The Child Friendly Kebele

A Child Rights Analysis at the Local Level

Save the Children fights for children’s rights. We deliverimmediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide.

The visionOur vision is a world in which all children’s rights are fulfilled.Save the Children works for:- a world which respects and values each child- a world which listens to children and learns- a world where all children have hope and opportunity

© 2003 Save the Children Denmark, Norway and Sweden

Project Manager: Abnet KassaAuthors: Abnet Kassa and Henrik HäggströmPhotos: Jørgen Tetsche and Save the Children Sweden-

Eastern and Central Africa RegionCover photo: Jørgen TetschePrinter:

Foreword

A couple of years back, Save the Children Denmark, Norway and Sweden realizedthe need to do more comprehensive research on child rights in Ethiopia. Thethree organizations, therefore, collaborated with a local non-governmentalorganization, Love for Children, to conduct research to analyze the situation ofchildren's rights at a local level. The research team analyzed the situation forchildren, following a child rights programming model. This research focused onkebele 07 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The research team looked into the servicesavailable for children and analyzed the attitudes and behavior of adults towardschildren in the kebele. This mapping gave a comprehensive picture of thesituation for children in the Ethiopian urban context.

This is the first time research like this has been conducted in Ethiopia and willenable development practitioners to better plan programs for children toholistically address their rights. We hope that this model of research can beutilized by others working for the rights of children. The second phase of thisproject will be to practically implement activities in the kebele to address themulti-faceted issues found during the research.

We hope you find the report useful and welcome more projects that address thecomprehensive rights of children in Ethiopia!

Monica Lindvallon behalf ofSave the Children Denmark, Norway and Sweden

March 2004

Acknowledgements

Save the Children would like to thank all of the people who put in so much effortto make this project come to fruition. Particular thanks must go to the CountryDirectors and staff of the three Save the Children organizations who have activelypushed to make this research possible. Thanks to Henrik Haggstrom whoprovided leadership for the project and helped to write the final report. Inaddition, special thanks must go to Abnet Kassa, the principal researcher for histireless hours of hard work. Thank you also to Jeff Licht for editing the report.Thanks to Lemlem Tikuye, Director of Love for Children and YohannesWonafrash, the Chairman of the Kebele administration, for facilitating all theresearch at the kebele level. Ehtemariam Tadessie, the research assistant did anexcellent job of ensuring the day-to-day work was completed efficiently andaccurately. Tsige Gonfa, Tigist Feyise, Elesabete Geleta, and Mekasha Medihantie,the data collectors, put in hours of work to gather information from thecommunity. We must thank the community of kebele 7 for willingly giving ustheir time, ideas and opinions. Finally, to all the children who actively participatedin the research, thank you!

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION 22. METHODOLOGY 4

2.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE KEBELE ANALYSIS 42.2 RESEARCH PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY 42.3 SOURCES OF INFORMATION 52.4 JUSTIFICATION 62.5 LIMITATION 6

3. CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN KEBELE 07, ADDIS ABABA 73.1 BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD (ARTICLE 3): 83.2 DEFINITION OF THE CHILD (ARTICLE 1) 93.2 AWARENESS OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (ARTICLE 42) 113.3 PERCEPTION OF CHILDREN AND THEIR RIGHTS (THE PREAMBLE PARAGRAPH 7 & 10 AND ARTICLE 5) 133.4 DISCRIMINATION (ARTICLE 2) 14

3.4.1 Ethnic Background 143.4.2 Disability 153.4.3 Gender 153.4.4 Nationality 173.4.5 Birth Registration and Name 17

3.5 LIFE, SURVIVAL, AND DEVELOPMENT (ARTICLE 6) 183.5.1 Right to Health and Rehabilitation (Article 24) 193.5.2 Right to education (Articles 28-31) 243.5.3 Right to Leisure and Recreation (Art. 30) 27

3.6 CHILD PARTICIPATION (ARTICLE 12) 294. ACTORS AND DUTY BEARERS IN KEBELE 07 33

4.1. KEBELE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE COUNCIL 334.2. THE KEBELE ADMINISTRATION 354.3 VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS AND

ASSOCIATIONS IN KEBELE 07 364.4 IDERS 37

5. UNDERLYING CAUSES AND OBSTACLES 375.1 ATTITUDES AND AWARENESS 375.2 POVERTY 395.3 LOCAL DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE 405.4 CIVIL SOCIETY AND EMPOWERMENT 415.5 CULTURAL VALUES 41

6. CONCLUSION 436.1 RECOMMENDATIONS 45

Part 1. Introduction

A couple of years ago the directors of the Scandinavian Save the Childrenmembers in Ethiopia discussed the lack of adequate data collection mechanismson the situation of children and children's rights in Ethiopia. They agreed that thelack of reliable quantitative and qualitative data hindered effective assessments ofthe situation of children in all parts of the country. This made the adoption oftargeted policies to protect the rights of children difficult.

The problems in Ethiopia are reflected in violations of many of the rights affirmedby the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), inparticular violations of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights throughharmful traditional attitudes and practices. Female genital mutilation, earlymarriage, teenage pregnancy and the persistence of discriminatory attitudesagainst vulnerable groups of children are examples of such violations. The victimsare often girls, disabled children, children born out of wedlock and childrenengaged in harmful work, living on the street, or in conflict with the law.

In 2002, the members of the Save the Children Alliance in Ethiopia1 decided tostart a small pilot project called the "child friendly kebele project". The projectobjective was to test a low cost and sustainable method to support a local area tobecome a child friendly kebele (kebele is the smallest administrative unit in theEthiopian administrative structure). A child friendly kebele in this respect wasdefined as a society in which children's rights are met with available resources -where community members are aware of the rights of children, respect them andknow their respective roles and responsibilities regarding children's rights.

The rationale behind the project was to promote innovative methods in workingwith children's rights in a local context.

A task force was established and Kebele 07 in Addis Ababa was identified as anappropriate kebele to work with. The kebele is situated in Zone 2 and Woreda 22,located around Mexico Square. The reasons for choosing this kebele were mainlypractical, such as the presence of a local partner organization and the proximity ofthe study site. Possibilities for future program interventions in this particularkebele also contributed to the choice.

A thorough situation analysis at the kebele level was chosen as the best way tomake sure that the desired objectives of the project were met.

This report has five chapters, of which the first is introductory, explaining therationale behind the study. Chapter 2 outlines the research methodology andexplores the research process and its structure. Chapter 3 constitutes the children's

1 1 The Save the Children members in Ethiopia are currently SC Denmark, Norway, Sweden, UKand US.

rights situation analysis with a focus on four guiding principles in the CRC andtheir application in Kebele 07. Chapter 4 lists the actors and duty bearersresponsible for the implementation of the Convention and describes how theyinteract with each other. Chapter 5 explores obstacles to the implementation of theprovisions and articles of the Convention in Kebele 07.

2Some of the children in the kebele.

Part 2. Methodology2.1 Objectives of the Kebele analysis

The objectives of the situation analysis were the following:

To carry out an analysis on the status of children's rights in Kebele 07, Addis Ababa, by collecting information on children's situation and creating the basis for progress assessment and evaluation of the long-term impact of an intervention. To map children's rights violations in Kebele 07 and analyze the underlying causes of these violations. Existing legislation and its implementation as well as cultural practices and attitudes should be analyzed.2

The views of children should be respected and given due consideration. Dutybearers and other main actors should be identified.

2.2 Research process and methodology

The child rights analysis follows formats and standards set out in the Save theChildren Child Rights Programming Handbook3. The analysis includes:

2.2.1. The status of children's rights

An assessment of which rights are being violated in the country and whichgroups of boys and girls are especially affected. Violations of rights willmainly be analyzed by exploring the four general principles of the CRC:

1. The right of all children to enjoy the rights of the Convention without discrimination of any kind. (Article 2);

2. The right to have the best interests of the child taken into primaryconsideration (Article 3);

3. The right to life, survival and development (Article 6);4. The right of children to express their views freely on all matters

affecting them (Article 12).

The consequences of these rights being violated, and the impact for childrenliving in Kebele 07 (differentiated by sex, disability, age, etc.).An analysis of government policy and action in relation to given violationsin Kebele 07.An analysis of the general level of awareness of child rights issues among civilsociety, organizations, administration officials and children themselves.

3 2 Save the Children Sweden/Alliance (2002) Child Rights Programming - How to apply rightsbased approaches in programming, pp. 30, London.3 ibid.

2.2.2 The immediate and underlying causes of violations and the obstacles to fulfillment of children's rights

Public attitudes, behavior and practice (adults' and children's);Customary law;Government policy responses and implementation record;The law and legal system;Civil society and the media;The private sector.

2.2.3. The views and experiences of children

2.2.4. The duty bearers

Duty bearers are all those institutions, organizations and individuals with a formalobligation to and responsibility for the realization of children's rights. In practice,duty bearers may be supporters of children's rights or perpetrators of violations.There is usually a hierarchy of duty bearers from high political offices to personsworking directly with children.

An analysis of the various levels of political and administrative decision-making power;An analysis of roles and responsibilities shared between different agenciesand departments, including the identification of areas where responsibilitiesare not clearly designated;An analysis of the potential of the kebele administration to put policy intopractice;An analysis of the notion of public accountability of duty bearers.

2.3 Sources of information

In this report, the following sources of information were used:

Primary data:

Workshops Group discussions Interviews Questionnaires Observation

Secondary data:

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Ethiopian law and policy Statistics, research and reports produced by the government, the Kebele 07administration, the UN, universities, research institutes, and internationaland local NGOsState party reports and concluding observations for the CRC and otherconventions such as the Convention for the Elimination of all forms ofDiscrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Elimination ofRacial Discrimination.

The main data collection period was from April to December 2002.

2.4 Justification

The main reason why Save the Children found this research necessary was the lackof thorough situation analyses at the country level in general and at the local levelin particular. In this context, the need for good research models is apparent. Savethe Children hopes that this situation analysis at the kebele level will increase theunderstanding of how to analyze children's rights at local administrative levels.Finally, Save the Children hopes this analysis will contribute to the global processof developing solid research methodology on children's rights.

2.5 Limitations

The findings of this study are based on information collected before the recentrestructuring of the Kebele 07 administration. Accordingly, the current name, sizeand administrative structure of the kebele are somewhat different from the formerKebele 07.

