o ==
UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Distr.: GENERAL
E/CN.14/722
6 February 1979
■ - i
Original: ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Fourteenth session
Fifth meeting of the Conference of Ministers
Rabat, 20-28 March 1979
CONFERENCE DOCUMENT
AGENDA ITEM 22
INTERNATIONAL TEAR OF THE CHILD (ECA and African Programme)
ECA CEA yearsof
ansau
Service to Africa deVAfrique
CONTENTS
I. Introduction ----._______
II. An overview of the situation of the African child - III* Country activities and programmes in commemoration
- of the International Year of the Child -
IV. The Economic Commission for Africa and the International
Year of the Child ---__-_
Page 1 3 12
15
M79-415 / OSC (SDS) - 1800
present national and international efforts, over 350 million children - especially in the developing countries - are deprived of the basic amenities of life, are under nourished or are without access to adequate health and educational services.
2*1 The objectives of the Year may be summarized as:
(a) To promote awareness of the needs and rights of children;
(b) To recognize the link between children's needs and rights, and development
of human resources; and ' '
(c) To give impetus to specific actions attainable on behalf of children*
3; Activities during 1979, as the International Year of the Child, aim specifically
at encouraging each country to: i *
(a) Review the situation of children, ascertain the basic facts about their needs such as health, nutrition and education, or other social problems such as child abuse -■ especially in respect of the handicapped and the socially'deprived; *
'■' • ''■ Jb) Review statutes, legislation, policies and programmes for the welfare of-
children; end ■■-.-■ -
1 ' te) Following such review, to determine priorities for action and set targets as the basis for med.'um- and long-term planning and programming which will result in
a more permanent change in the well-beinj* of children,
4e IYG coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of the'Ct&Id adopted in 1959, which drew attention1 to the fact that the child, by reason of'hi's tihysicul lhd mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care,
including appropriate1legal protection before and aftet birth. It is intended that
Governments should review legislation aimed at broadening the safeguards for-the"1 f !rights of children and that special attention would be given to the protection'or"'•''■'•
deprived and handicapped children, andtothe problem of meeting their needs; '"■ the' ;
Year thus offers an opportunity for an assessment of progress made in assuring the rights of the child,5. The Year equally offers an opportunity to African countries to Undertake an in-
depth' evaluation of their policies for*children and on-going services and programmes
as well as action-oriented studies, to prepare plans and programmes for future years and to mobilize popular support for and participation in the proinotidn of the well- being of children. ; ,6* The needs and rights of children are universal and basically the same in every
community. These include care and protection, shelter, nutrition, education, health, socialization, recreation and welfare. In traditional African society such heeds were and are, to a greater extent, still catered for by the family although Governments andE/CN.14/722 Page 2
other public organizations are progressively assuming or sharing some of the roles
previously played by the family. However, this development has not meant that the family's role in meeting some of these needs is diminishing or being phased out.
Institutional and government efforts should complement the family effort in child care services,
7. Traditionally the African child was brought up and cared for in a way prescribed
by custom and tradition. No child suffered deprivation even if a parent or parents were lost because the family, as a social unit, was always there to provide another'Another" to take over the responsibility of caring for the child. As such children's
needs were met and; their rights respected.
8. Basically the needs of the child have not changed. The only appreciable change
may be said to be a matter of degree rather than kind; that is, such needs are becom ing more and more sophisticated and more demanding on the meagre resources of thefamily, which can no longer meet the demands of the modernization process - a process
which separates children from their parents. As a result national Governments and international organizations as well as a number of voluntary agencies are engaged ina number of programmes intended to meet the growing needs of children. Governments have also sponsored legislation and administrative instructions intended to protect
the rights of the child.
9. African Governments are spending a comparatively large proportion of their national income on education and health - including MCH, immunization, nutrition,
etc. - much of which is intended to promote the well-being of the mother and her child.
A number of programmes promoting vocational training, out-of-school education, recrea tion facilities and homes for deprived and handicapped children are all features of the national development plans. Notwithstanding the excellent work being carried out, much remains to be done in regard to implementation and review of approved programmes.
10. Since it was declared, IYC has provoked great enthusiasm at the national level in many countries of the region. ?tany of these countries are in the process of evaluating, !extendint? or strengthening children's services. Programmes have been
planned or are under way to; improve the situation of children; priorities and emphasis, however, vary from country to country depending on national policies. Overseeing IYC programmes is the responsibility of the national commissions established in each
country for that purpose. Their main function is to act as a central point of planning, co-ordinating and implementing IYC activities. The patron for IYC is either the Head of State, the Prime Minister or the First Lady.
11. Information available indicates that by 31 December 1978, 46 member States had established national commissions or preparatory committees for IYC. The activities planned or under way in commemoration of IYC range from simole audio-visual exhibi
tions to elaborate programmes involving research into the situations of children and training projects for personnel engaged fit children's programmes. Special programmes are planned for the deprited and handicapped children intended to promote their integra
tion with their social milieu.
