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10 June 2008 - Parliament and Presidency to interact with Children on crucial issues affecting them
Parliament of RSA's Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons in conjunction with the Office of the Right of the Child in the Presidency, will tomorrow, Wednesday 11 June 2008, host the Children's Consultation Event. This is the first consultation event which will be held annually to commemorate the African Union's (AU) "Day of the African Child in South Africa". The consultation is aimed at providing a platform for Children to raise crucial issues affecting their lives and further present an opportunity for them to take pa rt in the affairs of Parliament.
About 150 primary and high school children from all nine provinces of South Africa and children from AU Member Countries will descend in Parliament of RSA. These children are drawn from poor, rural and farm communities including disabled sector, will meet with the Committee, Minister in the Presidency, Mr Assop Pahad, Premiers and the National Minister of Social Development, Mr Zola Sikweyiya. The consultation will be observed under the AU Theme for the year "Child Participation" and discussions will be centred around the following topics:
- Virginity Testing
- School Transport
- Xenophobia
- Child Participation
- Racial Integration
- Child Labour
- Education
- Poverty and
- Violence and Safety of Children.
The Children's event is one of the flagship consultations of the Committee led by Ms Wilma Susan Newhoudt-Druchen which will enhance the direct interaction with Children and centralise them in the programmes of Parliament.
Mr Assop Pahad will deliver the key note address and the event will also be characterized by provincial children's presentations, message of support by children from other African countries, discussions and responses by Members of the Committee and Ministers.
Members of the media are invited to a media briefing which will be held at the end of the programme, to be addressed by Chairperson of the Committee Ms Wilma Susan Newhoudt-Druchen, Mr Assop Pahad and Mr Zola Sikweyiya. Attendance of the briefing can be communicated to the person mentioned below.
Details of the briefing are as follows:
Date: Wednesday 11 June 2008
Time: 14h00
Venue: V8, Old Assembly Building
Details of the Children's Consultation Event are as follows:
Date: Wednesday 11 June 2008
Time: 09h30 - 12h45
Venue: Old Assembly Chamber
Issued by:
Parliamentary Communication Services: Media Management Unit
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