Another limitation is that the study mainly focuses on the four general principlesof the CRC. As such, it does not fully cover all rights enshrined in the Convention.

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Part 3. Children's Rights in Kebele 07,Addis Ababa

Kebele 07 is located in Woreda 22 Zone 2 of the Addis Ababa CityAdministration. It is located around Mexico Square on the main road towardMekanissa, opposite the African Union Head Office. Kebele 07 is one of thebusiest city centers in Addis Ababa and is the second most populous kebele inWoreda 22.

The population of Kebele 07 was estimated at 7,354 in 2002, making it anaverage-sized kebele in Addis with a high overall population density. The Kebele07 population is "young"; nearly 45% are under 18 years. 51% of the populationare women.

Kebele 07 is characterized by veryrapid population growth fuelledprimarily by high fertility rates. Thekebele has witnessed a 30%population growth during the last 8years. This poses a major challengeto the kebele's ability to ensure therights of children. It adds to thealready huge challenge faced by theadministration in expandingeducation, health care and otherbasic services to reach all children.As will be discussed later, fewchildren have access to healthservices and education in Kebele07. The literacy rate is only 14%.

Kebele 07's population is multi-ethnic and multi-lingual. It is madeup of six main ethnic groups withdifferent languages and dialects.Amharic, Tigrigna and Oromifa arethe most common languages,

spoken by roughly two thirds of the population. The vast majority is orthodoxChristian; only 5.7% are Muslim.

Most of the Kebele 07 housing units are rented (47%). Of the residents who live

6

A typical street in kebele 7.

in rented houses, the majority(61.8%) pay a monthly rent ofETB 5-49. Of the total housingunits, 94% have no bathingfacilities and 14% lack toilets.Among those that have toiletfacilities, 41% are shared. InKebele 07, 73% of householdshave radios, and very few have atelevision set.

By almost any measure, theKebele 07 community suffersfrom severe and widespreadpoverty. Per capita income isestimated at approximately 150USD per year. One-third of thepopulation must struggle to makedo with less than one USD perday. The overall unemploymentrate is above 35%, while theunemployment rate for youthexceeds 50%. The majority ofkebele members who have jobsare involved in crafts, serviceprovision, shops, market sales and

other related business. Only 15% of the Kebele members are technicians,professionals, or have some kind of management position in the kebeleadministration.

The government has a stated aim of addressing poverty by doubling per capitaincome by 2010. However, in order to achieve this aim the economy has toimprove from the current 5% average annual growth rate to 7% or 8% per year.4

3.1 Best interest of the child (Article 3):

“In all actions concerning children…the best interest of the child shall be aprimary consideration ((Article 3, CCRCC)"

The government of Ethiopia has been taking various measures since the early1990s to improve the situation of children in the country. It ratified the CRC in1992. It adopted a new Constitution in December 1995, which in many waysimproved the legal protection of children. Article 36 of the Constitution pertainsspecifically to the rights of children, and was drafted in consideration of the

7

The houusing in the kebele is very crampedand confined.

4 EIU (2001) "Country Report", The Economist Intelligence Unit, Country Report on Ethiopia,September 2001.5 UNICEF (2001) "Situation of Ethiopian Children and Women: A Rights Based Analysis".

provisions of the CRC5. Article 36 of the Ethiopian Constitution states that everychild has the following rights:

The right to life;The right to a name and nationality;The right to know and be cared for by parents or legal guardians;The right to be protected from labor exploitation and not to be forced toundertake work that may harm his/her education, health and well-being; The right to be free from harsh or inhuman punishment inflicted on his/her body in schools or child care institutions.

The new Constitution clearly stipulates that all international human rights treatiesthat Ethiopia has ratified, including the CRC, are incorporated into domestic law.In addition to the Constitution and the Convention, the government has alsoadopted new policies and programs on social welfare (1994, Population, Healthand Education).

The government has expressed its political commitment to improve the situationof children, notably by setting up an Inter-ministerial Legal Committee to reviewthe compatibility of national legislation with the provisions of the CRC.Committees on the Rights of the Child have been established at the national,regional, zonal and woreda levels. The government has also adopted a NationalPlan of Action for children and established a ministerial committee to monitor itsimplementation.

Furthermore, the government approved a new family law in July 2000, improvingpolicy on issues such as marriage, divorce, and child custody. This law wasdeveloped in consultation with NGOs, governmental, judicial, and women'saffairs groups, traditional leaders and other members of society. Unlike the formerlaw, the new family law clearly states that any decision rendered shall beappropriate to the proper care and well being of the children (Article 218).

In addition, the House of Peoples' Representatives endorsed a bill establishing aHuman Rights Commission and a Human Rights Ombudsman's office in July2000. Although the initial draft bills did not include specific women's andchildren's rights, in subsequent public hearings and consultations, the protectionof children's and women's rights were explicitly added to the mandates of the twooffices. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) has introduced fivenewly designed alternative childcare guidelines. These are guidelines for adoption,foster care, institutional care, reintegration, reunification, and community-basedchild support programs. In every guideline, CRC articles are incorporated tocreate awareness among people working with children.6

86 ibid.

3.2 Definition of the child (Article 1)

" …a child means every huuman being below the age of 1188 years uunless, uunder thelaw applicable to the child, majjority is attained earlier." ((Article 11, CCRCC)The Law

The recent Revised Family Code of Ethiopia7 defines a "minor" as a person whohas not attained the full age of eighteen years (Article 215). This definition iscompatible with the CRC. In the Ethiopian family code, the general principle issubject to exceptions, however, when the age of minority ends throughemancipation. Emancipation occurs either through marriage or upon approval ofthe court (Articles 311 & 312). Once a minor has been emancipated and attainedmajority, he/she looses the special protection afforded to children (Article 113).The application for emancipation because of marriage can be made by either sexbut is restricted to those who are between 16 and 18. This is because the Ministryof Justice cannot grant dispensation from the minimum age of marriage, i.e. 18years, for more than two years (Article 7). Marriage implies that the minor hasattained the age of majority even if he/she is less than 18 years old.

Apart from cases of marriage, the family council may authorize the emancipationof a minor provided that he/she has reached the age of fifteen years, and providedthat the application for emancipation has been submitted by the child him-/herself, one of his parents, his guardian or his tutor.

Under the 1957 Ethiopian Penal Code, the legal age of criminal responsibilityincludes children as young as 9 years old. It also states that from the age of 15,children are treated as adults (Article 56:1). In this regard, it is not clear whetherthe latter statement means that children aged 15 and older may be sentenced tolife imprisonment or be detained together with adults.

Ethiopian Labor Law8 states that there are two categories of minors: Persons under14 years of age and "young workers", (persons between 14 and 18 years old). Thefirst category of minors is prohibited from contracts of employment. Childrenbetween 14 and 18, however, can sign employment contracts for work andapprenticeship. This law contradicts Article 313 in the Civil Code, which forbidsyoung workers to undertake professional contractual relationships with anemployer. Finally, the Labor Law treats a person as an adult worker only when heis over 18 years of age; otherwise, he is a minor or a child.9

The Practice

The criteria used by the Kebele 07 community to define a child or to differentiatethe phase of childhood from that of adulthood are somehow ambivalent. Datacollected on this issue using different methods indicate different results. In the

9 7 Federal Negarit Gazaetta of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Extraordinary issue No.1/2000, Addis Ababa. 8 Ethiopian Labor Proclamation (1993)9 Mulugeta (1996) "Children's Rights under Ethiopian Law" Addis Ababa Faculty of Law, Ethiopia

interviews conducted with parents, more than 95% used age as the criteria todefine the end of childhood. However, the maximum age indicated by therespondents ranged from 10 years up to 26 years. The respondents also had

differing views regarding the minimum age for marriage and childbirth (Graph 1). Most respondents used age as the most important variable to determine thebeginning of adulthood. The majority stated that 18 is the most common andappropriate age for marriage. In the workshop organized for adults in the kebele, the group discussionparticipants were presented with alternative criteria to differentiate a child from anadult. The criteria included age, economic independence and mental or physicalmaturity. The discussion revealed that most of the participants preferred to use acombination of the three criteria to define a child. However, some respondentsclaimed that economic independence is more relevant than age as a criterion todifferentiate a child from an adult.

3.2 Awareness of the Convention on the Rights of theChild (Article 42)

"State Parties uundertake to make the principles and provisions of the CConventionwidely known, by appropriate and active means, to aduults and children alike."

The majority of those interviewed in Kebele 07 claimed that they were aware ofthe UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, this was not always truein different sections of the Kebele 07 community. For instance, out of elevenKebele Council members interviewed, five responded that they did not knowabout the Convention.

10

GGraph 11: Maxximuum Age of CChildhood, Minimuum Age of Marriage and GGivingBirth.

Interviews with parents revealed that awareness of the CRC correlated with age.The older the parent, the less they knew about children's rights. Almost 85% ofparents under the age of 30 were aware of the Convention, while only 58% ofparents over 50 were aware of the its existence.

Among children, it was clear that age had a correlation with awareness of the CRC.33% of the children aged 6-9 knew about the Convention, 53% of the childrenfrom age 10-13 knew about it, and over 60% were aware of it in the age group14-18.

Gender also had an impact on CRC awareness. More fathers and boys (78% and

59% respectively) had heard about the Convention than mothers and girls (68%and 48% respectively). Finally, among both adults and children, the higher theeducational level of the respondent, the more likely he/she was to have heard aboutthe Convention (Graph 2). Most adults indicated that they had heard about the CRC through mass media ingeneral and through TV and radio in particular. The majority of the school-agedchildren interviewed said that they had learned about the Convention at school.Only 26% added media as a channel of CRC information. Six out of nine teachersin the Kebele stated that they had received some sort of professional child rightstraining.

Not surprisingly, teachers and students had a more detailed level of knowledge ofthe Convention than others did. Most teachers and students were able to cite

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GGraph 2. Relationship between eduucational level and awareness of the CCRCC.

several rights from the Convention. Most parents and other community members(80%) cited the right to care and support. Only 5% could state other rights.