12. The important role of non-governmental organization (NGOs) is evident in many
countries. A number of international and national NGOs are participating directly in national IYC activities, while in other countries NGOs have initiated and are implementing their own programmes in such fields as education, health and residential care for
deprived children.II• An overview of the situation of the African child
13. Africa, with a population of 401,314,000 (1975), has 71,821,000 children or 18 per cent of its population under five years of age; 128,135,000 or 13.9 per cent
under ten years of age; and 177,396,000 or 44.2 per cent under 15 years of age, 1/14. Estimates on infant mortality in the region indicate that of every 1,000 children born, betvjeen 130-200 die within the first year of life. The proportion
varies from country to country and within different regions' of the same country.An analysis of child (under-fives) mortality in 'the region in 1975 shows that deaths
arising from infectious and parasitic diseases - diarrhoea, intestinal diseases, measles, pneumonia and malaria - are verv conmon and account for a high proportionof all deaths in early childhood, Castro-intestinal, measles and respiratory diseases
contribute predominantly to causes of death amon«: the under-fives.15.- Malnutrition and undernourishment, which are a; common feature among voung children, pose the most serious problem affecting children in many countries and regrettably these do not seem to receive the degree of priority they deserve in allocation of national resources. Poor nutrition over a long span of time can intensify child retardation, apathy and lack of energy and learnine capacity.
Deficiency in the intake of calories, vitamins and minerals impedes the full growth of the child and many of these impairments can become chronic and difficult to
compensate in adulthood,
16. Probably between a quarter and a third of the children born in the region die before they reach the age of five. Malnutrition is still a serious problem among the children and appears to be on the increase, ^Malnutrition results in low resistance to disease and as a result can be said to contribute significantly to the cause of death among young children« About half of the children who survive their early years ro to school> but only a very small proportion receive the train ing or guidance they need for life in the rapidly changing world in which they are
growing up. :
17. The high rate of population growth, averaging between 2 and 3 per cent per year, has led to a marked increase of the number of dependent children for whom family resources and social services have to be provided. Consequently this phenomenon Is not only .putting-a severe strain on the resources available but is also contributing significantly as a major constraint on the creation of employment opportunities.
18. notwithstanding the situation resulting from the high rate of population growth, African Governments are doing all they can to provide the necessary services,
particularly those intended for children, within the Units of the resources avail able. It Is perhaps appropriate here to examine the situation of children and how much attention Governments are giving to the needs of children within the general
context of national development„
19. The relationship between population and provision of social services is well illustrated by a recent "Review of African development planning obiectives of
relevance to the United Nations comparative analysis of T-TFS data". If Under •'Population, If "Population by sex and age for regions and countries," ESA/P/TJP.60.
2/ See UN/UNFPA/WFS,11/12 (September 1978).
E/CH,l4/722 Page 4
health, nutrition, MCH and family planning", it shows that all the national develop-'
ment plans devote sufficient space to programming for the improvement of the healthstatus of their pouulation. Given the prevailing circumstances in the countries, all
plans recognize that health conditions, as illustrated by the low levels of life expectancy, are relatively poor and require improvements from all angles,20. Citing a few countries1 development plans, it is noted that the fourth five-year plan of the United Republic of Cameroon (1976-1981) aims at providing, progressively, lor the .whole population, services in preventive and curative medicine and in health education. It proposes to reduce mortality and raise the level of life expectancy to between ,50.and 55 years by 1981. Health infrastructure will be strengthened and health centres 'will be set up in the rural and frontier areas that are currently poorly
equippedo Attention Will be given primarily to mothers and children. As well as disease control, action will be taken to improve health, nutrition and the general standard of living. Imports of food will be restricted to those which cannot be
produced locally,, The plan also envisages setting up about 160 mother-and-child welfare centres In.villages in the country. These will be provided with the necessary material for mother-and-child care.
21. The health objectives in Ghana during the plan period (1975/76 - 1979/80) were put -interperspective with a clear review of the health situation. The plan under lines that among children under five years of age, 70 per cent of deaths are due to infectious and parasitic diseases and that, although children constitute only 20 per cent of the populations tneY contribute 50 per cent of all deaths. Among women aged .15-44» the major causes of death are related to the complications of pregnancy and child birth associated with frequency of pregnancies, low nu^rlt-ioraa. -sta-^j, p-cr r.ilt!- wifery and general low level of health. The critical period of malnutrition Is during
the pre-school age-(i.e. 1-4 years) when Kwashibrkor and other diseases like whooping cough and neasles occur, During the so called "hungry season", marasmus and vitamin.A
deficiency occur in the northern savannah zone. The early age at first pregnancy, the
short Intervals between pregnancies and a desire for many children place an unnecessary burden on adult wenan, increase maternal mortality, prenaturt births and poor child survival and decrease the economic productivity of women.22O Against this pertinent background, the plan proposes to spend 38 per cent of the resources for capital development of health on providing curative services and only 12 per cent on the preventive side. Health education programmes will be greatly intensified and Information will be provided both at the individual and at the
consnunity levels„ Existing health centres and health posts will be improved and new ones developed so that at the end of the plan period, it will be expected that 80 per - cent of all local authority areas will be provided with health facilities.
23* Nutrition and *MCH will receive attention too during the plan period. Tb,e
Governm4n&<will legislate on the establishment, operation and management of day care centres and will set minimum standards required for their effective operation. It is hoped that midwifery and family planning programmes will reduce maternal mortality by 5 to 10 per cent. The aim in developing child health is to reduce infant and pre school age mortality by 25 per cent. By the end of the plan period, at least 75 per cent of -pre-school children should be under regular health supervision and care*
24. In order to reduce maternal and child morbidity, maximum emphasis will be placed on the development of maternal and child Health services, family planning and nutrition.
By the end of the plan period, 60 per cent of women during pregnancy and confinement will be attended by trained midwlves or trained traditional birth attendants. The
latter will be identified and trained wherever their services are still being used so as to improve maternal health and child survival. Women during pregnancy will be protected against ttialaria; tetanus and anaemia. Maximum attention Will be devoted to the family planning services as a means of promoting maternal health and well-being.
