UNICEF moves to improve children’s participation in policy making

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF country office in Cameroon is stepping up efforts to get children involved in shaping the drawing up of national policies through a social platform known as U-report.

Launched on November 21, 2015, the platform which involves mobile phone texting and Facebook interactive participation already has over 11, 700 registered participants from across Cameroon, UNICEF’s Youth and Adolescents Development Officer, Valentine Oloume Beyeme, revealed during a press briefing in Yaounde, June 13.

To participate in surveys on specific topics selected by UNICEF, U-reporters (as registered participants are called), are expected to respond to shot quizzes via a free SMS number, 8555…and so far an impressive participation has been recorded, Beyeme said.

She equally revealed that they are optimistic that with the implementation of planned strategies, they would be able to reach a target of over 300,000 registered U-reporters by the end of 2016.

Going by the youth and adolescents development officer, it would be easy to get many youths registered because signing up is an “easy” two-step process –interested youth are required to text ‘join’ to 8555, then provide their ages, sex and location.

In prelude to today’s celebration of the 2016 Day of the African Child, a survey was organised on the theme of this year’s edition, “Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children's Rights”.

49% of the U-reporters, according to its results presented at the briefing, were of the opinion that African leaders are putting in enough effort to limit and stop conflicts in the continent. At the same time, 47 % of them shared the belief that power struggle is the major cause of conflicts in Africa.

49% of them were of the opinion that dialogue could help in limiting or stamping out conflicts in Africa while 29% wished health and education should be on the priority lists of African governments.

UNICEF’s Youth and Adolescents Development Officer holds that the responses of U-reporters would be helpful for policy makers in both local and national levels.

The International Day of the African Child is commemorated on June 16, every year since1991, in honour of children who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976(South Africa). It is often used as an opportunity to raise awareness of the continuing need for upgrading of the education provided to African children. 

On June 16, 1976 in Soweto, hundreds of school children were shot dead with thousands wounded as they marched for their right to be taught in their own local language.