Yesterday afternoon, the Ombudsperson for children gave a lecture at the British Council on the rights of children in the context of the ?16 days, 16 Rights? for children campaign. The latter was launched by the ministry of Women?s rights and Child development, the Ombudsperson for children?s office and the National children?s council on 1st June, the International day of the African child.

This awareness campaign, which has become a tradition, is aimed at making the Convention on the Rights of the child better known to children and adults. The month of June will be full of activities related to the issue. During her speech at the British Council, Shirin Aumeruddy-Cziffra laid emphasis on ?the need for adults to understand that children are vulnerable and need to be loved, cherished and cared for but also to be empowered so that they may develop harmoniously and be able to protect themselves against abusers of all sorts who are forever looking for a prey.?

The Ombudsperson explained that ?children must also be taught responsibilities depending on their age and maturity but that the main responsibilities remain at the door of adults and the State. Parents have a legal duty to care properly for children and, when they are unable to do so, the State must help them. This includes material, moral and psychological help and access to services that can help them to exercise their duties properly.? She also addressed the issue of corporal punishment and announced the preparation of a kit for parents and teachers on alternative constructive discipline as she maintained that corporal punishment, physical and psychological, are destructive for the child and therefore counterproductive.

In the morning at Octave Wiehe Auditorium, the campaign targeted head teachers and members of parent-teacher associations. Ministers Gokhool and Seebun stressed on the role of teachers and parents in protecting the rights of children. The audience also consisted of policy makers and those who influence decision-making.

Since the aim of the campaign is to make children aware of their rights, they must participate in certain activities. Hence, the Ombudsperson and Budi?s friends, a network of adolescents, spent three hours with 90 children of SOS village Beau Bassin helping them participate actively in the campaign by starting the art works to depict the 16 rights chosen this year. Some children started painting, others did embroidery or dressed up dolls to prepare a village where children live in a loving and caring environment.

Children in schools are also participating in the artwork activity to prepare exhibitions that will be held in August?