Family planning clinics and services will be integrated into all Ministry of Health
services. All health workers will, therefore, be trained in family planning methods- according to their level of expertise both during their formal training periods and during in-servicetraiAing programmes; the Ministry of Health will co-operate with ' the national family plaritiing programme's aiicTwill actively collaborate with and encoutage voluntary agencies,vorking in the fields of maternal and child health and family '
planning^ expand their 'services. Besides, the major target Of the national nutrition programmes will'be pre-school children, pregnant and nursing mothers. f
25. the plan for Kenya (1974-1978) is also very explicit in describing health
objectives. The Government's effort will be directed to the prevention of disease ' although curative medicine will not be neglected. The health priorities include the '
provision of MCH care to all who need it and of family planning and health education
serviced the control of environmental health/hazards, including the elimination of
malnutrition and undernutrition in infancy and childnood and the eradication of
communicable diseases. There will be one health centre for every 50,000 people in
all districts, supplemented1 by health subcentres and dispensaries. There will also
be one hospital bed for every 1,250 people in all districts. The health strategy will be directed towards the protection of children, especially those of pre-school age. National family planning services will be provided to enhance the health and ;welfare of mothers and children. In order to achieve a wide coverage, the Government' will provide family planning services on a daily basis at some 400 service points and1 on a part-time basis through 17 mobile teams. Extension workers in agriculture, home
economics, community development, social work and adult education will receive instruc tions in family planning. A National Family Welfare Centre will be established inNairobi for training, research, health education and the administration of the family
planning programme. Priorities in the social welfare field also include establishment of day care centres and programmes on adoptions, foster care, pre-school feeding and family services including assistance to the needy. A National Food and Nutrition Council will be established. It is significant to note that the expanded rural health services programme, focusing on family health, has been specifically designed tostrengthen nutritional-services. Improved nutrition in the rural areas is also one of the major agricultural goals of Kenya.
26. After reviewing the constraints on the progress of health development, the second plan of Lesotho (1975/76 - 1979/30) outlined a number of health objectives for the
period. The country will work towards the iroorovement of rural health services throughthe expansion of 25 clinics and the completion of two clinics started during the first plan period. The MCH programme will be expanded, all children will be i^unized
against poliomyelitis, whooping cough, diphtheria, smallpox and tuberculosis, and
basic sanitary facilities will be provided at all primary schools. Furthermore, as
well as expanding existing hospitals, attention will also be directed to the promotion
of community health and nutrition and the training of medical and paramedical personnel.
,L-r / 1 .. -_
Page 6
27. During the plan, Lesotho intends to tackle the population problems of the country.
Information, materials and clinical services on child spacing and family planning will be made available in rural clinics. The MCR pilot programme at Tsakholo is to be expanded, and health education activities will be strengthened. In order to improve nutritional conditions and to encourage infants and prepnant mothers to be brought to
the health centres, a programme of food distribution will be embarked upon. It is expected that this programme will spread to cover at least 90 per cent of children under one year of age In order to achieve the target of reducing the annual rate of population growth from 2.2 per cent to 2 per cent during the period, information on
contraceptive techniques,as well as contraceptive supplies will be disseminated as
widely as possible,
28» Madagascar has the long-term objectives of prompting both preventive and curative medicine as well"as health education. To this end, the training of doctors and the provision,of medical facilities have to be improved. Public health education and the control of contagious diseases will be strengthened. This emphasis stems from the fact that the 1974-1977 plan recognizes that the poor state of public health has been related to the prevalence of disease, poor hygiene, insufficient food, rapid popula tion growth (nearly 2.6 per cent per year), high infant and child mortality and a general lack of knowledge of hygiene* A major objective of the agricultural develops-
ment programme focuses on providing more and better food and improving the level of ,
nutrition of the people^
29. Senegal recognizes that the development of health and medical infrastructure
has not kept pace with the rapid rate of population growth especially in the rural area. The number of persons requiring medical care will rise from 5 million in 1977 to 5O9 million in 1981, adding about 155,000 persons each year of the fifth plfh'''.'
period (1977-1981). Tne centre for the protection of mother and child which"handled
890,000 children under five years of age in 1977 will expect to deal with 55,000'addi tional children every year. The general orientation of the health plan is towards the improvement, c? the conditions of the most affected, especially those in the rural
areas; development of preventive medicine and public health education; and the intensification of research in the area of health, hygiene and nutrition* Given the limited resources and the ever growing needs of the population, the plan proposes to develop
an integrated and decentralized educational, preventive and curative health programme.It recognizes that, in actual.fact, family planning designed only in terms of child
spacing cannot alone provide a rapid solution to development problems. It will therefore be necessary to undertake an early action programme of educatingt^e masses. The
strategy for the national population policy in Senegal wi4l involve the integration; /
of family planning with ^CH services, .,
30. Improving the nutritional status of rural families and of certain groups in the urban areas has been problematic The Government will therefore, with the assistance of FAO, work hard to formulate a national food and nutrition policy. The fifth plan will seek to improve the nutritional standards, especially those of the vulnerable groups of children under five years of a^e and of pregnant and lactating mothers.
