South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Tuesday held a two-day consultative workshop with stakeholders in Juba with the aim of developing the regional child policy to promote and protect child rights.
The forum brought together various stakeholders including government officials and other relevant partners.
Ahmed Dugsiye, Deputy Director for Programme Development and Quality at Save the Children in South Sudan, said the stakeholders proposed well-designed strategies to address the challenges faced by children at both the national and regional levels.
“Protracted conflict, climate change, displacement, poverty, and limited access to basic services have a significant impact on child rights in South Sudan,” Ahmed said, adding the consultation will help to enrich the policy.
“It is therefore crucial that we tackle these challenges directly and develop appropriate strategies for our country and the region.”
Dr. Victoria Anib, Head of Social Development at the IGAD Secretariat, said the policy will help to address issues related to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence affecting children.
“By adopting a robust regional Child Policy, our aim is to lay a solid foundation for child-sensitive initiatives, thereby strengthening member states’ ability to fulfil their international and regional commitments,” Anib said.
The child policy will establish a robust framework for coordinating, streamlining, and harmonizing activities in child protection and other relevant sectors.
Save the Children International, with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), supports the draft Child Policy framework and consultation within the framework of the East African Migration Routes (EAMR) project.
