Africa-Press – Lesotho. Stakeholders in child development and protection ecosystems have made heightened calls for child-centered budget planning by the African governments.
These calls were made at the ongoing 45th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) which commenced on Monday this week and will conclude on April 11th.
The ACERWC is charged with overseeing the African Union’s Charter on the Rights and Welfare of African Children’s Rights. The Chairperson of the ACERWC Wilson Almeida Adão reiterated the Committee’s mandate stating that the children’s voices are critical to the decision making by the governments.
He called on the governments to budget in a way that takes into consideration the needs of the children saying this way, their well-being is assured. The Chairperson emphasised that the future of any country is determined on how well such a country treats its children, its future leaders.
Adão mentioned that the reduction and downsizing of aid to many countries and organisations as donors are reviewing programmes they fund, will potentially affect the children especially those living in crisis ridden countries and communities. He said the African communities ought to be resilient to external shocks adding that it is high time that African countries fall back onto African solutions to mitigate the challenges.
“Children must be part of the dialogue about themselves,” he said.
Many fear that failure to allocate sufficient resources to child-related services undermines efforts to safeguard their rights and wellbeing on services such as health, education and nutrition.
Representing Lesotho and the continent’s children, Itumeleng Tengteng expressed delight over the Committee’s move to hosting sessions to monitor and evaluate the efforts of the African countries in protecting our important rights. “Unfortunately, many people violate children’s rights in many ways. Lately, children are easy targets of human trafficking and child marriage,” said the 14-year Tengteng.
Calling for the prioritisation of children’s needs, the Representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Office to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa, Dr Laila O. Gad stated that recent global cutbacks of aid have had an impact on children.
She mentioned that the development assistance is taking an even further toll on children. “Millions of children are impacted by disruptions to critical services, in education, nutrition, life-saving health services, access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, protection, critical and transformative social protection including cash assistance for families in humanitarian crisis, as well as services to displaced, refugee and migrant children services that form a lifeline to the many children and their families on the move.”
Representing the CSO Forum, Felistus Motumedi commended the Committee’s ongoing efforts to prioritise child participation, amplifying their voices, and integrating child-led solutions into decision-making processes.
“As CSOs, we convened for the 26th Ordinary Session of the CSO Forum from April 3–5, 2025, in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho, under the theme “Reparation and Children – Safeguarding Civil Society Space for Children’s Rights,” aligning with the AU’s 2025 theme: “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” she said.
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Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, the newly appointed Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development highlighted the platform as a vital space that champions the rights and welfare of the African child, the very foundation of the continent’s future.
She mentioned that these Ordinary Sessions provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on progress, exchange experiences, and confront the pressing challenges the children face. Most importantly, they serve as a safe space for children to be heard their voices continue to shape and guide our shared agenda.
On behalf of the government, the Acting Prime Minister Justice Nthomeng Majara conceded that the children’s needs should be prioritised in the national budget.
She further affirmed the importance of inclusivity and emphasised that the needs of children must be prioritised and fully taken into account. “We all know that many years ago, children including some of us used to be treated as unimportant with parents and other adults making serious decisions often times with far-reaching consequences which affect the children without seeing the need to engage them in any form of consultation and/or discussion.
“This trajectory has changed in recent years after various efforts to raise awareness and educate communities and leaders on the importance of promoting and respecting the rights of the children.”
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