Article 53 of the Constitution outlines specific and immediate obligations that the Government must fulfil regarding the socio-economic rights of the child.
The new political, social dimension demands the right to healthcare, food, education, shelter and all other comforts. Even children’s right to support regardless of the state of the marital bond between parents is sufficiently enumerated under the Children Act.
Even the rights of the child as proclaimed under international conventions, including legal remedies, and protection, and citizenship. But that is the new Constitution.
That is not what a National Council for Children Services report on the State of Children in central Kenya told yesterday. But, again, that is misleading. The findings could easily be substituted for just about any other part of Kenya.
It indicates that the number of abused children in Central Province has doubled in the last five years, with over 7, 000 cases reported every year. This figure is poignant because Central is the most populous region, but that also means it also boasts the dubious reputation of being home to the highest number of abused children.
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Reasons are varied, starting with widespread child neglect, largely due to the proliferation of cheap, lethal alcoholic brews that are much-loved by the menfolk. As a result many homes are now matrilineal following the absence of the father.
The lack of care and protection has opened a window for peer group pressure as children gradually turn to the same to drink and find solace in illegal gangs.
manual labour
Abuse is rife, with between 15-20 children reportedly molested every day.
Child abuse in the hue of child labour is widespread as school-age children are employed in household chores or other forms of manual labour contrary to provisions of the supreme law.
This is not the spirit and wording of the new Constitution and needs addressing else the country shall be saddled with the very real prospect of having a "lost generation" in its ranks.
