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6/4/2023 By Thomas Ochieng: The Inaugural Africa Children Summit, organized by Mtoto News kicks off in Nairobi from 10th to 12th April is the first summit of its kind in the African Continent. According to the organizers, this summit is focused on providing children with a platform to shape policies and program interventions related to issues that affect them.
“Despite children making up nearly half of the African population, which amounts to 650 million, their voices are often unheard when formulating policies that affect them. This leads to an information gap between the policies and authentic children’s issues” Said the lead Daniel Mulati Summit coordinator. Mr. Mulati added that “implementing these policies has become complex as they need to address the core issues pertinent to children. Moreover, children need to take ownership of these policies, which safeguard them, further hindering realizing their goals”
According to Brian King a Child who is among the conveners “the summit aims to give children back their voice, where they will be Seen, Heard, and Engaged in formulating policies and co-creating solutions for issues affecting them. King added that “This child-centered approach will be instrumental in developing policies that address the core issues that affect children and ensure that they take ownership of these policies”
The summit has been fully organized by children partly wholly, but the children who are of the ages of 12 and above are the ounce who have developed almost the entire theme and topics to be discussed.
Among the expected guests during the summit which takes place at Boma Hotel in Nairobi, are Africa Union representatives and Kenyan Government officials.
