African govts urged to fund children programmes

The chairperson of African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Children (ACERWC), Dr Benyam Dawit Mezmur, has urged African governments to set aside a budget for children empowerment.Dr Mezmur was speaking during the opening of Child Law Resources and consultation meeting on Child Rights Governance in Kigali on Monday.“Some governments allocate budgets without considering children. Protection of children’s rights requires substantial financial support from governments,” Mezmur said.He said financial support will also enable the establishment of organs to closely monitor the social welfare and health of children. The meeting attracted government officials from 15 African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Rwanda among others.Others in attendance were participants from local and international NGO’s involved in child protection.The Executive Secretary of Rwanda’s National Commission for Children (NCC), Zaina Nyiramatama, said with good funding, strategic plans to promote children issues can be executed.Nyiramatama said the government of Rwanda is very supportive to the commission which has enabled it to carry out various activities in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion.