The Centre for Human Rights, Children’s Rights Unit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, and the Global Campus for Human Rights, successfully conducted the first day of a two-day workshop on promoting child participation in development frameworks in Africa and strengthening the African base of the Global Child Leading Team, held in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The event commenced with a welcome from Dr Elvis Fokala, Manager of the Children’s Rights Unit who also gave an overview of the Child Leadership Team and the then prospective intention of expanding the team within the continent.
The keynote address was delivered by Mrs Roselyn Makhumula, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare. She emphasised the government's role in facilitating children's participation in decision-making processes. Malawi's strategy for Child Participation was then presented by Mr Kondwani Mhone from the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare. The morning session concluded with an interaction with the Global Campus Child Leadership Team, represented by Mr Manu Krishan and Mr John-Paul Amah.
The afternoon session started with a panel discussion by children who highlighted children’s concerns and rights violations within several Lilongwe communities. The final panel discussion focused on the role of State Actors in ensuring Capacity Building for Promoting Child Participation, with representatives from the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Malawi Police Service, Malawi Judiciary, and Ministry of Education. The panellists emphasised the importance of creating an enabling environment for child participation in development frameworks and discussed collaborative strategies to promote child participation in Malawi.
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