Africa's Children Under Assault
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June 16th was "The Day of the African Child"; a special day
dedicated to Africa's children. It should be a day for celebrat-
ing and acknowledging our children as Africa's most valuable as-
set.
But Africa's children are under assault like never before. They
are regarded as commodities to be traded or trafficked. They are
literally regarded as canon fodder for Africa's brutal wars,
kidnapped and forced to kill & maim, robbing them cruelly of
their childhood. Many are forced into labour at a very early
age.
As if that is not enough, the twin spectres of AIDS and poverty
are conspiring to rob them of a future. AIDS has taken their
parents and families, leaving them orphaned and vulnerable. Pov-
erty ensures that this vulnerability makes them open to exploi-
tation by unscrupulous individuals. It leaves them on the
streets, often forced into prostitution just to survive, expos-
ing them to risks of catching HIV/AIDS and other sexually trans-
mitted diseases.
But it doesn't have to be this way. June 16th 2004 was dedicated
to education and getting children into school. Education offers
hope and a way out for children. Schools are often havens, where
children can perhaps get a meal and just be with other children,
an important but overlooked part of growing up. Education is an
important component for creating health behaviour and imparting
lifesaving prevention knowledge, something that will protect
them as adults. Many African governments now have policies for
free universal primary education, which is a good thing. And
with the support of the international community, this can be
achieved, giving Africa's children hope and a brighter future.
---
Dr. John Kiwanuka Ssemakula
Medilinks
mailto:jssemakula@medilinkz.org
http://medilinkz.org/>
Journal: http://medilinkz.org/journal