Rwanda, over the weekend, joined the rest of the world in marking the United Nations Declarations of Human Rights (UNDHR) Day, with particular focus on children. The UN country representative pointed out that it was an important milestone for Rwanda to choose to honour children for the 63rd UNDHR anniversary as it demonstrated the government’s commitment to promote human rights. Although Rwanda has, over the years, registered remarkable progress in insuring that the rights of children are respected, the crucial question is how we can consolidate those gains. It is common to blame parents for failing to stand up against abuses against child rights. But we all know it is especially difficult where parents spend less time with their children. There is therefore need to strengthen monitoring efforts in relation to individual and groups of children in various situations so as to consolidate the gains. The monitoring should involve parents, local leaders, academics, and the media. There have been reports of child labour and early pregnancy, and the consequence has been school dropouts. Every child can only enjoy their rights if everyone is involved in the monitoring process rather than leaving this to the government or parents. Children were advised to know their rights and to always speak out whenever their rights are abused. The media should, in this case, provide the platform for children to voice their grievances and opinions.