More food w±l% be provided to offset the1effect of seasonal variations in the supply of fooda A programme of education on nutritional standards will be implemented and
constantly evaluated, with special emphasis on rural areas. All efforts in this regard
are directed at combating the high level of infant arid childhood mortality, the \
prevalence of anaemia'and other food deficiency diseases and, in the case of the south
and south-east of the country, the prevalence of goitre.31. During the six-year plan period (1977/78 - 1982/83), the Sudan will give priority to preventive and social medicine and will focus attention on combating epidemic and
endemic diseases. It will promote social medical services, particularly those relat ing to vaccination, nutrition, health education, school health and maternity and child care. Quantitative objectives in the plan show remarkable projected increase in services, facilities and personnel. Part of the social welfare objectives Include the provision of the necessary protection, care and guidance for child growth and youth development with more emphasis on the family as the basic unit of society.
.32. In recent years, Tunisia experienced a considerable improvement in the health of its people. The expectation of life at birth has risen from 53.5 years for males and 54*4 years for females in 1968 to 57 and 58 respectively in 1975. The progress
made is also reflected in the decline of the crude death rate from 14.1 per 1,000 in \ 1965:to 11 per 1,000 in 1975. Three essential objectives are identified in the fifth "
.plan (1977-1981). These include the development of preventive medicine, increase in ' national health expenditure and equitable regional distribution of services and
personnel. Special care will be given to children and students in educational institu
tions, workers and mothers and infants*33. A study of the fourth plan reveals that many births in Tunisia occur without adequate medical supervision and that antenatal care has been insufficient. About 9.5 per cent of births were premature while maternal deaths have been very frequent.
To assuage this, the training of midwives will be intensified. More importantly, the fifth plan will strongly reinforce family planning activities in a way to decrease the total number of births by 46,000 annually during 1977/1986. The activities of the family planning office and of population will be expanded towards achieving the above objective. Additional staff will be. trained, population education will be developed and integrated into various medical and health training programmes, and rural areas will be given additional services together with information to create
motivation and awareness* The number of mobile family planning clinics will be increased
during the plan period.34. Nutrition assumes an important place in determining the general health of the population. In Tunisia, about 70 per cent of hospitalized children under five years of age had certain manifestations of malnutrition. It is expected that the analysis of the 1976 survey on nutrition will provide background data for identifying and
studying the md*Jlv-vutnersib&e groups in the country. This will be followed by intensive rf^*t to t&rG*kttitt1t£tin education for the benefit of school age children and ^pregnant and nursing mothers. The Nutrition Institute will provide guidance in setting standards for an adequate level of nutrition and food hygiene.
The position of women
35. It la hardly possible to embark on improving the situation of children without taking into ficcourit the status and role of the mothers. A scarcity of women at the decision-making level and the generally low knowledge among the vast majority of women of what constitutes adequate nutrition, proper hygiene and adequate child care, particularly in rural areas, is a factor that requires priority treatment and adequate resources' in the over-all national development programmes. Efforts are being made in
many countries to improve the situation and the lot of women, but much still remainsto be done. With the recent declaration of the Women's Decade, an opportunity is
offered to reflect on the past effort and plot out better and raore effective approaches
to women's development.
E/CN.14/722 Page 8
36. Although the integration of women into the mainstream of development has been , a matter of great interest, few of the plans under review exclusively devoted enough
space tp the subject- A number of them dlscusr-cd the. Insue as part: of the general ■ problems of education, training and employment, Thus, the Sudan plans to ensure the
fuller participation of women not only in. the, e .Iwcaticnal system but also ,in employ
ment. Lesotho proposes to expand training facilities particularly in the rural non-r agricultural sector in order to up-grade and consolidate existing skills. Ghana* in, -■
outlining its community development prcgra:asssj. will undertake home science extension
prograEmjsa among t-raurM in M»e countrv, ,. ..i ,.
37. ..TJhe definition of women!u programmes in Kenya is presented in fairly great detail.
In 1973» there were 2,805 registered women's groups9 with an estimated membership; of 126,150 mainly in the rural area. In the plan period, the orogrammes for women will include tlie training of group leaders, functionally <oric;ited to cover problem solving, communications techniques, use of local resources, programme planning, organization of group worka evaluation of programme activities and co-ordination of field, activities In particular, family life training units will h& established within district, develop ment centres, where women vill le£im practical subjects such as nutrition, child, care, mothercraft, hygiene, house manajjeme-at, first aid and family planning, . , M . 38. Senegal, more than any of the other countries, dealt at length with the status of women* The country is interested in ensuring that worsen are better integrated in the process of development* The national Social and Economic Council undertook a
series of studies in 1969, 1971 and 1975 iu order to assess in detail the position
and contribution of women to social and economic development and in particular, to both the modern and traditional sectors of the economy* The plan notes, that, although,traditional prejudices against ; onen still prevail, an encouraging trend in the ... , education of "f^J:.l"3 hfis already started. While female participation in economic
activity in the rural area'remains as high as ever, that in tlis urban, area !has and ,
will be growing as more fcaatles obtain jcos in the modern, sectors ..arid the public,service. . . ,■-.-
39. The policy of enhancing the status or Swiegalcse women will be actively pursued during the fifth plan period, Efforts will be directed at eliminating progressively all forms of. legislative'discrimination against, woman in matters concerning the family, employment and the holding.of public office* Existing international conven
tions on the status of vonen will also be ratified« In the rural area, the conditions under rtiSz.i fesxslet wcrV vi^-l !j3 rtivi-^w^d and in^-vovLd. auru.V maternities and child- care^ centres will be constructed-, Literar^1 -r."rrr.:"?irG ir. r:ct ■i-r.i.r.1 languages, health ,.