3.3 Perception of children and their rights (The PreambleParagraph 7 & 10 and Article 5)

"Bearing in mind that . . . the child by reason of his physical and mentalimmatuurity, needs special safeguuards and care . . . " ((Paragraph 110)

"CConsidering that the child shouuld be fuully prepared to live an individuual life in asociety. . .." ((Paragraph 7)

"State parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duuties of parents . . . toprovide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child . . .in theexxercise by the child of the rights recognized . . . "((Article 5)

Most of the community members believed that children have rights. However, fewof them felt that the CRC has practical implications for them. There is a saying inthe kebele that represents the view of adults toward children: Serious issues are notdiscussed in front of a child.10 However, the majority of people living in Kebele

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GGraph 3. Parents opinions on the obligations of children to their parents andthemselves.

10 This perception is shared among 69% of the Kebele 07 population.

07 believed that children have an obligation to support their parents during theirold age and an obligation to support themselves if their parents have no means ofdoing so (Graph 4).

3.4 Discrimination (Article 2)

" State Parties shall respect and ensuure the rights set forth in this CConvention toeach child within their jjuurisdiction withouut discrimination of any kind. . ."((Article 2)

Article 2 of the CRC covers the protection of children from discrimination basedon race, color, sex, language, religion, national, social or ethnic origin, property,disability, birth or other status. Other Articles relating to discrimination are thefollowing: Name and Nationality (Article 7), Disabled Children (Article 23),Children of Indigenous People (Article 30).

In the Ethiopian Constitution of December 1995, the right to not bediscriminated against is partially covered in several provisions under Article 36.

The Practice

In its comments to Ethiopia's periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rightsof the Child, the Committee indicated that children and families in Ethiopia whoare members of minority ethnic groups or ethnic groups not in control of theregion's administration, face discrimination.11 The Committee further noted thatgirls and children with disabilities face extensive discrimination, especially in termsof their access to education. Societal discrimination against adults with disabilitieslimits the opportunities for children with disabilities to have their rights protectedand respected.

In its recommendations, the UN CRC Committee stressed that12 Ethiopia shouldmake additional efforts to strengthen the implementation of the non-discrimination provisions of the national constitution. It recommended payingparticular attention to the situation of children from minority ethnic groupswithin a particular province, as well as to that of girls, women and children withdisabilities.

3.4.1 Ethnic Background

In Kebele 07, discrimination against children is mainly related to gender,disability, parent's social status and ethnic or religious background. Gender is avery strong element affecting perception, roles, division of labor/ responsibilities,and power structures in the community. In spite of this, nothing has been done toimprove the situation of women within the kebele.

13 11 Committee on the Rights of the Child, 26th session (2001) "Concluding observations of theCommittee on the Rights of the Child: Ethiopia" (CRC/C/15/Add.144)12 ibid. pp. 6

3.4.2 Disability

Under paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the CRC, state parties recognize the right of adisabled child to a full and decent life. The government should consider childrenwith disabilities a specific category of children who need special protection.

In Kebele 07, the financing of projects that provide services for children withdisabilities has been poor. Children with disabilities suffer from social exclusionand stigmatization, and are not included in the every day activities of theircommunities. Little is being done to promote the rights of children withdisabilities in schools, sport clubs, etc. The fight for the rights of children withdisabilities is not only hampered by a lack of resources, but also by harmfulcultural practices and attitudes.

The study found few cases of children with disabilities in the kebele. This does notnecessarily reflect the reality, but rather the difficulty of accessing these children.It probably reflects the prevalent negative and discriminatory attitudes towardsdisabilities. Many perceive a child with a disability as a punishment from God.Feelings of guilt and shame still prevail. However, there had been some attemptsin the community to improve the situation for children with disabilities throughawareness raising and attempts to start inclusive education programs.

Those children with identified disabilities who have access to education do notattend normal school classes. They receive special education and a little assistancein rehabilitation. There are few technical aids or adjustments for children withdisabilities in the public kebele buildings.

3.4.3 Gender

A majority of people surveyed in Kebele 07 (72%) believed that girls and boys areequal, even though they also believed that their opportunities in life are not. Incontrast, almost 28% of the community members believed that boys were superiorto girls in their abilities and skills. Their main reasons were physical strength,household responsibility, skills and intelligence.

Interviews with different groups resulted in different outcomes. Among parents,53% believed that the two sexes were equal. In focus group discussions organizedfor children, almost all participants stated that girls were equal to boys. However,in a mixed focus group discussion, participants were divided on the issue. In aworkshop organized for adults, most participants seemed to agree on theinequality of the sexes.

Kebele 07 officials and other community members were asked whether boys andgirls should have different job responsibilities. 69% of the government officials felt

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that girls and boys should have equal job opportunities.

Despite the perceived attitude of gender equality, there seemed to be great

inequality in practice. Gender inequality in division of labor is still a big problemin Kebele 07. The research clearly reveals that most people in the communityaccept gender inequality in the work place. Girls are traditionally responsible for household activities, whereas boys carry outactivities outside the household, often requiring physical strength. Most of thecommunity respondents (69%) felt that activities outside the household requiredmore responsibility. Parents and community leaders who responded to thequestionnaires classified caring for infants, housekeeping, and clothes washing asthe responsibility of both sexes. Boys have much more free time than girls, andhave more freedom from their parents.

Girls between the ages of six and nine are expected to clean the house, prepare teaand wash dishes. Girls between the ages of 10-13 are expected to cook, preparecoffee, wash clothes, and go to grinding mills. Girls between the ages of 14-18 areexpected to replace their mothers in the family when necessary. Wheninterviewers asked parents whether boys and girls have equal responsibility in thehouse, 61.3% responded that girls have more responsibility.

Not only do girls have less free time, but they are also controlled very closely by15

A majjority of people interviewed in the kebele believed there were choresspecifically for boys and chores that girls were suupposed to do.

IIff mmyy sscchhooooll sshhiifftt iiss iinn tthhee mmoorrnniinngg,, II pprreeppaarree bbrreeaakkffaasstt ffoorr mmyybbrrootthheerrss.. IInn tthhee aafftteerrnnoooonn II wwiillll wwoorrkk iinn mmyy hhoouusseehhoolldd ccooookkiinnggddiinnnneerr,, ddooiinngg tthhee ddiisshheess,, cclleeaann tthhee hhoouussee,, aanndd ddoo tthhee llaauunnddrryy.. II wwiillllhhaavvee aa ffrreeee ttiimmee oonnllyy aatt llaattee aafftteerrnnoooonn aanndd eeaarrllyy eevveenniinngg.. ((GGiirrll ffrroommKKeebbeellee 0077))

their parents and elder brothers. The interviewers asked parents and communityleaders what they would do if a girl asked them for permission to play with herfriends outside the home. 42% of the parents responded that they would allow herto play but with hesitation, 22.7% responded that that they would not allow herat all. Only 35.2% responded that they would give her permission withouthesitation. Girls in the focus group discussion also indicated that compared totheir brothers, they are required to make twice the effort to convince their parentsif they want to do something that may take them outside the house.

None of the girls participated in the interviews had been to the public library inthe kebele. They did not even know of its existence. However, the majority of theboys interviewed had visited the library and all of them knew about its existence.

Efforts to reduce gender discrimination

In interviews conducted with the chairman and deputy chairman of the kebele, itwas found that no systematic or conscious efforts have been made by theadministration to improve the situation of girls. Other representatives of Kebele07 made similar comments. However, 56% of them stated that they would bewilling to support gender equality initiatives.

Representatives from the Kebele 07 primary school claimed that they have madesome effort to assist girls in their education. Out of nine teachers interviewed, sixresponded that one-hour tutorial classes were offered for girls every day afterregular classes.

3.4.4 Nationality

Citizenship is a general legal base from which fundamental rights, freedoms, andduties are recognized under the laws of a given state. The CRC recognizes a child'sright to a nationality and obliges states to respect the right of the child to preservehis or her nationality.

According to the Nationality Act of 22 July 1930 (Article 1), children born toEthiopian subjects are Ethiopian nationals, whether born in Ethiopia or abroad. Ifthe father is an Ethiopian subject, the child automatically acquires Ethiopiannationality. However, if only the mother is an Ethiopian national, the child mustelect to become an Ethiopian national by living in Ethiopia and giving up his/herforeign nationality.13 In Kebele 07, there is no information on non-Ethiopianresidents.

3.4.5 Birth Registration and Name

According to Article 37 of the 1960 Ethiopian Civil Code, the birth of a child has

1613 ibid.

to be declared and registered with the commune where the child was born within90 days following his/her birth. The Civil Code addresses the situation when achild has been abandoned by his or her parents. For abandoned newborn childrenwhose identity is unknown, the locality must draw up the birth record. This recordstates the day and the place where the child was found, the sex, his/her apparentage, and the family name and first names given to him/her. Failure to perform theobligation of registering the birth of a child entails a penalty under the Penal Codeof Ethiopia.

The Civil Code has elaborate provisions on naming, as well. It requires that a childhave a family name and at least one first name. In order to preserve the identity oforigin or family group of the child, the Civil Code requires that the family nameof the father remain the family name of the child. However, if the father is notknown, the child has been disowned, or the paternity of the child has not beenjudicially declared, the child will have the family name of his/her mother. Ifneither the father nor the mother is known, the child's right to a family name isstill respected (Article 39, Civil Code).

However, insufficient steps have been taken to ensure the registration of childrenafter birth. Four decades after the promulgation of the Civil Code, the office ofcivil status, which is supposed to register civil status, including birth, has still notbeen established. In fact, the new Family Code of Ethiopia (2000) envisaged theestablishment of the institution of civil status within six months after coming intoforce (Art. 321). But the Federal Government has not yet established the office.

In practice, the lack of registration desks hampers the Kebele 07 registrationprocedure. The kebele community resorts to other means, such as churches andthe municipality, to register newborn children.

