Rights of the Child | Manifestation | Indicators | Observations in UG County Kenya |
---|---|---|---|
Article 7: The child shall be registered after birth and have the right from birth to a name and nationality, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. | • Name and nationality | • Birth Certificate Knowledge of family and interaction/regular contact with family | • Extremely difficult to obtain birth certificates for children in family-based and institutional care. |
• Most children have knowledge of their family in institutional care | |||
Article 8: Right to preserve identity, including nationality, name and family relations | • Name and kinship | • Family Connections Programs | • Family connections important component of institutional and community-based care programming |
• Knowledge and memories of personal and family origin | |||
Article 14: Right to freedom of thought, consciences and religion | • Flexibility/space for child’s exploration and expression of different views | • Policy on participation in religious activities | • Compulsory religious education at half of the institutions |
• Many institutions are faith-based organizations | |||
Article 17: Right to information | • Ability of the child to access information and knowledge | • Presence of books | • Books rarely available in family-based settings |
• Information and education on HIV prevention | • Both families and institutions provide HIV prevention education | ||
• Knowledge of parental/family history | • Children in families and institutions have knowledge of family history | ||
Article 19: Right to be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation | • Protected from any form of maltreatment from caregiver(s) | • The use of corporal punishment to enforce discipline | • Families mainly use corporal punishment as discipline and some institutions; yet it is against the Kenyan constitution |
Article 24: Right to health | • Accessible healthcare | • Health insurance | • Children in family-based and institutional care are rarely medically insured |
Article 27: Right to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development | • Adequate protection from the elements | • Type of shelter | • Institutions more likely to provide basic material needs than families |
• Secure dwelling | • Possessing at least one pair of shoes, one blanket, 2 pairs of non-school clothing | ||
• Lower standards of living in family-based care in comparison to institutions | |||
• Basic material needs | |||
• Children lack their own mattress, private cabinet, and blankets in family-based care | |||
• Private cabinet | |||
Article 28: Right to Education | School planning and participation | • School attendance | • Majority of school-aged children attending school in both families and institutions |
Article 31: Right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities | • Flexibility/space for child to play and engage in recreational activities | • Scheduled leisure time | • Toys and games rarely available to children living in family-based care |
• Access to toys, games | • Both institutions and families have space or facilities for sports. | ||
• Space or facilities for sports | • Lack of scheduled leisure time for children in family-based care | ||
• Access to equipment | |||
Article 32: Right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education | • Protection from child labour and excessive work | • Household tasks that children assist with | • Children in family-based care assist with many household tasks including firewood and water collection and income generating activities which may interfere with a child’s education as these tasks maybe time consuming. |