,an4 nutrition programs^ and franily planning will be developed along with the intrpduc- tlon of sex education in the educational syst^a^ Female co-operative societies for the production and Gale of goods will also be or^id
40. In short, it is evident 'chat the focus of the plans under review on the vatlovfs
resear.cfc topics has not been evsn0 Th« topics ^jhich received the x=ridest general and direct', coverage in all the plans include educational level, health and employment.
Direct and even indirect forcitlation of goals on raarit I status, urban-rural fertility differentials, age at.first marriage, contraceptive knowledge and use and desired
family size are conspicuously absent in the plans. ,; ,
41. Information on population size and growth was most adequately provided in terms of future goals for Kenya, Senegal, Tunisia and Lesotho, In general, however, it is obvious that, irrespective of prevailing or projected absolute population size, the corresponding rate of grdwth per year in the countries during the plait period are, in the short run, expected to be relatively high. This is not unconnected with the forecasted high and constant level of fertility accompanied generally by a declining level of mortality. IA the long run, both fertility and mortality are expected to decrease considerably in Lesotho, Tunisia, Senegal and Kenya if the assumptions underlying the projections materialize. In this regard, it is significant to note that the African countries which have official policies and programmes directed at
reducing the rate of population growth include Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco and Tunisia whereas Gabon and the United Republic of Cameroon pursue pronatalist policies which have envolved from the rather low fertility rates in most parts of these countries.
42. Generally, all the plans emphasize the need for preventive as well as curative medicine. The etiology of disease, ill-health and death in the region visely suggests the adoption of the two-pronged attack in all the plans. The emphasis on health
education seems also logical if people are to profit from the preventive measures being implemented. The marked vulnerability of children of pre-school age to the predations of infectious and parasitic diseases as well as malnutrition lies behind the goal of strengthening child and mother care. Also relevant has been the high
incidence of maternal mortality arising from complications of pregriancy, low nutritional status of mothers and poor midwifery. Thus, the Ghanaian plan acknowledges" that the early age at first pregnancy, short intervals between pregnancies and a desire for many children place an unnecessary burden on adult women, increase the levels of maternal mortality, premature births and infant deaths. All these encumbrances lead
to a decrease in the productivity of women. Thus, nutrition and MCK programmes are ■ clearly emphasized in the plans of Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Senegal, Tunisia and, less conspicuously so, the United Republic of Cameroon and the Sudan. Midwifery and family
planning will also be encouraged, mainly in the interest of mother and child health.
A major focus of the nutrition prop.ramnes in some of the countries is the improvement of the heal^n of pre-school children and pregnant and nursing mothers, The go3l of reaching the most disadvantaged group is mostly ensured through the proliferation and dispersion of health centres or health posts or clinics.
43* A general desire for raising the size of enorlment at all levels of the educa tional system is very well expressed in all the development plans. A number of the countries propose to extend free primary education to every child of school age, while others focus additionally on correcting the Imbalance in''the educational attain ment of males and females by giving more opportunities to the latter. Also important
is the general interest of all the countries in promoting adult education, literacy campaigns and vocational training especially for females in the rural area* The focus
of some of th£ female programmes on family life training, nutrition, child care,
mothercraft, house management and family planning is commendable and complements the MCH objectives in the plans.
44. The establishment of employment targets is generally undertaken for the popula tion at risk. However, few of the plans Indicated separately their interest in the greater involvement of females in salaried employment, especially in the modern sector.
There was, however, the generally expressed need to improve rural working and living conditions- especially as they affect females who, no doubt, contribute significantly to the development of agriculture. Countries, such as Senegal, the Sudan and Tunisia,
E/CN.14/722 Page 10
which expressed direct interest in promoting greater female participation, tended to match this with interest also in enhancing female education and training. Despite efforts at providing more jobs in the modern sector, occupational placement in
agriculture, forestry and fishing will continue to be significant. Most plans recognize that the modern sector cannot absorb all the job seekers in the rapidly expanding labour raatket. Consequently, all the countries have programmes for boost ing agricultural production. In addition, most of the plans emphasize rural indus
trialization, co-operative movements, housing and a general supply of amenities as
deliberate policies for not only reducing the flow of rural migrants to towns, but also and primarily for correcting the disequilibrium in the shdr'e of services, amenities
■and employment between town and country. ';
45. The problems and needs of children have been a subject for discussion at many national and international forums. Various attempts have been made to design an optimum package for children. One of these was by a joint KCA/Dag Hammarskjold
Foundation/Ethio-Swedish Paediatric Clinic Seminar organized on the theme "The dilemma of quality, quantity and cost in African child care". The participants, who included senior government officials in ministries of education, public health, social welfare, agriculture, rural development, finance and planning as well as researchers in those fields, together with paediatricians, nutritionists, nurses, economists, sociologists, psychologists, etc., made an effort to obtain the cross-disciplinary collaboration, perhaps for the first time in this field, to try to elaborate a concept of optimum package programme for child care with limited resources. 3/
46* The starting point was the recognition of poverty - the lack of sufficient resources to fund a nation-wide general child-care service - and the imperative need to make the best use of those resources that were available. The term "package"
embodies the recognition of the multiplier effect; that the impact of concerted
delivery of all the inputs is greater than would be the mere total of benefits conferred by individual inputs added together. The Seminar noted that from a variety of health programme schemes that were already in operation, there was perhaps not one that . utilized, as its point of departure, the integration of all valid health components.
The child-^care package should have the widest possible coverage within the limits of available resources and also be of immediate and practical use.