3.5 Life, Survival, and Development (Article 6)

"States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development ofthe child." (Article 6)

Under the Ethiopian Civil and Penal laws, the child's right to life is protected inthree ways. One is by threatening penal sanctions against those who commit,attempt or incite murder or other acts likely to lead to death, including aidingsuicide and committing genocide. This sanction may even go to the extent ofprotecting the life of the unborn child.14 The second means of protecting the rightto life gives the survivors of a deceased person the right to sue for damages.15 Thethird protection is unique to children. Under the Ethiopian Penal Law, imposingthe death sentence on persons below the age of eighteen is strictly prohibited,however grave the offence may be.16

17 14 Mulugeta (1996) "Children's Rights under Ethiopian Law" Addis Ababa Faculty of Law,Ethiopia15 Ibid. pp. 2916 Ibid. pp. 30

The protection of the child's right to life is not, however, restricted to the legalmeasures taken by the State. It also involves various additional measures. Forexample, it involves the provision of adequate health services and treatment tokeep alive those children who would be likely to die if not treated.17

The right to life is also interpreted as a right to a certain quality of life. This raisesissues of survival and development of the child as stated under Article 6 (2) of theCRC.

3.5.1 Right to Health and Rehabilitation (Article 24)

"State Parties recognize the right of the child to the highest attainable standard ofhealth and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health".

In accordance with the main principles and strategies elaborated in the HealthPolicy (1993) and the Health Sector Strategy (1994), the government has givenattention to the development of a primary health care system.

During the past five years, the main efforts of the Ministry of Health (MOH) havebeen directed at developing a number of health sector policies and strategydocuments, which are in various stages of implementation. Some of the focus hasbeen on decentralization of the health system to the regional, zonal and woredalevels. Other activities have included restructuring the health system, trainingrelevant mid-level health personnel, strengthening the policy guidelines on privatesector involvement in health care, formulating policy guidelines on populationstrategy, providing essential drugs and addressing other related pharmaceuticalissues. In spite of these developments, however, the current health service systemis unable to meet the needs of the population. The effects of the new policies haveyet to be realized.

The policy and Health Sector Development Plan further identified a number ofstrategies, including the three discussed below, to expand and strengthen theprimary health care units in the country.

The first strategy is the democratization and decentralization of the health system.The transfer of decision-making power to the regions entails the reorganization ofthe health institutions into a three-layer pyramid structure, i.e. referral hospital atthe top, health center in the middle and health posts at the bottom. The latter willbe in place mainly in rural areas and in some highly populated urban districts. Thisstructure is deliberately parallel to the zone, woreda and kebele/peasant associationadministrative structures. The reorganization envisages the introduction of healthcouncils and health committees, with strong community representation, at thekebele level.

1817 Ibid. pp. 30

Secondly, a catchment and referral system is also part of the strategy for optimalutilization of health services. According to this arrangement, any person who seekshealth services from a government health institution has to use the healthinstitution found in the administrative area where he resides. He should also starthis treatment from the lowest available institution in the area and go to the higherlevels through referral.

The last main strategy for strengthening primary health care services is to givepriority to the development of middle and lower level health facilities andpersonnel. Accordingly, the construction and upgrading of health centers andposts and the training of middle level health professionals were given due emphasisin the Health Sector Development Plan I.

Health facilities in Kebele 07

There are no health posts in Kebele 07. The kebele residents share the single healthcenter designated for the Woreda 22 population. It is located 1/2-2 km away fromKebele 07. The health center was established in the mid-1950s, and was expandedand upgraded to a woreda health center in 2001.

The woreda health center is expected to serve the 51,297 residents of Woreda 22.Accordingly, the center serves 3,488 children below age four (6.8% of thepopulation) and 11,132 children from age five to fourteen (21.7%). However, dueto the comparatively small size of the Woreda 22 population, the center also servesresidents of other woredas.

The activities and services of the center fall into three categories: hygiene, diseaseprevention, and curative health care. The center engages in health education,vaccination, antenatal treatment and nutrition. It also provides examinations foradults and children, primary health care, emergency health care, outpatienttreatment, TB treatment and laboratory and pharmacy services.

The center's roles and responsibilities regarding hygiene and sanitation are toinspect and control the standard of food, drinks, and sanitation in the bars andrestaurants in Woreda 22. It also carries out environmental control and cleaningactivities in the woreda and monitors two public latrines.

In addition to the government health center, there are four private clinics (twohigher and two middle) within the vicinity of Kebele 07.

Health service practice and performance at the health center

The assessment of the health center's previous year's18 performance revealed thatit under-performed in terms of the number of patients treated. The center facedserious obstacles to fulfilling its two main missions, i.e. implementing preventive

19 18 1994 Ethiopian Calendar

health care and providing primary health care services in Woreda 22.

The disparity between the target and the actual number of patients who receivedtreatment at the center was so great that questions were raised about whether theplan itself was realistic. The center has ten beds; eight for delivery and theremaining two for emergency purposes. It claims to have the capacity to treat upto twenty children below age five and ninety adults per day, in addition to anyemergency cases. However, last year, it treated only 3,303 children below age five,accounting for only 41.7% of its target. In the case of the adults, theaccomplishment rate was 67%.

The reasons for this discrepancy are still unclear. However, further investigationinto contributing factors, such as an information or communication gap betweenthe center and residents, the attitudes and preferences of residents toward thecenter, and the quality of the services at the center, might shed some light in thisrespect.

The center is also making some efforts to improve its education program incollaboration with a local NGO called Good Neighborhood. For the past year,with financial and technical support from this NGO, the center has beenconducting some educational activities on HIV/AIDS and family planning usingan amateur drama group. The involvement of this drama group has brought someencouraging developments in promoting interactive health education and inattracting wider audiences from the neighboring community. The center claimedthat in the previous year, in its regular and other occasional health educationprograms, it reached 30, 524 people.

On the other hand, no budget was allocated for the health center's educationprogram in the previous and current fiscal years. No resources were allocated tosupport the program with necessary materials and basic skills. In addition, almostall the health officers who participate in the education program have no basicbackground or training in public health education methodology. They usetraditional face-to-face lecture methods extensively.

Furthermore, the health center is not performing well in its essential drug supplyservices. While the majority of Kebele 07 residents agree on the availability andaffordability of health facilities (referring practically to the Woreda 22 healthcenter), the overwhelming majority (more than 92%) held that the essential drugsare insufficiently supplied and very expensive. The officials at the health centershare this view.

Health issues and problems relevant to children

The health center has a separate section for children below 15. While the creationof this section is commendable, it is not yet staffed with medical personnel trained

20

to handle children's health problems. The section's staff consists only of oneclinical nurse and one medical assistant, who have received general training intheir respective professional areas and levels. In principle, any child who comes tothe center will get medical attention first from this staff. If the staff believes thatthe case is beyond their capacity, or the child needs further attention, they willrefer him to either of the center's two medical doctors. If the doctors concur, theycan refer the child to the nearest hospital where he may be treated by apediatrician.

The children's section is also responsible for the nutrition-rehabilitation programof the health center. The program is designed to promote preventive health care inWoreda 22 by addressing the problem of underweight children. The primarypurpose of the rehabilitation center is to give parents practical lessons in nutritionfor their children. In the year before the study, the rehabilitation center treated 92children, and in the following year the center planned to treat twice that numberor at least 15 children per month.

Even if the existence of the rehabilitation center and its activities should beappreciated, the program has problems that may have negative impacts on therealization of its intended purpose. Firstly, the center has budget constraints. Anannual budget of only ETB 4,000 was allocated to the center in the last two years.Due to lack of funding, the center stopped its service for four months in theprevious year. Secondly, the center does not have the necessary equipment for itsactivities, including a refrigerator. Thirdly, the health center, which has open landavailable, lacked the manpower to use its potential to produce the vegetablesnecessary for its feeding and demonstration activities. Finally, the center is underquestion as to whether it is providing sustainable solutions to the nutritionalproblems of children under its care. Most of the children who participate in theprogram repeatedly have the same nutritional problems. The majority of themothers participating in the program are the breadwinners of their families, andtherefore have neither the time nor the resources to execute properly the practicallessons they receive at the center.

HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is an integral part of the development crisis facingEthiopia. The epidemic undermines the country's efforts to reduce poverty,especially the investments in health, education, and rural development. Beyond itsvast toll in suffering and death, AIDS may also be costing Ethiopia significantly inits economic growth every year, further reducing the possibilities for povertyalleviation. HIV/AIDS now poses the foremost threat to Ethiopia's development,according to the National HIV/AIDS Council.19 Available statistics indicate thatthe problem is worse in urban areas (23% HIV infection rate) than rural areas(6%), although these percentages are only estimates. AIDS patients occupy anestimated 60% of hospital beds, up from 23% in 1997.

21 19 Strategic Framework for the National Response to HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia in 2001-2005,National HIV/AIDS Council, June 2001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Recent figures from HAPCO, the National HIV/AIDS Council, reveal that up to23% of the people living in Addis Ababa could be infected with HIV. If thesestatistics are translated to the situation in Kebele 07, approximately 1,700 peoplemay be infected by the virus.

Environment and sanitation

Environmental and sanitation problems are the other major causes of commondiseases, including parasites and skin infections, identified by both the healthcenter and by the residents. These problems are linked to the absence of propersewage systems and waste disposal facilities in Kebele 07.

Most of the houses in Kebele 07 have no sewage system at all. The health centerhas only two waste collection containers for the dry waste of the entire woreda.These are usually placed on the main roads, far from the majority of residents.Within Kebele 07, there is no waste collection container or even a designatedwaste collection point.

The house-to-house waste collection service provided by the center is notconducted regularly, and most of the time it does not reach all the Woreda 22residents. The absence of proper waste disposal facilities and an effectiveadministrative system encourages the residents to resort to other solutions. Thenegative attitude and unhealthy practice of Kebele 07 residents regarding wastedisposal contribute to environmental and sanitation problems. Open areas foundnear paths and paved roads are the main areas where residents dispose of liquidwaste, while dry waste is left on riverbanks, in open spaces, and by roadsides. Sincethese places are the children's main playing fields, they are major sources ofchildren's health problems.

Water

In addition to wastedisposal issues, the studyinvestigated access toclean water, toiletfacilities and housingstandards, and their linksto environmental andsanitation problems. Thestudy team concludedthat these problems arenot directly related to the

22

One of the public water points in the kebele.

lack of access to clean water. All parents in Kebele 07 responded that they haveaccess to clean water and 46.5% have private tap water. The remaining 53.5% ofthe residents could easily purchase clean water from a large number of privatesources. In addition, there are three public water points that are fairly distributedwithin the kebele. There is no frequent or long-term absence of tap water inKebele 07.

