Access to Justice for Children in Africa

Access to Justice
for Children in Africa
Regional Conference on the Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure
5 - 6 November 2014 – The Nexus Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Access to Justice for Children in Africa - Regional Conference on the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure
5 - 6 November 2014, The Nexus Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The International Coalition Ratify OP3CRC kindly welcomes you to a regional conference on the Optional Protocol to
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure (OP3CRC).
OP3CRC was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 19 December 2011 and entered into force on
14 April 2014. This new tool provides children with the opportunity to access justice at the international level. But
children will only be able to use this complaints procedure if their States ratify OP3 CRC. To date, 14 States expressed
their strong commitment to child rights by ratifying the new protocol.
The conference will provide you with an opportunity to get an in-depth understanding of OP3CRC, why
it matters to children and how it complements regional human rights mechanisms and courts in Africa.
We are proud to welcome you at the Nexus Hotel!
The International Coalition Ratify OP3
The Ratify OP3 CRC Coalition
The Ratify OP3 CRC - International Coalition for the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child on a Communications Procedure represents international, regional and national non-governmental organisations and networks working on child rights and committed to achieving a universal ratification of the OP3CRC.
The members of the Steering Committee are: Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia), Child Rights Connect, Child
Rights International Network (CRIN), Eurochild, Kindernothilfe, Plan International, Red Latinoamericana y
caribeña por la defensa de los derechos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (Redlamyc), Save the Children, Terre
des Hommes International Federation and World Vision. More information is available at: www.ratifyop3crc.org.
The Nexus Hotel Addis Abeba, Bole, Anbessa Garage, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Contact: E-Mail: [email protected], Phone: +251 116 67 00 67, Fax: +251 116 67 00 80/81
Conference Secretariat:
Mewded Yelewosen, E-Mail: [email protected], Phone: +251 937 912605
5 November 2014
6 November 2014
Introduction to the OP3CRC, its relevance to
Africa, and how it can be ratified
Best Practices and way forward?
Participants: Civil Society Representatives
Morning: Introductory sessions for Civil Society and
Government Representatives
9:00 Welcome and Opening of the Conference
Antje Weber and Flore-Anne Bourgeois (Co-Chairs of Ratify
OP3CRC), John Graham (Country Director Save the
Children in Ethiopia) t.b.c., Manoj Kumar (Country Director
Plan International Ethiopia) t.b.c.
9:00 Welcome and Opening
Recap of Day 1: Key arguments for the ratification
of OP3 CRC/Key steps for an effective ratification
campaign strategy
Chikezie Anyanwu (Plan International)
9:30 Overview of OP3 CRC and its role in Protecting the
Rights of Children
Kathryn Leslie (Office of the United Nations Special
Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence
Against Children)
9:45 Panel discussion: Establishing synergies and cooperation to achieve ratification: national case studies
and lessons learnt
Moderation: Gaye Sowe (Institute for Human Rights
and Development in Africa, IHRDA)
• The German example: Cooperation between Civil Society and Government, Antje Weber (Kindernothilfe)
• Thailand and Slovenia: Cooperation with National
Human Rights Institutions and UNICEF, Laure Elmaleh
(Child Rights Connect)
• The case of OP3CRC Advocacy in Rwanda, Rene Christian Umukunzi (Child Rights Coalition, Rwanda)
• Question & Answer
10:00 Coffee Break
10:30 How does the new international complaints mechanism work and complement national/ regional
human rights mechanisms?
Dr. Benyam Mezmur (Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Chairperson of
the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and
Welfare of the Child)
11:15 Sharing Experiences: Ratification by Gabon and
Germany
Gabon: Andre William Anguille (Ambassador of Gabon
to Ethiopia) t.b.c.
Germany: Joachim Schmidt (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ethiopia)
12:00 Question & Answer Session (with all presenters)
Moderation: Theophane Nikyema (African Child Policy
Forum)
12:30 Joint Lunch for Government and Civil Society
Representatives
Afternoon: Practical sessions for Civil Society Representatives
14:00 Panel discussion: How can States ratify OP3 CRC
and what added value can it bring for the realization
of children’s rights?
Moderation: Violet Odala (Save the Children)
1) Remember Miaming (Centre for Human Rights,
University of Pretoria)
2) Soyata Maiga (African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights)
3) Edmund Foley (Advisor at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Republic of Ghana)
15:30 Coffee Break
16:00 Workshop: Designing a ratification advocacy strategy adapted to the national context (Part 1)
Moderation: Ulrika Soneson-Cilliers (Save the Children), Laure Elmaleh (Child Rights Connect)
17:30 Summary of the day
Dominic Rono (National Commission on Human Rights,
Kenya) t.b.c.
17:45 End
20:00Cultural Evening
Ethiopian Restaurant “Totot“, next to Nexus Hotel, in front
of the Commercial Bank
10:45 Coffee Break
11:15 Panel discussion: Using international and regional
opportunities and recommendations
Moderation: Gilbert O. Onyango (The East Africa Centre
for Human Rights, EACHRights)
• Use of international advocacy opportunities and
recommendations, Laure Elmaleh (Child Rights Connect)
• Use of regional advocacy opportunities and recommendations, Dr. Aquinaldo Mandlate (Children’s Rights Project,
Community Law Centre, University of the Western Cape)
• Panel discussion and Question & Answer
12:30Lunch
14:00 Workshop: Designing a ratification advocacy strategy adapted to the national context (Part 2)
Moderation: Petronella Mayeya (Save the Children),
Laure Elmaleh (Child Rights Connect)
16:00 Closing Remarks
Theophane Nikyema (African Child Policy Forum)
16:30 End