News on Children's Issues

Child helpline launched in Lesotho

The Maseru Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Lesotho has launched a Child Helpline to help curb child abuse. The facility, to be housed at Lesotho Save the Children, would enable children to report all forms of abuse and encourage them to voice concerns. Mphu Ramatlapeng, Minister in the Basotho Ministry, said the Child Helpline would help assist vulnerable children.
She said children and young girls are confronted with abuse, mainly perpetrated by either parents or guardians, and that in most cases perpetrators get away with it. Children at a nearby Sefika High School said the facility would give a voice to the voiceless. They said that, with the facility in place, children who were victims of violence would get proper counselling from well-trained personnel. Although issues around sex and sexuality in families are still taboo, at least among a larger traditional Lesotho population, it is believed that the facility would act as a link between children and parents. (CRIN, May 6)

India’s law ministry questions right to education bill

The law ministry has asked the government to look into certain “crucial" aspects before introducing the Right to Education Bill which envisages free and compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years. The Bill is likely to be introduced in the current session of Parliament. The RTE Bill stipulates that at the entry level (class I), schools should set aside 25 per cent seats for poor children in the vicinity, the idea being that letting an underprivileged child join a private school at the entry level would help in social inclusion. The Bill also says that private aided schools (51 per cent funded by government) would have to give reservation to underprivileged children to the extent of the concession they get from the government. The law ministry believes that since right to education is a fundamental right under Article 21A, any infringement could immediately result in court cases. Even if the Bill says the government would foot the bill of disadvantaged children, sources feel, social barriers are such that private schools would like to keep away from the obligation. (The Times of India, May 5)

Sudan bombs Darfur school and market, 13 killed

Sudanese government bombs have hit a primary school and a busy market place in Darfur, killing at least 13 people, including seven children, two aid organizations said on Monday.
The Sudanese army was not immediately available to comment but has repeatedly denied bombing in the area, which would be a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution banning all offensive flying. Both [aid] organizations fund the primary school of 238 students. International experts estimate some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes in five years of revolt in Darfur. Khartoum blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000. (Washington Post, May 5)

China says hand, foot and mouth disease spreading among children

China reported a jump Monday in the number of children sickened with hand, foot and mouth disease, saying more than 9,700 cases have been reported. At least 24 deaths in the central province of Anhui and Guangdong province in the south have been blamed on enterovirus 71, one of several viruses that cause the disease. Enterovirus causes a severe form of hand, foot and mouth disease with symptoms including fever, mouth sores and rashes with blisters. It is easily spread by sneezing or coughing. The viruses mainly strike children ages 10 and younger. Some cases can lead to fatal swelling of the brain. There is no vaccine or specific treatment, but most children affected by mild forms of the disease typically recover quickly without problems. The World Health Organization says the virus normally peaks in June and July so there could still be an increase in infections as the weather warms. China's Health Ministry has sent teams to Anhui to coordinate treatment of the disease and prevent its spread. (Washington Post, May 5)

Suspected war criminal wanted in DR Congo

Congolese officials and UN peacekeepers should take swift action to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against a rebel leader accused of forcibly conscripting child soldiers and of other abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. The ICC on April 29 revealed the unsealing of the arrest warrant against Bosco Ntaganda, charging him with the enlistment, conscription, and active use of children in 2002-2003 during the conflict in the northeastern district of Ituri when he was chief of military operations for the ethnic Hema militia group, the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC). Ntaganda is the fourth Congolese rebel leader sought by the ICC for war crimes. Three other Congolese defendants – Thomas Lubanga, Germain Katanga, and Mathieu Ngudjolo – are already in ICC custody. Special envoys from the African Union, the European Union, the United States, the United Nations, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region played a vital role in brokering the Goma peace agreement. (CRIN, April 30)

Children not spared Zimbabwe’s post-election violence

UNICEF in Zimbabwe told IRIN its work was being hampered by the countrywide violence, which, according to widespread reports, was being carried out by soldiers, war veterans and militias loyal to the ruling ZANU-PF government. "Any violence against children, their families and their communities seriously threatens the wellbeing and long-term development of children," James Elder, head of communications at UNICEF Zimbabwe, told IRIN. He said UNICEF's "regular programmes are currently being negatively impacted by the political impasse in the country," and that his organisation recently contacted 27 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) implementing programmes for children and "found that almost half had virtually suspended their activities for children due to concern at current uncertainties." (IRIN, April 30)