Toilets

90.2% of parents and 81.6% of children responded that they have toilet access.However, of these respondents, 67% of parents and 60 % of children indicatedthat they share the toilet with other families. The large number of residents whouse common toilets is a major concern, because this may increase the transmission

of communicable diseases for children.The fact that most of these facilities arenot flush toilets is another concern.Housing is a concern because themajority of residents live in rentedhouses. Rental housing may be of poorquality and may be an additional causefor health problems among children.

In spite of the various setbacks andproblems of the health sector, there aresome encouraging signs. For instance,

more than 90% of parents in Kebele 07 are willing to take their children to healthcenters immediately when they feel sick. This is corroborated by more than 90%of children in the kebele, who disclosed that their parents would take them to ahealth center whenever they fell sick. The vaccination coverage in Kebele 07 isanother positive development. 100% of parents and community leaders in Kebele07 reported that they have had their children vaccinated. Furthermore, 100% ofkebele administrative officials and council members confirmed that theadministration has been making considerable efforts to ensure that every child inthe kebele is vaccinated.

3.5.2 Right to education (Articles 28-31)

By law, primary education is free and should be universal. However, despite effortsby the government to increase the number of schools, there are not enough schoolsto accommodate the country's youth. The government uses a three-shift system inprimary and secondary schools to maximize the utilization of classrooms and toprovide an opportunity for working children to attend school.

The government is implementing the New Education Policy and Strategy, which

23

OOne of the puublic toilets in the kebele.

focuses on the expansion of pre-school and primary education. As part of theimplementation of the policy, the government has revised the primary schoolcurriculum and instructional materials to make them more relevant to the needsof the pupils.

The planning and management of primary and secondary education have beendecentralized to the regional level. A five-year Education Sector DevelopmentProgram was adopted in 1997. A second follow-up planning document foreducation is about to be finalized for the coming five years. The document focuseson vocational training and methods for strengthening pupil-centered teachingmethods.

Ethiopia is committed to Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015. AnEducation Sector Development Program (ESDP) has been implemented since1997. In three to four years, the primary school enrollment rate has increased fromunder 30% to 51%. By the end of the first 5 years of ESDP (June 2002), 60% ofprimary school aged children should be enrolled.

Formal Schools

Until very recently, there were no government primary schools in the entireWoreda 22, let alone in Kebele 07. However, a new government primary school,called Lideta Selame, became operational in Woreda 22 in 2002. The cost wasfully covered by the government. The school primarily aims at serving childrenfrom Woreda 22, including those from Kebele 07. It is located near the Woreda22 health center, 1/2-2 km from Kebele 07.

The school has 20 classrooms and additional facilities such as a library, alaboratory and staff offices. It offers a complete primary education program, fromGrade 1-8. It uses two shifts, morning and afternoon, to maximize its teachingactivities. By doing this, it doubles its capacity from 20 to 40 classes. During theacademic year 2002/2003, it enrolled 1995 students (870 male and 1125 female).The school has 44 teachers and an average of 50 students per classroom. In 2003,the school received a budget of ETB 42,188, excluding staff salaries.

Twelve student clubs exist in the school. Among these, the Guidance andCounseling, Children's Rights, Health, and Anti-HIV/AIDS, Mini-Media, andAnti-physical Harm clubs are the major ones. 38 teachers and 396 studentsparticipate in the student clubs.

Despite the large number of active student clubs in the schools, no budget isallocated to support their activities. They usually carry out their activities withfinancial, material or technical support from outside sources, primarily NGOs.

Semi-PPublic Schools2420 Public Schools are schools operated by the population of the localities in which they are found

and which are financed by student fees with or without assistance from the Government. All publicschools were private before 1975 ( Ethiopian Statistical Abstract 2001, p360).

There are also three semi-public schools operating in Woreda 22. One of these,Friehiwote I, has been in Kebele 07 for 40 years. Recently, this school hasupgraded its capacity with 16 new classrooms and doubled its enrollment.20

Another semi-private school in Kebele 07 also runs a complete primary educationprogram from grade 1 through grade 8. The school charges a reasonable fee,collected in two forms; as a registration fee (a one time payment to be collected atthe beginning of the school year) and as a regular monthly fee (collected everymonth throughout the school year). It charges all its students similar fees, but witha slight incremental increase for each grade level and an additional ETB 5registration fee for new students. For 2002/2003, the rates were as follows: Grade1 students paid ETB 23 and 13 and Grade 8 students ETB 31 and 18 forregistration and monthly school fees, respectively. This means that the schoolcharges 18-24 US dollars per pupil for one school year.

The school has 16 classrooms, which could accommodate 32 classes if the schoolused a shift method. With the standard maximum number of 50 students perclass, the capacity of the school could be stretched to a maximum of 1,600students. However, in 2002/2003 it enrolled only 875 students (425 male and 450female). For the same school year, the school employed 33 teachers of whom 26were directly engaged in teaching and the rest were working in offices.

Kindergartens

A major education problem in Kebele 07 is the absence of affordablekindergartens. Compared to the previous decade, the situation has deteriorated inthe past ten years. There was a kindergarten run and administered by Kebele 07during the Marxist military regime. The majority of kebele residents used to getaffordable pre-primary education from this kindergarten. Since the EPRDF

declared adherence to afree market economy,however, theadministration hasstopped providing thiseducational service.

Currently, there are veryfew pre-primaryeducation facilities inKebele 07. These areneither sufficient noraffordable enough tosatisfy the needs of thecommunity. There are no

25Children in one of the kindergartens of kebele 7.

government pre-primaryschools in Woreda 22.There is one semi-publickindergarten in the kebelethat is temporarilyadministered by FreihiwotI Public Primary School.The school embarked onthis activity out ofpractical necessity anddoes not run thekindergarten as a regularprogram, which makes theservice unreliable. The

kindergarten only enrolled 50 children in 2002/2003 for a fee of ETB10-30 permonth. Furthermore, its future is in a precarious situation.

There are two additionalprivate kindergartens inKebele 07, but they areexpensive even for middleclass families. One of thekindergartens charges ETB 90per month per child. Theother has just begun operationand is affiliated with theIslamic faith. Both schools areappropriate or affordable foronly a few members of thekebele community.Furthermore, there are no traditional pre-primary education facilities in Kebele 07or other neighboring kebeles. This why the majority of kebele residents, whetherparents, community leaders, or officials, consistently raised the absence ofkindergartens in the workshop, interviews, and group discussions, as the numberone child-related problem in Kebele 07.

In spite of the difficult situations the education sector has been wrestling with,some efforts have been made in Kebele 07 to address the lack of pre-primaryeducation. Freihiwot I Public Primary School and a local NGO named GoheFamily Development Ethiopia have been in the forefront. They have encounteredfinancial problems, however, which seriously hamper their efforts. The normal feefor a single child is ETB 30 per month, but children from poor families have beenpaying a reduced fee of ETB 10 per month.

26

The exxterior of a make-sshift kindergarten in thekebele.

The kebele administration is willing to donatethis land as a site for a new kindergarten.

3.5.3 Right to Leisure and Recreation (Art. 30)

""State parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisuure, to engage in playand recreational activities…"

Children's right to leisure and to engage in recreational activities is one of the leastrealized rights in Kebele 07. The perception of the kebele community in generaldoes not favor the full exercise of this right. The community members do not seemto understand its meaning and implications. Asked how their children spend theirleisure time, half of the parents interviewed (50%) responded that their childrenspend their time studying, working at home and playing at the same time. Only18% of the parents responded playing alone. The responses of the children werevery much in line with the parents'. A large number of children (76.9%) disclosedthat they spend their leisure time studying and playing, while the minority(15.6%) indicted that they spend their time working at home and playing at thesame time.

These responses indicate that the majority of the kebele residents do not considerrecreation or leisure activities as separate activities to be undertaken for their ownsake. For most of the Kebele community, recreation is confined to outdooractivities, mainly playing football and other physical activities. The majority ofadults/parents did not feel that they have a responsibility to facilitate therealization of this right for their children. Recreation is understood as somethingwhere adults have no role. In fact, a significant portion of the parents (56%)shared the traditional saying: do not play with a child, he will stab you with a stick.

Most of the kebele community members seemed to fail to understand or recognizethe meaning, implications or value of leisure and recreation. It is true that only afew of the parents interviewed (10%) responded that they do not allow theirchildren to play. But in the same interview, 42% of the parents had the opinionthat allowing children to play might create obstacles to other serious activities suchas their education. They implied in their responses that children should not beencouraged to engage in play and recreation activities.

The practice/reality of this right in the kebele is a direct reflection of the prevailingperceptions. There is no child focused recreation facility in the kebele. Neither thekebele administration nor the private sector is engaged in providing this service.The kebele officials disclosed that very little has been done in this regard, and sofar the administration has no plan to address this need. This seems odd in view ofthe business the kebele administration is engaged in, including renting out a halland a small adjacent park for wedding ceremonies and other events. To date, noattempt has been made to use these available resources for children's recreationpurposes.

27

Children and adults share the two small open fields in the kebele, and childrenusually use roads as playing fields. But they encounter various difficulties evenwith these playing fields. The two open fields are adjacent to a river that crossesthe kebele, and are usually used by the community as waste dumping sites. Theseunprotected and unprepared open fields pose dangers to small children. Theresearch team witnessed the tragic death of a boy (age 10) drowned in the riverwhile playing with his friends. The fields are swamped with water during thewinter season, when children need them most because of their winter schoolbreak. The children expressed that playing on the roads has its own risks of beinghit by cars and being beaten or chased by residents living on either side of the road.The situation of girls and children with disabilities is much worse than that ofboys. In addition to the obstacles they share with boys, their access to the playingfields is further limited by cultural attitudes. The children especially identifiedprovision of recreation facilities as their number one concern to be addressed.

3.6 Child Participation (Article 12)

“States Parties shall assuure to the child who is capable of forming his or her ownviews the right to exxpress those views freely in all matters affecting the child, theviews of the child being given duue weight in accordance with the age and matuurityof the child." ((Article 112)

The Government of Ethiopia says that the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs(MOLSA) promotes participation of children in the family, school, and social lifein cooperation with child-centered NGOs and concerned government

28

OOne of the two playgrouunds for children in the kebele. Unfortuunately, theplaygrouund is suurrouunded with ruubbish.

