‘16 DAYS – 16 RIGHTS’<div style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">A National Campaign for the Promotion of the Rights of the Child</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt"></span><u><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">Introduction</span></u></b></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">The ’16 Days – 16 Rights’ campaign promoting the rights of the child was proposed by the Ombudsperson for Children to the Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare. The idea was to give an opportunity to children to learn about their rights and to sensitize other people about these rights by illustrating them on giant patchworks and paintings. An island-wide open air exhibition of these artworks was organized from June 1 to June 16 2004. These two dates are both related to the rights of the child; June 1 being the International Children’s Day and June 16, the Day of the African child. This 16 days activism in favour of Child Rights would see the participation of school children, children from Kites Club of the National Children Council, Scouts, Girls Guides, children from specialized institutions, from shelters, the RYC and also street children.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">The proposal was accepted by the Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare and it was agreed that it will be organized jointly by the Ministry, The NCC and the Ombudsperson for Children’s Office. A National Coordinating Committee was set up, where all stakeholders and authorities were represented. The NCC and OCO were responsible for the motivation of participants. It was also accepted that the 16 Days – 16 Rights Campaign would be an annual event.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">16 Days – 16 Rights 2004 – A Brief Report</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">Prior to the event itself, several workshops were organized by the OCO, the National Children’s Council, the Mauritius Scouts Association and the Mauritius Girls Guide Association with the help of professional artists to discuss the 16 Rights with Children and help them to make their tapestries. Materials and paint received from sponsors by the NCC were also distributed to participating organizations by the OCO and the NCC.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">More than 400 artworks/tapestries were received. They were displayed in strategic places throughout the island including the premises of government buildings i.e. police stations and primary schools, etc. Several exhibitions of the artworks executed on paper, hardboard and other supports were also organized. The Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare held an exhibition in the Galerie Max Boullé, Rose Hill. The Ombudsperson for Children’s Office exhibited artwork in the lobby of the NPF Building, Beau Bassin. The Pre-School Trust Fund organized a special event in its new headquarters at Curepipe on the 16 Rights to sensitize children, parents, teachers and all those who work in that sector. The Centre Culturel Charles Baudelaire also exhibited several artworks in their children’s library and the Ombudsperson for Children was invited to launch the exhibition and, on the occasion, to discuss with school children of Rose Hill on their rights.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">On the 9<sup>th</sup> June 2004 a <i>Dalle</i> on children’s rights was unveiled in the gardens of the Municipality of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill and a Solemn Declaration in favour of children was made by</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;text-indent:-0.5in;margin-left:0.75in"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">(i)<span style="font:7pt "times new roman""> </span><span style="font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal">The </span>Minister of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare,</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;text-indent:-0.5in;margin-left:0.75in"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">(ii)<span style="font:7pt "times new roman""> </span>The Ombudsperson for Children and</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;text-indent:-0.5in;margin-left:0.75in"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">(iii)<span style="font:7pt "times new roman""> </span><span style="font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal"></span>The Chairperson of the National Children’s Council </span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">On the 14 June 2004 a <i>‘Forum des Jeunes’</i> was organized by the Ombudsperson for Children’s Office and the Municipality of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill. Some 700 children of secondary schools of Beau Bassin and Rose Hill and the immediate neighbourhood participated and expressed themselves on Children’s Rights in general. Much emphasis was laid on their Participation Right.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">The whole campaign culminated with the celebration of the Day of the African Child – 16<sup>th</sup> June by the Ministry, Ombudsperson for Children’s Office, the NCC and in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Centre for African culture at the State House, Le Réduit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">The Campaign got the full support both from the written and spoken press. Some newspapers decided not just to cover the event but to become active participants themselves. Children were interviewed on each right, NGOs were asked to elaborate on the rights. The MBC-TV broadcast a series of 5 minute production entitled <i>“Clin d’Oeil”</i>, one on each right during the 16 days period (1-16 June).</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><b><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">‘16 Days – 16 Rights’ 2005</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">In 2005, due to appeal circumstances, all public events were held in August instead of June. The list of the selected rights was slightly modified (see annex). The children worked on their artwork during May and June. OCO organized three exhibitions of the artworks. The first one at l'Alliance Française, Bell Village, from 8 to 23 August, then at Centre Charles Baudelaire, Rose Hill, from 10 to 31 August and the last one at the NPF Building, Beau Bassin from 1 to 16 September. A workshop on the Prevention of Violence against children was organized on Tuesday 16 August 2005 at the Centre Charles Baudelaire, Rose Hill. Several secondary schools as well as the Kites Club were invited to select some participants. Some 55 youngsters attended. The workshop was mainly run by the members of the coordinating committee of the Budi’s Friends.</span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:#003366;font-size:10pt">Now watch out for the 3<sup>rd</sup> edition of the ’16 Days – 16 Rights’ Campaign to be held in June 2006. </span></div>
<div style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><u><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:verdana;color:navy;font-size:10pt"><a href="/English/Pages/Some-artworks-of-the-2004-and-2005-editions.aspx" style="color:#003366;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline">Some artworks of the 2004 and 2005 editions.</a></span></u></div>