50% Campaign to protect children
 
eNEWS: 09 - November - 2009
The Children's Act has passed! Now is the time to act...
 
It is with great pleasure that we share the news that, on November 4th, the new Act of the Child 2009 was unanimously passed by Parliament.

A delegation from the CCR was there to witness this important event and to share the delight with other CSO actors who have been lobbying for the Act. Significantly, the Act was passed with almost 80% of the revisions that civil society had requested.

The CCR also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Parliamentary Committee for Community Development to explore collaboration opportunities to ensure that the law effects real change for children. The key challenges as we move forward are to ensure that this Act does not remain an empty gesture for children. We must continue to lobby for:
 
  • Regulations that are practical and achievable and ensure that the terms of the Act can be enforced.
  • Continual monitoring of the Act as it plays out on the ground, and advocacy for any ammendements that may be needed.
  • Financing of the Act with increased funding and staffing for the Social Welfare Department and juvenile justice agencies.
  • Public information so that all duty-bearers and parents fully understand their roles in building a better world for children.
Importantly, the work of the 50% Campaign is NOT finished...
 
Moving forward, we will be:
 
  • Participating in a meeting with the wider civil society community on 24th and 25th November to agree next steps. 
  • Popularising the Children's Act with radio jingles, advertising hoardings and leaflets that will inform parents, teachers, social workers and employers about their new responsibilities towards children. 
  • Conducting a public expenditure tracking study in Arusha to identify the extent to which public funds are reaching children. 
  • Sharing information with the Parliamentary Committee in the run-up to the 2010 budget to lobby for the sufficient funding of the Social Welfare Department to implement this Act. 

We would like to thank all our supporters and friends who contributed to the critique of the Act and to this achievement. 
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To learn more, please download the following:
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Kate McAlpine
The Caucus for Children’s Rights
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 787 603334
Blackberry: +44 7912060805
Email: info@50campaign.org
Website: www.50campaign.org  

Half of Tanzania’s population is under the age of 18.
The future depends on how we treat these youth today.
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