21 State Party Report to the CRC Committee, 26th Session (2000) "List of issues to be taken upin connection with the consideration of the second periodic report of Ethiopia (CRC/C/70/Add.7)22 ibid.

institutions. This is especially manifested in the participation of children indrawing, poem, and essay competitions at the national and international levels andin their participation in weekly radio programs for children.21

The right of the child to freedom of expression, thought, conscience, religion,association, and of peaceful assembly are ensured by the Constitution of theFDRE in articles 27-31.22

Recent changes in the Family Code (July 2000) provide children with a right tobe heard in cases of divorce, marriage and child custody cases. In addition, aChildren's Forum has been established. However, children's right to be heard,especially in rural areas, is insufficiently respected. The UN Committee on theRights of the Child23 has expressed its concern that young children andadolescents in Ethiopia are not always permitted to express their opinions freely.They remain concerned that a broad range of adults' human rights are notadequately respected; and that this situation may create an environment in whichthe civil rights and freedoms of children are not fully respected.24

This study attempted to assess the participation of children in different settings,specifically in the family, in the community, within the kebele administration andcouncil, and in school life. The assessment in each setting focused on three issues:the knowledge of, attitudes regarding, and practice of child participation. Theseissues were examined in relation to children's right to be heard and participate indecisions affecting their interests, and their rights to freedom of expression,association, and peaceful assembly.

The findings of the study indicate that, taken at face value, there are widely sharedgood intentions towards promoting children's participation. However, in terms ofknowledge and practice, the family and community settings exhibit moreproblems than the school environment. Even in the school environment,children's participation is still very restricted.

Understanding and Attitude

The results of the interviews and questionnaires indicate that the concept of childparticipation is alien to parents, administrative officials, and council members, butfamiliar to teachers. When asked to explain what they understood by childparticipation, 57.4% of parents responded that it is a good idea and the rest,37.4% considered it something that makes children happy. No parent could giveany further explanation of the concept, what it entails, or how it is implemented.Of the 10 administrative officials and council members interviewed, halfexplained the concept similarly to the parents. The other half, however, consideredthe concept to mean allowing children to express their views without fear andparticipate in decisions affecting their interests. On the other hand, all 10 teachersinterviewed equated the concept with conducting child-centered education and

29 23 Committee on the Rights of the Child, 26th session (2001) "Concluding Observations of theCommittee on the Rights of the Child: Ethiopia" (CRC/C/15/Add.144)24 ibid.

encouraging students to express their views without fear.

A related question posed to all interviewees was whether freedom of expression,association, and peaceful assembly could be considered children's rights.Administrative officials and council members were divided almost evenly (55%considered them children's rights, the remaining 45% held the opposite view).Among the parents and community leaders, 76% considered them children'srights. Of 12 teachers who responded, only three did not consider them children'srights. In order to further test their attitudes towards the same issues, an additionalquestion was posed to the three informant groups: whether children should havethe right to express themselves and be heard, and to participate in matters affectingtheir interests. Parents and community leaders responded as they had to previousquestions; 77% agreed with the idea, 9.8% partially agreed, and 13% disagreed.All the teachers expressed their agreement with the idea. In contrast to theirresponses to the previous questions, 95.5% of administrative officials agreed and4.5% partially agreed with the idea. However, when they were asked whether thekebele administration or council has an obligation to hear or allow children toparticipate when it renders decisions affecting their interests, only 54.5% agreedand 45.5% disagreed.

The practice

When examining the practice of children's participation in the three settings, itappears that there is minimal or no child participation in the family andcommunity settings (kebele administration and council) compared to the schoolsetting. Even in the school environment, however, children's participation has notyet been well developed.

The practice of permitting children to participate was assessed based on theresponses to the following questions:- Are children allowed to express their views freely to their parents and

teachers, and in general in the presence of adults? - Are children's views given due weight by parents? Do you remember

instances where a decision was changed based on suggestions made by children?

- Do children participate in different kinds of association or clubs? Are theypermitted to do so? Are there mechanisms through which children expresstheir concerns and participate in discussions when their interests are at stake?

Responses to these questions in the family setting differed between parents andchildren, particularly in terms of magnitude. In relation to the first question, aconsiderable number of parents responded that they allow their children to speakin their presence or in the presence of other adults; however, a relatively small

30

number of children agreed with this response. A similar trend was observed in theresponses to the second and third questions. In both cases, the number of parentswho responded in the positive was quite a bit higher than the number of childrenwho did. The difference was particularly marked in the third category. Whilealmost all parents (88%) responded that they allow their children to participate indifferent associations and clubs, only a few children (12%) said that theyparticipate in associations and clubs (Graph 5.). Although most children indicatedthat they were not club or association members, absence of permission from theirparents may not be the main cause. When looking at the disparity between the responses of parents and children, onewonders whom to believe. It is essential to crosscheck with data collected usingother methods, particularly the workshops and focus group discussions.Information gathered using these methods suggests that the responses given by thechildren more closely reflect the reality. In the group discussion conducted withadults, almost all participants implied that most people rarely allow their childrento express their views on day-to-day family life, an area considered adult territory.

Almost all children who participated in the focus group discussion confirmed thatthey were not allowed or encouraged to speak in the presence of adults. This isstrictly observed, particularly in the presence of adult visitors. Children are alsostrictly prohibited from intervening in adults' discussions. According to the

31

GGraph 5. Responses of children and parents abouut children''s participation.

children, parents will listen to them mainly on issues related to their education.Parents do not encourage discussions on other issues. The children emphasizedthat parents do not inform them or encourage them to speak their mind. They alsoreported that they are more free to express their views to their elder brothers orsisters.

Child participation is also minimal at the community level. As indicated above,45% of the administrative officials and council members did not believe that theyhave an obligation to listen to the views of children when rendering decisionsaffecting their interests. Similarly, 45.5% reported that there is no plan by theadministration or the council to encourage participation from children indecisions affecting them. Another 13.6% and 31.8% indicated that they havemade occasional or some efforts, respectively, in this regard. All administrativeofficials and council members indicated that so far, no effort has been made tolisten to children's views or encourage them to participate.

Few mechanisms or channels are available, and none are functioning, to enablechildren to participate and air their views either directly or through theirrepresentatives in the kebele administration or council. No children's associations,clubs, or councils exist within the kebele. The Youth Association25, the closestorgan in this respect, is not very strong, nor are child-related issues part of itsagenda. The Children's Rights Committee established by the administration ismerely nominal. When asked what the administration or council has done so farto strengthen and support the activities of the committee, 36.6% responded thatthere is no plan yet in this regard. Occasional effort was reported by 18.2% of therespondents, and 23.3% reported that some efforts have been made.

However, in the interview conducted with the chairman and deputy chairman ofthe kebele administration, it was learned that no effort at all is made to supportand follow up the activities of the committee. According to them, the committeehas done nothing since its establishment. They indicated that there are no cleardirectives on how the committee should function. They did not hide that thecommittee's principal concern has almost been forgotten by those who requestedits establishment.

Compared to the family and community setting, children's participation ispracticed and encouraged most in the school environment. In the interviewconducted with children, 89.7% responded that they can freely express their viewsin class discussions, and 75% responded that they could easily approach theirteachers without fear. Almost all participants indicated that they felt more free toexpress their views to their teachers than to their parents or elder brothers andsisters. According to the children, this is mainly because their teachers repeatedlyinform them that they can ask for explanations or respond to questions withoutworrying whether or not they are correct. In addition, 41% of the childrenreported that there are media and other means in their schools through which theycan express their views. Despite such positive developments, the children and

3225 The Youth Democratic Association

teachers indicate that additional efforts are required to strengthen children'sparticipation in the school decision-making structures. The students reported thatthe Children's Rights and Mini-media clubs are weak and need to bestrengthened. They pointed out that students still have little influence on the day-to-day operation of their schools, and they recommended that this should beimproved.

Part 4. Actors and Duty Bearers in Kebele 07

4.1. Kebele General Assembly and the Council

The Kebele General Assembly comprises all the kebele residents.26 It is the topadministrative organ in the kebele and meets every three months.

The General Assembly elects members to the Kebele Council, which isaccountable to the Assembly. The Council has thirty members and meets everymonth. The Executive Committee is under the Council and is responsible for theday-to-day administration of the kebele. It has three members: the chairman,deputy chairman and secretary. The General Assembly elects them and they are theonly paid kebele administrative staff. They report to the Council and the Councilis responsible for approving annual plans submitted to it by the Executive

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Some children in the kebele.26 During the Dergue period, Kebele 07, was known as a center for the security forces, and a placefor torture and arbitrary killings of the members of the political opposition.

Committee.

The kebele administers a small kebele house and other properties it owns. It canalso carry out additional activities deemed beneficial to the public. The kebelegenerates income from two sources. The first is kebele houses rented for privatecommercial purposes. The kebele generates around ETB 5,000 per month fromthis source. However, the rent is collected by and goes directly to the Addis AbabaFinance Bureau. The kebele has no control over this money. The other incomesource is small-scale businesses owned by the kebele. These businesses provideservices to the kebele residents and at same time generate income. An organ calledthe caretaker board manages these businesses.

Currently, the following businesses provide income to the kebele: a butchery, agrinding mill, a bakery, a bar (tea and draft) and restaurant (rented), garages(rented), three water points, a meeting hall, and a park (rented for weddings andother purposes). These businesses generate around ETB 6,000 per month. Thebusinesses also employ 30 kebele residents. The income is under the fullresponsibility of the kebele administration. The caretaker board can developvarious plans for using or reinvesting the income, but the plans must be approvedby the council.

4.2.The Kebele Administration

The administration of the kebele is organized in three sections: financial,administrative and social. The chairman, his deputy and the secretary areresponsible for each section, respectively. Various committees are organized undereach section of the administration. In most cases, there is no clear or consistentregulation or directive on how to organize such committees or on how they shouldcarry out their responsibilities. This differs from committee to committee anddepends on the nature of the committee. For instance, members of the committeerange from the minimum five or six, in the case of the CRC committee, to thirtyin the case of the Development and HIV/AIDS committees. The executivecommittee directly elects members to some committees, and in some instances thecouncil approves members. Committee members are selected among the kebeleresidents, and except for some committees (i.e. the caretaker board), councilmembers can also become members. They work on a voluntary basis.

