D&S: Dignity of children E

work in the regions

diakonia & solidarity team
dignity of children programme

Background
The WCC has been working on children’s issues since 1995, following a recommendation made at the-then Unit IV (Sharing and Service Team) Commission meeting in Alexandria, Egypt that the issue of "excluded and marginalized children" be a first working priority, with an emphasis on street children, child labour, child prostitution, child abuse, disabled children and children in situations of conflict. As a result, a team-wide working group was set up to find ways to implement this recommendation through the promotion of the following three criteria:

current programme in asia
Action plan from a WCC/CCA inter-regional consultation on
FULLNESS OF LIFE AND DIGNITY OF CHILDREN IN THE MIDST OF GLOBALIZATION WITH A FOCUS ON STREET CHILDREN
Mumbai, India, 21-25 January 2004
List of Child Advocacy ‘Days’ in 2004

Pavement child, India

Afghan girls fetching water from well and water canal system re-established by ACT members in co-operation with villagers (2001)

St Christopher's home for girls on the outskirts of Suva, Fiji

1 The rights and dignity of children (marginalized children).
2 Children’s active participation in meetings together with adults.
3 Church and interfaith participation in dialogue on the issue of children.

The working group organized international consultations held in 1996 (Geneva), 1997 (Brazil) and 2000 (Geneva) focussing mainly on forming a network for the exchange of experiences, resources and understanding between the children themselves and Christian groups working with them.

The Padare Programme at the 1998 WCC Assembly in Harare gave momentum to the "‘Dignity of Children" programme as it displayed the role that WCC could play in co-ordination and mediation between children, member churches and other ecumenical bodies working with children, and in equipping member churches to approach the children’s issues.

Since 2001, the WCC regional desks have taken over the responsibility for the "Dignity of Chidren" programme. These region-based programmes have focused on bringing together and motivating churches and church-related organization who are already working - or would like to work - with marginalized children.

Inter-regional consultation

The WCC Asia desk and the Christian Conference of Asia(CCA) organised an inter-regional consultation from 21-25 January 2004 in Mumbai on the theme "Affirming the fullness of life and dignity of children" with a special focus on street children. This consultation attempted to:

deepen participants’ understanding of the effects of globalization on children and therefore empower Asian churches in their ministry with children, especially street children.

facilitate the sharing of experiences

a. from other regions, such as Africa, Latin America, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Europe, especially regarding work with street children, in order to strengthen such work in Asia.
b. from within Asia, particularly from the National Networks in order to give national perspectives
c. from children themselves.

to explore the theological response to the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

evolve strategies to equip church-related organizations, institutions and children to address the issues of globalization and the effects it has on children and, in particular, street children in their respective contexts in Asian countries.
Full report of the consultation

Links

Global Movement for Children

Child Rights Information Network

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

UNICEF

Global Network of Religions for Children

Viva Network

International Catholic Children's Bureau