Children just need a chance

Schoolgirl in Mozambique. Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

Teacher in Mozambique. Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

Children in Mozambique. Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

Outdoor class in Mozambique. Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

Schoolgirl in Mozambique. Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

Chair of the Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the CRC Tom Kennedy discusses juveline justice in the U.S. with Director of Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and Systems Integration Shay Bilchik.
Photo: Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the CRC

“Let the little children come to me . . .” he said, “for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14, NRSV

People of all ages and perspectives are drawn to our message of living responsibly with our communities and reaching out to the vulnerable. June 1 is marked globally as the International Day of Children. Below are highlights of some of our work in this context. It focuses on the story of children helping the most vulnerable amidst them, demonstrating their consciousness and willingness to reach out in times of crisis under able leadership.

Church World Service’s focus on the vulnerable has meant that children are central to many of its programs and partnerships, both in the US and globally. Church World Service is working through advocacy, and through child-focused work on the ground that creates an environment where children can be engaged in making their own decisions to promote the rights of children.

In Africa, in a run-up to the June 1 International Children’s Day celebrations, Church World Service’s recently opened Southern Africa Region office in Maputo, Mozambique is a cosponsor of a campaign: Look what we can do! What about you?

A collaborative celebration of children’s abilities and dreams for the future is being planned by CWS national partner, the Christian Council of Mozambique’s Child Activists, and the Children participating in the Child-to-Child program of Radio Mozambique. Coordinated by the youth leadership of these organizations, the celebration will involve a pre-June 1 campaign promoting what children can do and are doing today to realize their dreams for the future. Also participating in the fund drive are grade 10 students from two Maputo public schools.

On June 1, the campaign will conclude with a day in which children demonstrate their abilities across Maputo city in a city-wide fund drive. The proceeds received will be formally presented to the Mozambique government to demonstrate children’s consciousness and capacities to address the needs of children affected by the Malhazine explosions which occurred in March this year.

“Throughout the day youth will be found in teams around town working to guard and/or wash cars; as well as working with various Maputo-based restaurants who have offered to solicit US $1 (about 26 Mozambican Meticais) per client to contribute to the day’s fund raising,” says Sandra Nuvunga, project coordinator for the CWS Mozambique office. “The idea grew out of the inspiration of the similar fund-raising on the World Water Day on March 22 earlier this year, by the UN and local restaurants in New York City,” shared CWS Regional Coordinator Tammi Mott.

“We have worked with various restaurants with varied responses… each is a learning opportunity!” said Paulo Manjate, a youth leader from Radio Mozambique program, as he returned with a team of young enthusiasts from yet another round of negotiations with restaurant managers.

“We have organized the campaign to help other children, because we want to see a smile on their faces,” said Amina Cossa, a young girl on the project’s organizing team. “We want to show people that if we are able to make a difference, so can they.”

“The task of getting children to engage in making their own decisions—decisions that affect them today and tomorrow—is the key focus of this campaign,” said Mott.

While the campaign is titled “Look what we can do!” and is meant to focus on the children, it also demonstrates the value of working with the most vulnerable amongst us and creating together a shared future.

In India, CWS partner Church of North India and its key partner the Methodist Church of England work with street children to restore a sense of belonging and community through developing networks of children without families, homes and any rights and advocating with them for their humane treatment and protection under the law. Children organize in networks to live as families, even if the street is their “home” and learn to share their experiences and act as peace builders and in turn become an inspiration for all to live in peace in most challenging of situations.

In the United States, Church World Service is a member of the Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Along with other members, CWS advocates ratification of the CRC by the U.S. government.

In the U.S., 2,500 children are serving life without parole sentences. In the rest of the world, only 12 children are serving such sentences. This snapshot of the U.S. juvenile justice system was flagged by speakers at a recent Senate briefing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a human rights treaty created specifically to promote and protect the rights of all children worldwide .

The briefing was aimed at getting the new leadership at Senate to consider ratification of the Convention. The CRC provides children with the rights and responsibilities to take active and constructive roles in society. Failure to ratify the CRC would be a failure to stand up for and address the plight of many children around the world.

The United States has ratified two optional protocols to the CRC, one on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the other on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Those moves illustrate a U.S. commitment to the convention, and to children, observers have pointed out.

Church World Service works on creating a world that is more livable for the world’s children, by advocating for policies that promote peace and social justice. CWS will continue to educate and raise awareness among Senate members about ratifying the convention.