Parties shall take measures to combat the illicit transfer and non –return of children abroad.”

This article does not refer to only state parties; it is every ones responsibility to fight against child abuse of any kind. It is there for our responsibility as Rwandan to be watch dogs of any abuse done to our children.

Give zero tolerance to child abuse by protecting the Rwandan child from any form of violence.  
 
Contact: gachakim@yahoo.com