The kebele administration issues residence identification cards and providestestimonial documents for changes in civil status such as marriage, birth anddeath. For example, a person who intends to get married and needs to secure amarriage certificate from the municipality must present a document from thekebele where he or she resides, which testifies that he or she is not married. Kebelesissue such testimonial documents after hearing the testimony of three witnesses.Kebeles also write support letters for low-income families to receive free health

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services, in court cases, and sometimes for education. These kinds of activities areundertaken by kebele social courts.

The kebele CRC Committee was established in 2001 and consists of fivemembers. They have not yet held any meetings or organized any activities forchildren. The kebele is involved in income generating schemes for low-income families. Acaretaker board administers this function of the development committee.Members of the caretaker board are elected by the general assembly from thekebele residents and are directly accountable to the kebele council. Councilmembers are not allowed to be members of the caretaker board. The board has itsown rules and regulations.

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Recently, Kebele 07 is improving its image through development projects. Theseprojects, which include a subsidiary road, a sewage system and toilets, createopportunities for the kebele administration to work with the residents. Theimplementation of the projects develops residents' trust in the administration.

4.3 Voluntary organizations and associations in Kebele 07

There are various voluntary organizations and associations working to address thesocioeconomic problems of the community. They are listed below:

NGOs: Love for Children, Handicap National, Good Neighborhood Kendile HIV/AIDS and Environmental Association Red Cross AssociationYouth Self Help Association Youth Arts AssociationYouth Democratic Association Women's Democratic AssociationFuture Hope Development Association

Most of the members of these organizations are unemployed youth. The legal statusof the organizations is not yet secure. The main objectives of the associations are tocreate employment opportunities and to shape their members and other youth in thekebele by building morale. Presently, some are engaged in organizing sportcompetitions among the kebele youth. Due to their initiative, twelve football groupswere established in the kebele and are competing with each other on a regular basis.

4.4 Iders

There are six large iders (traditional burial associations) registered in Kebele 07. Theyhave started participating in the development activities of the kebele through raisingfunds and encouraging their members to contribute their skills. One ider has alsoengaged in raising the awareness of its members and other residents aboutHIV/AIDS.27

Iders are social support groups that have survived for a very long time in Ethiopia.They provide comfort and support to the family when there is a death and thefamily is mourning. Ider members take responsibility for the burial ceremony and forhousehold responsibilities from three to seven days. Members are required tocontribute a fixed amount on a monthly basis. Mostly, ider members meet monthlyto collect contributions and for formal informative meetings, apart from theirinformal meetings at the mourning place. If an ider member loses a family memberor dies himself/herself, it is obligatory for other ider members to go to the mourningplace and take responsibility for the mourning family members. If they do not, they

3627 Yeneib Idir

will be penalized according to the internal regulations of the ider. Most iders havewritten internal regulations and an assigned leadership committee nominated bymembers for a fixed period.

Part 5. Underlying Causes and Obstacles

5.1 Attitudes and awareness

The implications of attitude and awareness are clear in this report. These factorsinfluence children's participation in the family, the community, and school; as wellas discrimination and resource allocation to services affecting children in Kebele07.

The community's attitudes towards and awareness of children and their rights arethe main underlying causes for violations of or deficiencies in observing children'srights. The study revealed that the community does not consider children to beindependent persons with their own needs and interests. The community does notrecognize the role of children as a group or give due attention to their needs andinterests.

Community perceptions of children emphasize the obligations of or expectationsfrom a child rather than the child's right to protection and development. Thecommunity retains strong negative traditional sayings about children, as well asdiscriminatory beliefs about specific groups of children, particularly girls andchildren with disabilities. The family, the kebele leadership and the community asa whole have more negative attitudes toward children's rights than teachers do.These kinds of cultural perceptions coupled with the low awareness of the CRCundermine children's rights in Kebele 07.

Parents perceive children mainly as a source of enjoyment and wealth. Parents areclear about what they expect from their children and their children's obligation tosupport them. Due to economic hardship and cultural misperceptions aboutchildren's rights, families in the kebele tend to disregard issues of physicalwellbeing and psychological stability.

The cultural perceptions prevailing in a family sometimes undermines the abilityof a child to act independently. Although children contribute a lot to the family,they do not participate much in decision-making. If they do participate, theirviews are not taken seriously into account. Children are expected to acceptunquestioningly what is decided on their behalf. This corroborates what asignificant number of children reported, that they are not allowed to speak in front

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of adults. Although a considerable number of parents reported that they allowchildren to participate in decision-making, a large number of them did notremember the last time they changed a decision based on suggestions made bytheir children. Many children disclosed that if they speak to their parents, they will be heard onlyif the issue is related to their education. Other family issues are considered strictlythe adults' business. Above all, children are denied fundamental civil and politicalrights, such as freedom of opinion, conscience and the right to participate indecisions affecting their interests in the family setting.

In the community context, children are not considered independent social actors.Therefore, children's needs and interests are not recognized as relevant in decision-making circles, and priority is given to adult related problems. Within the kebeleand woreda administrations, no effort is made and no channels are in place to getchildren's views when decisions affecting their interests are made.

Failure to recognize children's needs and interests contributes to the kebeleadministration's failure to address child-related problems. The kebele could solvethese problems, such as the lack of kindergartens and recreation centers, using theresources at hand.

For instance, the business activities of the kebele caretaker board so far arecompletely focused on adult issues. Furthermore, development programs andprojects implemented within the kebele do not incorporate children's issues, needsor interests. The development projects focus on construction activities, such as asubsidiary road, toilets, and a sewer system.

It is not surprising that most of the administrative officials believe that children'sproblems could be solved if such major problems as poverty, unemployment andinadequate housing are addressed. Resolving these kinds of problems mightcontribute considerably towards addressing child-related problems. However, thisstudy emphasizes the fact that child-related problems are subsumed within adultproblems, and solutions are sought mainly through an adult frame of reference.

5.2 Poverty

Kebele 07 is a community that suffers from severe and widespread poverty. Localper capita income is estimated at approximately USD 150. One-third of thepopulation must struggle to make do with less than USD 1 per day. Theunemployment rate in the kebele is above 35%.

Poverty, however, may also be defined in social terms, as a lack of opportunity toaffect change in one's own situation. In Ethiopia, children are the most vulnerableto, and often hardest hit by, poverty. Poverty affects the ability of society at all

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levels to fulfill itsobligations to children.Almost all of themanifestations offailure to meetchildren's rights - suchas high infant and childmortality, widespreadmalnutrition, highincidence ofcommunicable disease,low school enrolment,high numbers ofchildren in situations of

special risk - have poverty as a key underlying cause. The effects of poverty causelife-long damage to children's minds and bodies, making it more likely that theywill pass poverty on to their own children and thereby perpetuating the cycle ofpoverty.

The government of Ethiopia has embraced a market-oriented economic policy.The essential features of this policy are removal of price and market controls,reduction and removal of subsidies and tariffs, and a weekly foreign exchangeauction. The foreign exchange auction allows licensed investors to bid for foreignexchange.

The government aims to address the issue of poverty by doubling per capitaincome by 2010. However, in order to achieve this aim the economy will have toreach to an average annual growth rate of 7 to 8% per year (the current annualgrowth rate is 5%).

Notwithstanding all the efforts to modernize the economy and release Ethiopiansfrom poverty, there are a number of constraints that either slow or stop the reformprocess. Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries in the world with a GDPper capita of USD 150 per annum (Human Development Report, 1999). Thelargest sector in the country, agriculture, is severely underdeveloped. MostEthiopian farmers lack basic farm tools, have limited access to credit, and till landthat has been degraded over centuries. The fact that land is owned by the state alsoconstrains its utilization.28

Poverty constitutes a powerful barrier to the promotion of children's rights. Ifpeople lack confidence in society's ability to protect them from poverty and foodshortages, they will have little incentive to invest in the children.29

5.3 Local Democracy and Governance

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Children’s rights are not always respected because of poverty.

28 EIU (2001) "Country Report", The Economist Intelligence Unit, Country Report on Ethiopia,September 2001.29 Op. cit.

During the Derg period, Kebele 07 was known as a center for the security forces,and a place for torture and arbitrary killings of political opposition members. Thishas effectively hindered the growth of a democratic, transparent, and participatoryculture in Kebele 07. Rather, the people living in the kebele are suspicious ofauthorities and political representatives. Community disputes and problems areoften dealt with by non-formal community structures managed by various kebeleleaders.

Thus, the civil society, traditionally weak in the kebele (with the exception ofchurches), remains underdeveloped and somewhat misunderstood in the currentera of relative political liberalization. The historical centralization of power inEthiopia and the impulse to extend strict and at times arbitrary authority overvarious civil society leaders, has made it very difficult for civil society to develop.30

Many representatives of civil society feel that a rapid democratic transition and astrengthening of the institutions of civil society are appropriate responses todemocratic development. Decentralization giving more authority to localgovernments and greater freedom to popular and non-governmental organizationsare some specific steps that should accompany a transition to democracy.Decentralization is probably one of the best ways of empowering children,promoting children's participation, and increasing efficiency.

5.4 Civil Society and Empowerment

Eleven years into Ethiopia's move towards representative democracy, Kebele 07'snon-governmental sector struggles for definition, operating space and enhancedinstitutional capacity. The overall operating climate for NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) is, however, improving. Relations with the central andregional governments have generally improved.

5.5 Cultural Values

Most people derive from their membership in a group - a family, a community, anorganization, a religious or ethnic group - a cultural identity and a reassuring setof values. Such groups also offer practical support. The extended family, forexample, offers protection to its weaker members. Many tribal societies work onthe principle that heads of households are entitled to enough land to support theirfamilies, so land is distributed accordingly.

However, traditional communities can also perpetuate oppressive practices, suchas employing bonded labor or slaves and treating women and children particularlyharshly. In Ethiopia, for example, thousands of girls suffer genital mutilation each

4030 World Bank (2000) "Civil Society, NGOs and Development in Ethiopia". Washington DC,USA.

year because of the traditional practice of female circumcision.

Some positive traditional practices are breaking down under the steady process ofmodernization. On the other hand, people's organizations are fighting manyharmful practices through awareness raising and legal action.

