Parents urged to preserve positive parenting, norms

The Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Esperance Nyirasafari, has urged parents to ensure that children live in a family environment to learn the country’s positive cultural values and norms. This, she said, is necessary for children to develop into productive and patriotic citizens. The minister was yesterday addressing the media in Kigali about the forthcoming annual national children’s summit. The eleventh summit is due tomorrow at Parliament Buildings in Kimihurura under the theme, “Positive Parenting: Foundation of culture.” Children paint during the exhibition at Petit Stade. / Timothy Kisambira The theme was chosen by children from the village to district levels through children forum committees. This year’s summit calls on all children to preserve Rwandan culture as future productive and patriotic citizens. It also calls on all child protection stakeholders to help the community and children know how and apply positive norms and values. Angel Harriet, 13, from Rubavu District (R) explains different equipment used by children during sports to Minister Nyirasafari (C) as Maly (L) looks on. / Timothy Kisambira The ministry highlights lack of parental care among the main challenges facing Rwandan families. It notes that, today, most parents are too busy and give little time to parenting sessions aimed at instilling children with positive cultural values and practices meant to enable them to appropriately fit in the community. “Positive parenting is bedrock of the wellbeing of Rwandan children in families. When children are deprived of this, this is when the country is faced with different issues such as street children, malnutrition, and lack of access to formal education, children sexual or physical violation, among others. This is why we want our children to be protected from all these misfortunes because that’s what they deserve,” Nyirasafari said. The summit is a platform to advocate for children living on streets, orphanages, transit centers and other child care institutions to have their right to family care. Children look through some of the text books that were displayed during the exhibition. / Timothy Kisambira So far, through the tubarere mu muryango programme, 80 per cent of children who used to live in institutions have been integrated in families. Street children are also gradually taken back into families, according to the National Council of Children. Valuing child rights Ted Maly, UNICEF country representative, said the children’s summit is something they value and have been supporting it over the past 10 years. He said they will continue to make sure their aspiration are heard and considered for better treatment of children in the society. Minister for Gender and Family Promotion Espérance Nyirasafari chats with Siddartha Shrestha from UNICEF (R) as Ted Maly, UNICEF Rwanda country representative (C) looks on. / Timothy Kisambira “We are glad that Rwanda put children’s rights at the heart of the development and we are proud to be part of this. The summit is a meaningful platform and we hope the government will continue to incorporate children views in development plans and policies for children development,” said Maly. Meanwhile, Minister Nyirasafari yesterday visited an exhibition stand at Petit Stade in Remera, where different projects advancing children were showcased. Since 2004, the Government has taken commitment to hold a national children’s summit annually to enhance child involvement and participation in national development. Children play a board game during the exhibition. / Timothy Kisambira The 11th National Children’s Summit will bring together 416 children representatives at sector level; 30 child representatives at district level and their chaperons; 30 representatives of children with disabilities (one from each district); and 12 representatives of children from refugee camps. The heads of social cluster ministries, heads of parliamentary and other government key stakeholders and partners in child rights protection and promotion are also expected to attend. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Parents urged to preserve positive parenting, norms