Children Without Parental Care in Africa by African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child instant download

Children Without Parental Care in Africa by African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child instant download

While the plight of children without parental care (CWPC) in Africa is receiving greater attention, there is a significant evidence gap in regard to the extent of the problem and the legislative, regulatory, and programmatic responses to it. To date, no thorough study has been undertaken on a continental scale, encompassing all the regional economic communities in Africa, to examine the many forms of care that are available and to identify obstacles to ensuring that all children have access to parental care.
-
Between 2012 and 2016, UNICEF undertook a study to estimate the number of children in formal alternative care worldwide, including in Africa. The results showed that, out of 20 countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), only eight had data on foster care; out of 23 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, only five had such data; and out of 24 countries in the West and Central Africa Region (WCAR), only seven had data. The study also found that, of 20 countries in ESAR, 14 countries had data on residential care; of 23 countries in the MENA region, 14 had such data; and out of 24 countries in the WCAR, only 14 had data.
-
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly’s Third Committee adopted an annual resolution on the rights of the child 15 which focused on CWPC as one of the world’s most vulnerable populations. At its 34 th Ordinary Session in November 2019, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) decided to conduct continent- wide research on CWPC and those at risk of losing parental care.