Why are Children's Rights Important? - By The Nelson Mandela Child Parliamentarians

With Human Right's Day around the corner, we asked some of our 2021/2022 Nelson Mandela Child Parliamentarians why Children's Rights are so important.
Here's what they had to say;

Name: Hon. Given Matshika
Position: Speaker of the 2021/22 Children’s Parliament
 
Why do you think that Children’s Rights are important? Children’s rights are important to us children because you get to live life to the fullest and respected knowing that you are protected and children are vulnerable and have not learned how to develop voices in their own so that’s why we have programmes like  safe and caring communities to guide.

What is an important child right for you? As a child parliamentarian I believe that children have the right to be taken seriously and share their views and ideas because as said that children are the leaders of tomorrow so I believe that children must share their views about what is affecting them and what are the solutions on that. To me this right is important because it allows children to participate in/ influence policies. As Section 17 of the Bill of Rights talks about freedom of expression, this right should also be extended to children. 

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Name: Hon. Hamza Muhammad
Position: President of the 2021/22 Children’s Parliament
 
Why do you think that Children’s Rights are important? Children's rights are important because they are future of South Africa and need to be treated equally as everyone else.

What is an important child right for you? As a child parliamentarian I believe that children have the right to a good education so that they could get a high paying job in the future.

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Name: Hon. Lindokuhle Ndlovu
Position: Deputy Speaker of the 2021/22 Children’s Parliament
 
Why do you think that Children’s Rights are important? As a child parliamentarian I believe that children are important and should be consulted should there be any decision regarding their well-being or future. Children are the future of this beautiful country and therefore should be equipped at an early age as to how to be even better and creative leaders of this country when their time comes. This means that as much as we have crisis in our country like any other, we should not focus more on the present and end up sacrificing the future of this country which is children by not giving them attention and the right education to better their lives. As we commemorate the 28th anniversary of human rights, let's remember the words of Oliver Tambo, "A country that does not take care of its children does not deserve its future". Let's do what's right and continue developing our nation United, protecting and valuing children and their right's in the process.

What is an important child right for you? One of the right's I specifically think is important is the one that states "every child has the right to live in a productive environment". Children should be surrounded by safe communities that inspire them to give back when they are older. They should be taught how they can be the change they want to see within their respective communities by being given platforms that will make them feel recognized and valued.

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Name: Hon. Mary-Ann Pretorius
Position: Deputy President of the 2021/22 Children’s Parliament
 
Why do you think that Children’s Rights are important? I feel that if children didn't have documented rights then our needs and wants as children would not be made a priority. Children would be neglected, children would not be included in decision-making concerning children. Without us having our rights there would still be a lot of child labour, there would still be a lot of children who don't receive a basic education there would still be children who don't have an identity. Children's rights are very important and the only way to fully understand how important children's rights are, is by imagining a society without children's rights.

What is an important child right for you? As a child parliamentarian I believe that children have the right to protection. Children have a number of rights but I specifically chose the right to protection because I feel that it is a right many people neglect. The right to protection, in short, is the right for children to be protected mentally, physically and socially. Children should be protected from abuse, neglect, child labour, bullying, degradation, etc. We tend to focus on the basic rights of the child which include the right to basic education, food and shelter but I would just like to take this opportunity to shine a light on the right to protection that children have. This right in most cases lies in the hands of adults be it duty bearers, stakeholders or guardians, if the importance of this right is understood, it will be made a priority as it should be.