Press Release : Shalom House to Host Conference on Children’s Rights
Nairobi, December 2, 2010----Koinonia Action for Peace (KAP) in collaboration with Youth United for Peace in Kenya (YUPK), will be hosting a major Children’s Rights Conference on December 4 at Shalom House, along St. Daniel Comboni Rd, off Ngong Rd near Dagoretti Corner, from 8:00 AM to 4:00PM. The conference is aimed at deliberating on the rights of children in our society.
This follows an intensive six months process of creating awareness on the state of children’s rights in our local communities. It was achieved through workshops/trainings and meetings targeting people in Lang’ata, Dagoretti and Kajiado South.
The discussion during the conference will be a unique platform for different grassroots organizations, including faith based organizations, youth groups, NGOs and cultural organizations to come together, mobilizing their diverse ideas, resources, networks and human assets for a more effective approach to peace building.
The gathering will also oversee the success of an upcoming peace march organized by KAP and YUPK scheduled for Saturday, 11th December 2010 with the theme “All rights for all children.” The peace march will start from Kibera’s Olympic Primary School (Kamukunji Grounds) at 8.00 AM to Kibera DC grounds near Administration Offices along Kibera Drive and will end by 1:00 PM.
KAP is a new initiative launched by Koinonia Community, a lay Christian organization committed to the growth of the local society within which the Community is based.
The initiative was formed to promote sustainable peace in various informal settlements and local communities in Kenya. It was conceived with the aim of reducing the various forms of conflict among groups and communities that have been marginalized by socio-economic, political and cultural barriers. This is achieved through empowerment programmes that enhance peaceful transformation of our society.
Street children in Kenya face numerous hardships and danger in their daily lives. In addition to the hazards of living on the street, these children face harassment andabuse from the police and within thejuvenile justice system for no reason other than the fact that they are street children. Living outside the protection of responsible adults, street children are easy and silent targets for exploitation by society at large.
Sadly enough, it is the harassment and negative adult reactions, not their hunger that troubles the children on the street the most. Isolation and distrust cause them the greatest pain.
The advent of the new constitution provides for the rights of the minorities. These in simple terms gives the children including the less privileged a sense of belonging.
The majority of the children would not wish to continue with street life if given an alternative. According toThe African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCANN) study, 77 per cent reported that they would not wish to continue with street life with reasons being street life is bad and tiring, in addition to the desire for a better life.
This initiative therefore expects to address these issues and others affecting vulnerable children with the involvement of all the stakeholders.
For more information contact :
Project Manager
Boniface Okada
kap@koinoniakenya.org
+254771573898
Or Media Liaison
Eric Sande
communications@koinoniakenya.org