47, Thus, as concluded by the Seminar, the aim of the package programme should be to try to make available an integrated programme of child health care that would be suitable in situations where service at present does not exist, because of limited resources, or in which the result of present expenditure is not satisfactory because of lack of co-ordination of effort, unbalanced distribution of health investments
and other factors that represent, taken-as a whole, a failure to recognize the importance of the integrated approach. The concept of the optimum package programme may not
necessarily be suitable for every situation but it merits serious consideration in the planning and Implementation of child-care programmes.
2/ See Olle Nordberg, Peter Philips and GBran Sterky - Action for Child - Towards an Optimum Child Care Package in Africa, Uppsala, 1975,
F
has
been the unit of production and has provided its members with
49. With all these factors in mind, the Seminar proposed a number of elements which
should, constitute optimum package of integrated child care. These included:' S^W
inputs covering preparation of parents for parenthood, family welfare and child-
natal"™- B™sldCTed u«^ «,* generic term "the socialization procW')V^ri-' sanitatio£ ^"^f "^^^ and rela^ '»*«•»•; hygiene and environmental
ILJaS'' 1th6 treftnentJof leases after they have been contracted - i.e. , the
conventional curative medicine'in a hospital or clinie setting - obviously shoul
coLid^ HEh SC0PS °5 ^ larg6ly Preven"^ ^sures of tSe child.Sre pacS
coLid^ Hh 5 tSe childSre pacSge
Picture <n£l:t7m,aV*K<t !h°Uld C°ntlnUe tO be a Pe™-»™t feature of ttetotal
picture. The .rationale in this is that curative medicine is, in any case, lrd ■
f heal? reS°brces and ^^ ^biI^^ Po^onement.of
51. Another approach-wasmade by UNICEF in what is termed the "basic services ' approach, iThis has been described as'"services that satisfy basic human needs,-such:
as healthi nutrition, water, education, housing, etc." addressed to children in?a !' " '
given community.' " : ■ . .. , " ". .,;;,.
52. i Generally speaking, however, basic services comprise a group of interrelated.1
mutually supportive activities in the development'of the social infrastructure and ;' '"
services in the.fields of maternal,and child health, including family ffi ^fe'' water supply and waste disposal; production and consumption of more and be«etquality
ff-*!****"*-**"*?*. together withMeasures to meet the basic education ^
~nity and the introduction of simple technologies to lighten the
LmT~ tf,S±TlS- y The raaln characteristic of this concept is the
-proach which must be adopted in order to deliver r iAli h
Sr££ LmT~ tf,S±TlS- y The raaln characteristic of this concept is the
integrated ap-proach which must be adopted in order to deliver or iAplemeni the services
l^r^^r^ f°CU8eS °" ^^ "^^ " ^^ ^^'
Needs of children in national development
™R^P°n;^bl^y f°l raeetlnR the various needs of children is normally divided
among the appropriate functional services of a given country - the health ministry '
fofLhooTn* L6 °? ?lernal ^ Child health services; the ministry of educatSn
for schooling; the ministry of social welfare for special social services for children.
8ervlces for chlldren ln developln8
E/CIJ.14/72;
Page 12
the operation of day-care and residential institutions; and so on. Apart from educa tion, most children's needs can he met onJy through.services for the whole community.
Carrying out suc'h services alonff functional lines is usually the most efficient procedure. Programmes such as the control of endemic diseases, the development of food production and social services to keeo the family unit intact, whiie essential to the well-being of the child, must of necessity be run as community-wide projects.
Moreover, tnanv of the child's needs are inseparable from those of his family and
community. In any event it would be philosophically unsound to regard the child as ., ,
an isolated individual rather than as an integral part of his familv and community.54. However, there are special needs of children that merit special attention rather than being treated as part of the whole community problem. For example socialization, health, nutrition and imparting of skills have special significance in relation to children' and therefore need to be Riven special attention* Equally the problems affecting children cannot be adequately handled by functional ministries working . ,.
separately. Often lack of co-ordinated planning among the various services dealing with the needs of children makes it impossible for them to execute a coherent child- development programme. Thus the somewhat isolated effort on the part of one ministry . can have only a mihitnal effect on the ability to cope with any particular problem, 55. ^Even a limited programme to meet one o^the particular needs of a country's childre% frequently tends to cut abrbss departmental lines and involve the work of several agencies, ?Thus, tn'feTnutrition of children in a given country cannot be
improved without efforts on the part of the agriculture department to increase produce
tion of the required foodstuffs and efforts in the part of the health department toteach the essentials of nutrition to pregnant women and to the.mothers of youngs ,!:
children. Sometimes the same field workers can carry out dual assignments: for example, agricultural extension agents can promote better nutrition amon* agricultural families while showing them how to raise their living standards in other respects through
increased production of cash crops. The education department will be brought into
the picture when it is desirable to include nutrition education in the school curriculum, and it niist reach ifcreement with the health department, whic'i is responsible for the nutrition education of the mother and pre-school child, on what is to he recommended, III. Country activities and programmes in commemoration of the International Year
of the Child ,
56. Information at hand is insufficient to present a detailed account of the themes, activities and programmes planned or under way in commemoration of IYC by every member
State,
57. however, information available indicate that national commissions (in some instances with sub-committees at lower level) have been established in almost all countries in the region to act as IYC secretariats, These.commissions include
representatives of government departments and non-governmental organizations (NGQs).
TJoraen's organizations are also amply represented* ;
53.- The problem areas, services and studies that national IYC comnissions and sectoral
organizations are mainly interested in are:
(a) The problems inherent in child rearing;
(h) development and improvement of children's services; and
(c) Research on children's situations. '
59. Subjects already under consideration in many of the participating countries
include: .
