Recognise African traditions to promote equal opportunities

By Hilda Nankunda Kalekyezi

At the World Summit for Children, 1990, African leaders signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989, committing their states to ensure a World Fit for Children by implementing the UN Plan of Action for Children (UNPAC). The UNCRC 1989 was the first human rights instrument to emphasise all civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights for children as human beings. But was this necessary for children in Africa?  Did the Convention and the strategies for its implementation suit the African set up and structures? These and many more questions are still debated and I argue that what is good for human being is good for African children.

The UNCRC 1989 provided guidance on minimum standards for care and protection of children as human beings and is relevant for children in Africa. However, the implementation used the top-down approach and this could explain slow uptake and other challenges that limit impact on the lives of the targeted people.  For instance, Africa has diverse cultural, religious and political traditions, as well as an ethnic variety which present different ways in which families and societies transfer beliefs, values, knowledge and skills between generations which also influence practices in child care. This challenge which dominated discussion during the 10 years drafting process continues to haunt the implementation process of the UNCRC, 1989, probably due to limited understanding of the opportunities offered by African cultural values and traditions in advocating for the rights of the child. There are negative aspects of African cultures, however, which still stifle efforts to promote and protect respect for children's rights as guided by the UNCRC and other regional legislations for children. The place of children's rights in traditional Africa

We have a lot of positive values and practices in African traditions that relate to children's rights. These are changing and some people have abandoned them for various reasons and alternatives. However, there is insufficient research and recording of these practices that ensured child protection for survival and development to adulthood.  Indigenous Knowledge, proverbs, folk tales, ceremonies, ritual and taboos that depicted the lifestyles and livelihood of the people of Africa had rich content for welcoming new born babies into society, ensuring their wellbeing and empowering adolescents with age-appropriate information and competencies. It could be argued that interventions in the lives of children and communities have been complicated due to ignorance about these traditions, and expecting people to embrace new ways. Traditionally in Africa, human rights' were promoted for specific categories of people: pregnant women, newborn babies, toddlers, children, adolescents, youth and other adults. Some scholars identified positive practices in African proverbs that are as good in raising children as promoted in the UNCRC 1989. For instance, community responsibility in raising children is reflected in the African proverbs such as, "it takes a village to raise a child'. Also the proverb from Uganda in Runyankole-Rukiga which says that, "kwoyenda kuteera omwaana obateera boona" meant that ‘children are punished collectively' which was also applied in rewarding children to ensure that no one feels left out. It is possible that for every proverb and indigenous knowledge and practice there is a corresponding children's right.

It was taken for granted in African communities that everyone in the village will keep an eye on any young child within in their sight. That care practice promoted equity, equality and non-discrimination in raising children.  It also promoted a sense of belonging among children and sharing as a virtue which could form a sound basis for advocacy for children's rights.  Furthermore, in the African traditional context, a parent was anybody who protected and provided for children and cultural values were respected, upheld and enforced by all relatives, elders and chiefs to ensure child protection. Social protection also depended on trust and obligation based relationships, seniority and status in the community. Cultural practices including naming and various rites of passage adequately ensured the right to a name, family, freedom of association and participation.  Practices within these structures supported children with skills through folk tales and stories, they enjoyed quality relationships, children had a sense of pride from family, clan and tribe which gave them emotional stability, social identity which hard to find among most young people.  Strict traditions also helped to regulate incestuous activities and relationship which seem to be on an increase and violating children's rights. The UNCRC, 1989, therefore, strengthens positive traditions by standardizing practices and providing a legal framework to guard against people that would ignore responsibility towards children in a modern setup.

According to Ubuntu philosophy predominant in Sub-Sahara Africa, everyone is a child. However, the UNCRC 1989 defines a child as ‘everyone below 18 years of age'.  This definition of the "child" is still under debate due to the differences in cultural roles and expectation across nations. The UNCRC serves to guide State Parties on how to protect children in their roles in society and with regard to work and their education needs as well as other socio-economic rights. Notwithstanding that the concept of ‘rights' is not indigenous to African traditions, ‘children's rights' were ensured in African traditions through protection, provision and participation of children in appropriate activities. In the traditional society, age was not a factor in defining a child but it was more about acts of responsibility such as marriage, parenthood and for boys, putting up a house. This conception of childhood has implications for rights-holders and duty-bearers and alludes to children's responsibilities in the African Charter and African traditions.  Children lived to the expectations of elders, while elders also respected their wishes. The UNCRC definition helps in arguments for support to children who find themselves in circumstances which conflict with the social norms, for instance, children who work in very dangerous conditions, tortured and disabled children and adolescent mothers who become parents when they are still children and incompetent to nurture their babies. Reference to the laws and policies based on the UNCRC enables them access to social support and therapy. This is also in agreement with practical approaches to children's rights that pursue the child protectionist view of childhood as a "natural state" that is characterized by dependency due to physical and psychological immaturity and vulnerability.

Children's dependence was observed to emphasise children's right to protection and adults' obligation as primary duty -bearers' to protect their interests and to realize their full potential. Young people strongly uphold that, "in the eyes of a parent, a person is always a child no matter what age, and especially when s/he is in school". However, this relationship sometimes overlooks their participation and agency which is a violation of children's rights. Recognition of children's capacity to contribute to decisions that affect them has had resistance even among UNCRC implementers.  Most children's rights stakeholders take action on behalf of children through plans and policy development thinking that they are shaping childhood by determining how children should live and thrive, yet children should be given opportunity to participate in events that affect their lives. Children should be treated as social agents rather than mere beneficiaries of rights and social development. All stakeholders need to seek children's perspectives of their needs, roles and relationships.

In Africa, obedience to elders, respect and trust were values cherished by young people. Children trusted their parents and elders to make decisions that are in their best interest. Misconception of this relationship may suggest that elders in Africa did not respect children and young people. Traditionally, respect by children was reciprocated from elders. Although elders found it difficult to listen to an individual child, they were happy to get shared views from young people in their peer groupings and older children.   This mutual respect facilitated socialization process whereby children received wise counsel from elders in the community. The socialization process made children participants as apprentices in the family trades and community work which made children responsible and productive as part of the human capital.  The modern formal education system that talks young people through a series of universal staged transitions aimed at making them productive, well adjusted and successful adults does not seem to work at all times in Africa.  Many graduates from various education levels remain unproductive because of lack of the requisite equitable labour- intensive growth that opens up opportunities for employment for young people. Education outcomes in public schools as reflected in reading, writing and arithmetic have remained poor in most African country.  This puts majority of children in rural and informal urban settings in a disadvantaged category of unemployable people, which keeps them in poverty.  These factors continue to increase the inequality gap and access to economic opportunities for young people and families.

It is worth noting that realisation of children's rights depends upon availability of resources from the State parties, and where they are constrained, development partners must rise to the call and ensure promotion and protection of respect of children's rights. It should be further that the welfare of children will not improve unless economic growth is linked to increases in financial resources of households. Furthermore, policy makers and planners should be intentional in ensuring that economic growth is inclusive of children and youth from all social and economic backgrounds.

The writer is a Phd Candidate Uclan UK

hildananku@yahoo.co.uk