Actions not words on child neglect, African churches urged
-14/06/06
By Francis Nj
Actions not words on child neglect, African churches urged
-14/06/06
By Francis Njuguna
In the run-up to the International Day of the African Child (16 June 2006), churches in Africa have been urged to preach less and do more about the abuse and neglect of children.
Speaking in Nairobi at a panel discussion on the rights of the African child and the role of the church, the general secretary of the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Bishop Hamilton Mvune Dandala, declared: ìLetís challenge ourselves on this. We need less preaching [about the issues], but more actions in terms of programmes to benefit the many African children in dire need of food, health, shelter and educationî.
The AACC General Secretary, who shared the platform with the UNICEF regional officer for Eastern and Southern Africa regions, Ms Sue Godt, Kenyan leading psychiatrist, Dr Frank Njenga, and regional director of the African network for the prevention and protection against child abuse and neglect (ANPPCAN), Ms Phillistah Onyango, said that the pan-African ecumenical body had already declared this 2006 as its ìyear for the African childî.
The All-Africa Conference of Churches, which currently comprises 169 member churches across 40 nations, has adopted a theme for its work: ëThe Church Awakens: New Hope for the African Childí.
ìDuring the year we intend to publish various materials [and] hold seminars and workshops Ö to conscientise churches and Christians in general on the issue, from [a] church pastoral care point of viewî, Bishop Hamilton Mvune Dandala explained.
As an illustration of the problems, the large gathering was told that of the estimated 300,000 child soldiers in the world today, 120,000 are believed to be from Africa.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also reports that in 2002 29 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 years in sub-Saharan Africa (about 48 million) were working – and that an estimated 115 million primary school aged children in Africa are not enrolled with, or attending, school.
The Day of the African Child is observed every year in memory of the 700 children massacred on a demonstration in Soweto, South Africa (16 June 1976), during a crackdown by the then apartheid regime.
Francis Njuguna is writing for Ekklesia from Nairobi
[Also on Ekklesia: Kenyan peacemakers in air crash tragedy; Churches work together for Great Lakes region of Africa; Kenyan bishops call on government to eliminate corruption; Politicians are abusing young says Kenyan archbishop]
Actions not words on child neglect, African churches urged
-14/06/06
By Francis Njuguna
In the run-up to the International Day of the African Child (16 June 2006), churches in Africa have been urged to preach less and do more about the abuse and neglect of children.
Speaking in Nairobi at a panel discussion on the rights of the African child and the role of the church, the general secretary of the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Bishop Hamilton Mvune Dandala, declared: ìLetís challenge ourselves on this. We need less preaching [about the issues], but more actions in terms of programmes to benefit the many African children in dire need of food, health, shelter and educationî.
The AACC General Secretary, who shared the platform with the UNICEF regional officer for Eastern and Southern Africa regions, Ms Sue Godt, Kenyan leading psychiatrist, Dr Frank Njenga, and regional director of the African network for the prevention and protection against child abuse and neglect (ANPPCAN), Ms Phillistah Onyango, said that the pan-African ecumenical body had already declared this 2006 as its ìyear for the African childî.
The All-Africa Conference of Churches, which currently comprises 169 member churches across 40 nations, has adopted a theme for its work: ëThe Church Awakens: New Hope for the African Childí.
ìDuring the year we intend to publish various materials [and] hold seminars and workshops Ö to conscientise churches and Christians in general on the issue, from [a] church pastoral care point of viewî, Bishop Hamilton Mvune Dandala explained.
As an illustration of the problems, the large gathering was told that of the estimated 300,000 child soldiers in the world today, 120,000 are believed to be from Africa.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also reports that in 2002 29 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 years in sub-Saharan Africa (about 48 million) were working – and that an estimated 115 million primary school aged children in Africa are not enrolled with, or attending, school.
The Day of the African Child is observed every year in memory of the 700 children massacred on a demonstration in Soweto, South Africa (16 June 1976), during a crackdown by the then apartheid regime.
Francis Njuguna is writing for Ekklesia from Nairobi
[Also on Ekklesia: Kenyan peacemakers in air crash tragedy; Churches work together for Great Lakes region of Africa; Kenyan bishops call on government to eliminate corruption; Politicians are abusing young says Kenyan archbishop]