(a_) Child protection;
(b) Child development;
(c) The child and the family interaction;
(d) Social inequalities;
(e) The disadvantaged, handicapped and underprivileged;
(f) The rights of the child^;
(&) Investment in children as an> integral part of social and economic
development; and
(h) Special education for handicapped children* ' ,, , 60. It is noted that a number of countries see a need to improve the situation of children, to cater for their needs and find solutions to- ttieir problems. 4 number of countries are therefore, planning research studies in this field;. Countries generally place emphasis on rurai areas although some indicate equal; interest in the urban sector. In their attempt to develop plans for the year, some countries involve children themselves to take part in appropriate plannin? of activities and
the implementation of the programme. .61. Programmes of activities for IYC,include examining national plans, policies and legislation regarding children and mothers,, evaluating on-going programmes and
identifying areas of need and problems of children and the means to solve these . problems. There are specific, projects for defining the needs of children,and formulat
ing new programmes to meet these needs within a realistic time. Collecjtipn of>vital social statistics on children for programme planning and the development, of guidelines for governmental and non-governmental organizations to assist in promoting and expand ing effective national policies and programmes for children is also emphasized,
62. Ah analysis of country IYC programmes show the fields o€ concern as. being a
need to improve and expand MCI1 services, surveys of diseases affectinp, young children, nutrition and food production, education with particular emphasis on pre-school
education, recreational facilities, the rights of the chil4, delivery of basic services to the disadvantaged and handicapped children, vocational and agricultural
training and information services.63. Various themes have been adopted by national commissions and these have been used as a guide £o the activities to be included in the IYC programmes. Priorities vary from country to country, but there is a general agreement on the concern for the plight of children. While the maiority of countries regard all those under the age of 14 as children, a few include those aged 16 and 17 or anyone of school age.
64. Sector by sector, it is noted that in the education field, activities cover
pre-school education, particularly in rural areas; expansion of nrimary school
education, In some cases making it compulsory; writing of text-books and production
of educational play materials and magazines; programmes for educating mothers in
E/CH.14/722 Page 14
child care and nutrition; publication of books and pamphlets on nutrition; educating people on the Declaration of the Rights "of the Child; establishment of vocational centres to help school drop-outs; essays and debates in schools on matters relating to children; and seminars, and radio forums on matters concerning children. Some countries also plan to establish national children's institutes for research, train ing and information,
65. Programmes pertaining to health include research studies in children's diseases;
improvement of MCT! services with particular emphasis on rural areas; mass immuniza tion programmes; nutritional education and provision of appropriate foods; assessment of nutritional value of various local diets for children; provision of residential care for the physically handicapped children and housing or homes for abandoned children. A number of countries are embarking on increasing the output of trained nurses and midwives (including traditional birth attendants) and the construction or expansion of existing children's hospitals* .
66. Some countries show particular interest in the legal situation of the child.
Programmes are planned aimed at reviewing and improving the laws affecting the welfare of children, and where appropriate enacting new legislation for the protec
tion of ichUdren. Particular regard is given to curbing child labour, cruelty and child? abuseM,and reviewing family law and the status of children. Some countries plan to set up children's courts and centres for rehabilitation and child correction.
An attempt is also being made to bring the existing legislation into line with the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
67. In the welfare field, a number of countries have planned pronrames for establishing or expanding day-care centres particularly in crowded urban slums;
care for. the handicapped and disadvantaged children including fostering and adoption of children; building of recreational centres in large villages and urban slums;
construction of parks and playgrounds for children; and entertainment shows and sporting events for children. Some new areas of concern are also considered such as the need to establish a strong background of social data on which basic social
planning can be based.
68. All countries participating in IYC are giving wide publicity to the Year and the activities proposed for its commemoration through the mass media. There are fund-raising poster campaigns, production of films on the child and the family, film festivals*? television shows, radio forums, seminars, workshops and conferences to involve parents and local communities in natters concerning children and mothers.
Issuing of IYC stamps is also a common feature in. many countries.
69. Generally what seems to be common in all IYC plans is the emphasis on the expansion of existing child programmes in basic services for mother and child, nutrition, health, basic education and child welfare. Common also throughout the participating countries is the publicity of the Year through the mass media, produc
tion of posters, calendars, stamps, brochures, T-shirts, songs, emblems and films;
and the appointment of the Head of State or other national kev figure as patron for the Year.
IV. ECA and the International Year of the Child
70. Activities involving children have fo* many years formed part of the Commission's regional social development programme, and many projects have been undertaken, both in conjunction with other ECA programmes and in co-operation with other agencies and organs of the United Nations family, particularly UNICEF, WHO, FAO and UNFPA.
71. A number of demographic studies are beinc undertaken by ECA. These include:
&) Tne African Household Survey Capability Programme which was requested by the Conference of African Statisticians at its eighth session in 1973 as a logical follow-up to the African census programme.
(b) Extensive programmes of data collection and analysis are being carried out by the Commission. The published results will significantly enhance knowledge
of the size and structure of the child population and therefore facilitate comprehensive planning and implementation of child programmes. Extensive work has also been
promoted in the establishment of vital registration systems in the region, notably
in North Africa and UDEAC countries.