5.6. HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is an integral part of the development crisis facingEthiopia. HIV/AIDS is now the foremost threat to Ethiopia's development,according to the National HIV/AIDS Council.31 Available statistics indicate thatthe problem is worse in urban areas (23%) than rural areas (6%), although theseare only estimates. AIDS patients occupy an estimated 60% of hospital beds, upfrom 23% in 1997.

UNAIDS estimates that three million people, and 150,000 children aged 0-14,were living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia at the end of 1999. According to theEthiopian National AIDS Council, Ethiopia has the 16th highest HIV/AIDSprevalence rate in the world and the third largest number of people living withHIV/AIDS. One of every 11 people living with HIV/AIDS today is Ethiopian.

5.7. Policy implementation

In addition to the apparent lack of implementation strategies for existinglegislation and policies, there are still gaps to fill in order to strengthen the legalprotection of children's rights in Ethiopia.

The Constitution contains provisions on children rights, but the country lacksspecific policies and laws in relation to children. The only exception is theNational Plan of Action for Women and Children, which focuses mainly on thesocial and cultural conditions of children and women in the country. There areno clear policy guidelines on how to develop child-friendly budget allocations orhow to formulate children's rights policies.

For instance, if we examine the implementation of the health policy at Woreda 22health center, there is no health education program designed especially forchildren. Nor is there any interaction between the health center and the primaryschools in Kebele 07. Finally, no system is in place to compile comprehensive dataon the health status of children in the woreda. Children are marginalized invarious development programs designed by the Woreda Council or Kebele 07Council.

So far, neither council has attempted to allow children to participate in decision-making. For example, no contact or coordination exists between the councils andthe primary schools to engage children in the political and social life of the

41 31Strategic Framework for the National Response to HIV/Aids in Ethiopia in 2001-2005,National HIV/Aids Council, June 2001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

community.

Part 6. Conclusion

This study focuses on three issues. First, it tries to assess the status of children's

rights in Kebele 07, Woreda 22, within the Addis Ababa City Administration.Secondly, the study identifies the relevant actors in relation to children's rights inKebele 07. Finally, it analyzes the underlying causes and obstacles to the realizationof children's rights. A children's rights programming conceptual framework isemployed in the study.

This assessment focuses mainly on child rights violations and unfulfilled rightsbased on the four general principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of theChild. This includes the awareness level and perceptions of the kebele communitytowards child rights and children.

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A make-sshift vegetable market in the kebele.

The study reveals that the majority of the kebele residents have heard aboutchildren's rights, but their understanding is very shallow and they do not see theimplications in their daily life. Teachers and students have better access to childrights information; however, they too lack a profound knowledge of the subject.

Kebele 07 residents nominally accept the idea of valuing a child and affordingspecial protection and rights to children. However, in reality most residents do notperceive children's role or interests as independent from their parents'. Thecommunity emphasizes the obligations of children particularly toward theirparents. There are a number of widely accepted traditional sayings that reflect theundermined and degraded value of children.

Discrimination of children based on gender, disability, and HIV status of theirparents or themselves is apparent in Kebele 07. Gender is a major factor in thedivision of labor among children. Girls have higher workloads and more controlexerted on them by the family. Girls are also subject to harassment. The fewchildren with disabilities that could be identified in Kebele 07 are not wellaccepted by the community or other children. The same is true for children whohave lost their parents due to HIV/ADIS.

Both primary and non-formal education has improved in the kebele in the pastdecade. Despite this, the lack of kindergarten services is one of the major child-related problems identified by Kebele 07 residents. The absence of recreationalfacilities is another critical child-related problem, mainly identified by children.The existing open fields where children play are where some residents dispose ofgarbage.

It was learned that most children's health problems emanate from poor nutrition,personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation problems. Although the WoredaHealth Center is trying to address these problems, it lacks the budget and logisticalsupport required to make the desired changes. The health center is, however,performing well in its vaccination effort.

Children's right to express their views is not at all fulfilled within the kebelecommunity. Children participate only minimally in family and communitysettings, even in decisions that directly affect them. The kebele administration hasmade no effort to secure the views of children as regards schools and healthcenters, or budget allocations and development plans. However, the participationof children is somewhat better in the schools, especially through school-sponsoredclubs.

There are a number of organizations concerned with children's issues in Kebele07. Among the government administrative and service delivery organs, the kebelecouncil and executive committee, the kebele CRC/ development, HIV/AIDS,

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health and education committees, the Woreda 22 police station, woreda educationand health bureaus, Lideta Selame and Friehiwot I primary schools, and theworeda health center are involved in children's rights issues. Love for Children,Handicapped National and Good Neighborhood are important NGOs working inKebele 07. Among the voluntary associations found in Kebele 07, the mostrelevant are the Youth Democratic Association, the Women's DemocraticAssociation, Kendile HIV/AIDS and Environment Association, the Red CrossAssociation and the five major iders.

Poverty, the dismissive attitude, and low levels of awareness of children's rightswithin the community are the major obstacles to the realization of children's rightsand the underlying causes of violations of children's rights in Kebele 07. Theformer kebele administrative structure and the absence of an operational CRCcommittee are other major causes. The lack of importance afforded to communitydevelopment projects that support human rights and democracy is another majorobstacle. The lack of policy implementation capacity by governmentadministrative organs aggravates the problem. Other obstacles include budgetaryand capacity constraints, lack of coordination among organizations, andsometimes a lack of accountability among NGOs and other voluntaryassociations. Furthermore, the limited initiative of the kebele community toparticipate in development activities especially relevant to children is an additionalobstacle.

6.1 Recommendations

I. Recommendations to government organs at the local level

Best Interest of the CChildRecognize and value children as a group and individual children asindependent social actors that have their own needs and interests which maynot necessarily concur with adults' views. Develop policy implementation guidelines that will ensure the best interestsof children.Reactivate and strengthen the child rights committees at the local level.Encourage and work with civil societies to establish a child rightsmonitoring and promotion unit that actively involves children at the locallevel. Promote children's rights awareness, targeting various sections of the societyand particularly focusing on parents and administrative officials. Provide various incentive packages to engage the kebele administration, theprivate sector and the community to establish daycare centers,kindergartens, and recreation centers for children and youth. Observe and enforce legislation against all forms of physical punishment,

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humiliation, and demeaning treatment of children by parents, teachers andlaw enforcement organs.

Non-DDiscrimination Launch public education campaigns to challenge prejudice anddiscrimination against children with disabilities, girls, and children affectedor infected by HIV/AIDS.Encourage and support parents, families, and communities of children withdisabilities or children affected or infected with HIV/AIDS to care for themat home.

Suurvival and Development Initiate and support income-generating activities for low-income families. Allocate sufficient budget and necessary equipment for nutritionrehabilitation centers of woreda health centers to accommodate moremalnourished children from very low income families; and ensure the timelyrelease of this budget and equipment.Increase the quality and coverage of sexual and reproductive health careservices that are appropriate for young people. Ensure that adults and children living with HIV have access to simpleantibiotics, painkillers, and other essential drugs. Ensure free access for children with disabilities and children affected orinfected by HIV to basic social services. Strengthen the capacity of the Woreda Health Center to undertakeproactive and community-centered preventative health education incollaboration with other actors such as schools and private healthinstitutions. Develop indicators of the quality and relevance of education; ensure thatquality and relevance are perceived as important indicators in education - asimportant as increasing school enrollment. Promote and supply play and recreation facilities and opportunities forchildren, particularly for children with disabilities and children affected andinfected by HIV/AIDS.

Participation Create platforms for children - particularly children with disabilities,children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS and girls - to communicate theirviews and needs to kebele and woreda councils, to education and healthbureaus, to schools and health centers.Actively involve children - particularly children with disabilities, childrenaffected by HIV/AIDS and girls - in the planning and budget allocationprocesses of kebele and woreda councils; involve them in the design,implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities of child-focusedprograms, including programs on HIV/AIDS issues. Encourage and support children and youth associations, self-help groups ofchildren with disabilities, children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, and

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similar adult and parent groups. Develop platforms for children - particularly children with disabilities,children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, and girls - to express their viewsand opinions at various levels.

II. Recommendations to civil societies ( NGOs)

Best Interest of the CChildPromote awareness and public discussion on child rights, focusing onparents and administrative officials. Enhance and promote the role of children as independent actors andstakeholders in order to ensure that decisions affecting them take intoaccount their needs and interests. Stimulate public debate on the pre-primary education policy of thegovernment and on the kind of schooling that is responsive to the challengeschildren are likely to face.Support the activities of the child rights committee. Set up child rights monitoring and promotion units that actively involvechildren at the local level.

Non-DDiscriminationPromote awareness that the term 'children' covers all children includinggirls, children with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups of children.Increase discussion on the issues of gender, sexuality and disability,particularly focusing on parents; challenge stereotypes of gender roles andidentities and prejudices against disabilities. Prevent and disclose violence and abuse against all children, particularlygirls, children with disabilities, and those affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.

Suurvival and DevelopmentAdvocate for and/or set up daycare centers, kindergartens and recreationcenters for children and youth, targeting vulnerable children - particularlychildren with disabilities and children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. Support and advocate the allocation of more resources for nutritionrehabilitation centers within woreda health centers, and target nutritionalassistance at younger vulnerable children, especially those whosebreadwinners/parents have died.

Participation Advocate for and create understanding of the fact that all children, includinggirls, children with disabilities and those affected or infected by HIV/AIDS,have the right to participate in society and in community-based processes;demonstrate the advantage of involving children in planning, implementation,and evaluation of policies, programs, and campaigns aimed at them. Develop and support ways of involving children; prepare adults to listen tochildren's needs and interests. Encourage the involvement of girls, children with disabilities and those

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affected or infected by HIV/AIDS in meetings and gatherings for children,such as sports events and community celebrations Set up and support children and youth associations, and self-help groupsthat will respond to the needs of children with disabilities and those affectedor infected by HIV/AIDS.

1

Save the Children SwedenP.O. Box 3457Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel: +251 1 71 14 01Fax: +251 1 71 01 49 addis.office@swedsave-et.org

Save the Children NorwayP.O. Box 6589Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel: +251 1 62 78 53/4Fax: +251 1 63 55 99scne@scne.org

Save the Children DenmarkP.O. Box 13375Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel: +251 1 63 57 01Fax: +251 1 53 57 02redbarnet@telecom.net.et

For further information please contact: