In a colourful, lively event, Dolores Cristina, Minister for Education, Employment and the Family, launched a Draft National Children’s Policy for public consultation.
The draft policy with the slogan ‘Proud of our Childhood’ takes two forms, one for adults and a shorter, more children-friendly version that includes quotations from children who were consulted to help draw up the document.
As Mrs Cristina said in her address, it is important for children to feel that the policy can be of benefit to them and that they have been given the opportunity to be heard. “Children are fully fledged individuals with all the dynamics to be treated as human beings.”
“I urge anyone with a constructive view on this important subject to come forward and to make it known.”
The launch was also addressed by Terence Agius, Youth Mayor of Kirkop Local Council, who said, “Children should be given every opportunity to be heard and also attention should be paid to what they have to say.”
The 91-page policy aims to adopt a holistic, integrated approach to promoting child-focused programmes and actions. Children’s views are not only going to be recorded but also taken into account. There are ten principles underpinning the draft policy: best interests, mainstreaming, well- being, participation, inclusion, accessibility, protection, families, accountability and sustainability.
Each principle has a number of key policy recommendations; with the document aiming to produce an overall co-ordination of policy towards children through mainstreaming children’s needs and endeavouring to guarantee a cross-departmental commitment towards the achievement of the objectives and principles set out.
This approach requires all parties involved in the areas concerned with children to ensure that fragmentation is avoided. For this vision to be turned into practice there is to be a concrete and coherent commitment for children to be viewed as important and equal human beings, who can contribute to the well-being of society.
The child-friendly document covers being happy, rights and obligations, being protected, participating, including everybody, being creative, and having the opportunity to have fun. It concludes:
As children, we should be proud of our childhood;
Our role is important, like that of adults;
We have the right to be happy and to have the opportunities to grow up in a healthy environment;
Just like grown-ups, we also have several duties, including that of respecting the rights of others;
We have to be given a voice in society and grown-ups should pay attention to what we say;
Balance must be found wherever there is conflict;
We are all equal, and our differences should be means to create unity and not division;
Grown-ups should do all they can to create an environment that safeguards our interests, needs and desires. This also includes places of entertainment that are suitable for us.
During the event, with the participation of the Big Band Brothers, over 250 childrens and two large children’s puppets were revealed, the song Kburin bi Tfulitna was sung and all the children present received bags of San Martin.
The Working Group that drafted the Children’s Policy was made up of Doriana Bezzina, Albert Bell, Sina Bugeja, Lorna Buttigieg, James Carabott, Suzanne Gili, Anne Marie Mangion, Ian Mifsud, Roslyn Vella and Julian Xuereb.
Among those who attended were Parliamentary Secretary, Clyde Puli, Parliamentary Assistant Stephen Spiteri, permanent secretaries, directors general, members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and parents of the participating children.
The draft policy is open for public consultation for a period of five months during which public dialogues will be held in seven different venues including Gozo, each dealing with a different theme: Well-being, Rights and obligations, Protection, Active participation, Inclusion, Creativity and Leisure.
There will also be consultation during one-to-one meetings and, once again, children will be consulted at school and through their social groups.
A full copy of the two documents can be downloaded from www.meef.gov.mt [1].