(£) Furthermore, a number of micro-level studies are being undertaken in different countries of the region. Examples of these are:
(i) The interrelationships among infant and child mortality, socio-economic variables and the level of fertility in Zambia. This survey is a longi
tudinal study covering 12 months and seeks to identify and quantify problems of the growing child in a rural and urban setting.(ii) The infant mortality study in YaoundS, united Republic of Cameroon, which is being undertaken by the Institute de Formation et de Recherche demo-
graphiques (IFORD), Yaounde.72. These efforts will go a long way to improving the current poor quality of data
on the situation of the child on the continent.
73. In 1$75, as a special feature, ECA initiated a Family Felfare and Development Programme to review.country family welfare programmes and to undertake studies into national family planning programmes as a component of social welfare services ror development. A study titled "Family welfare and development - social welfare, aspects of, family..planning"-was recently completed ana* should be of assistance to member States in strengthening their family welfare and development programmes. : 74. A nutrition expert, seconded to ECA from FAO/UMFPA in 1973, lias assisted ECA'in
carrying out a series of itinerant training workshops in 22 African countries''with
curriculum material stressing nutrition, maternal and child health and family iiviiig.
In carrying out this,programme, a close working relationship has been maintained with UNICEF, which has also greatly supported the *-rorkshops.
75. A manual on "Child development, family life and nutrition", well-illustrated and easy to read, has. recently been published and is being distributed to member States and other organizations. This manual has been specifically prepared for
trainers in the rural areas. Basic principles are set out which can be easily applied
by middle—level manpower in rural areas.B/CN.14/722 Page 16
76. Bearing in mind the general objectives of IYC, ECA is-putting more emphasis on activities relating to mother and child in its social development programme. In
co-operation with UNICEF and FAO, ECA is to undertake a number of activities to meet - the needs of children in the context of their communities. These includes ■.
(a) The second phase of the itinerant training workshops for trainers and planners to improve the quality of rural life, with material emphasizing maternal
and child health;
(b) In co-operation with IPPF, an itinerant training workshop on population and family life is proposed to be held in Benin, and an ECA/FAO study tour on family life education in Tunisia;
(c) Pilot projects in village technology are under way to introduce simple labour-saving devices for rural women which will mean that labour-saved time can be put to other use, including better .child care: and
(d) A subregional Workshop on the Development of Day-tare Activities in Africa is proposed for 1979 in Tunisia for North African countries. Its report will be distributed to all member States and advisory services rendered if requested.
77. The International Year of the Child was one of the agenda items discussed at the Nouakchott Regional Conference on the Implementation of National, Regional and World Plans of Action for the Integration of Women in Development held from 27
September to 2 October 1977. The Conference adopted a resolution 5/ urging Governments of member States; to participate in IYC in a number of ways, and inter alia by:
(a) Formulating programmes for health services, nutrition and education for
children as part of development plans;
Cb) Providing adequate facilities for the most vulnerable children;
<e) Making a study of traditional and cultural practices detrimental to
children s mental and physical development with the aim of eradicating such practices;
(d) Providing day-care facilities, with priority to the most needy;
<e) Establishment of national commissions or other bodies to plan and implement
activities for the well-being of children.
78. In a follow-up action, ECA is using its offices to urge member Governments to implement these resolutions, particularly through the national machineries currently in existence in at least 26 African countries for the integration of women in develop ment. It is proposed that members of such bodies should be key participants,in
national commissions on children, or instrumental in their establishment. Additional national seminars are proposed to be held in several African countries in 1979 at which the importance of IYC natibnal commissions becoming advocates for children will
be stressed.
5/ See resolution VI, Regional Conference 6ti the Implementation of National,
Regional and World Plans of Action for the Integration of Women in Development
(E/CN.14/ATRCW/77/WD.2).
79. The Commission is encouraging member Governments to review the situation of their children, to examine whether their national policies, plans and legislation
take adequate account of the special needs of children, to evaluate their programmes and services for children in terms of their relevance, content and efficiency for delivery, to develop the necessary research, studies, discussions and consultations on national, subregional or regional levels, all aimed at lastingly improving and extending services for children.80. One of the major tasks of the ECA-sponsored Regional Conference on the Integra tion of Women in Development to be held in July 1979 will be to review the situation of children in Africa and to examine how far the resolution adopted in Mauritania in
1977 which urged African Governments to participate in IYC has been implemented.
The Regional Conference will also deal with topics relating to the family and child and the social welfare aspects of family planning and better family living.
81. It is also planned in 1979 to sponsor studies in the situation of mother and child with a view to promoting the well-being of children in Africa. A study has already started on the legal status of women and researchers are reviewing the legal situation of the child along with that of women. Additional research projects on
women and modernization will also examine the implications for children of women's
changing roles in Africa.
82. Two studies dealing with indicators of the integration of women in development
will in addition consider the situation of children. Furthermore, the study on the impact of modernization on rural women will also analyse the implications of women's
changing roles in Africa for children's development.83. Itinerant training workshops for trainers and planners of programmes to improve the quality of rural life are proposed to take place in the following countries:
the Ivory Coast, Zaire, Mozambique, Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros. The major feature of the workshops will be maternal and child health.
84* It is planned to enlist available media for the Improvement of the status and conditions of children. A special issue of ECA's Rural Progress newsletter will be prepared on children's welfare and development and maternal and child care.
Special features will include nutrition, maternal and child care, day care, home improvement and education and family living.
85. The secretariat will continue to maintain its close working relationship with UNICEF, WHO, FAO, UNFPA and the IYC secretariat in mobilizing Governments and NGOs at the national and regional levels to support IYC objectives, giving impetus where it Is needed, providing practical suggestions, clarifying the objectives of the Year for national commissions and, where necessary, making country visits to assist
national commissions in determining priorities and targets for children.
