Ethics

Children together with their families continue to experience stumbling block to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights as well as to their inclusion in society affairs. The perception of childrens rights being respected is interpreted by many as being lenient in addition to giving them a lot of control and power, while simultaneously taking away power from their parents. However, it is the mandate of each and every person to make sure that the rights of children are upheld. UNICEF is an international organization whose fundamental objective is to make sure that the rights of children are respected globally. This paper will evaluate the role played by UNICEF in the process of safeguarding childrens rights in Africa.

Introduction
Children, especially in Africa together with their families, continue to experience hurdles to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights as well as to their inclusion in society affairs (Lawson and Bertucci, 1996). Lawson and Bertucci (1996), states that childrens capacities are not taken into account their abilities are underrated and their needs given a low priority. Smith (2008), states that the barriers that hinder African children from enjoying their basic rights are usually as a consequence of the environment in which they live. Though the situation for African children is changing, a wide gap still exists. On the positive side, global momentum has increased for the last about two decades whereby children have obtained a lot of support from governments as well as international organizations (Schwab, 1997). In some countries, local communities have joined hands to form regional and national agencies aimed at safeguarding the rights of children. As a consequence the hurdles to the participation of children as full members of their society are drastically declining (Smith, 2008). Some countries, however, have not enacted legislations aimed at protecting the rights of children this leads to an increase in violation of their rights.  Children with disabilities and their families are the one who continue facing the discriminatory side of the society (Waller, 2009).

The Past centuries have experienced unending debate concerning the rights of children. Rights are priceless commodities, which people do not have to beg to be given rather they are supposed to be given without stipulations. In Africa as stated by Smith (2008), childrens rights do not gather widespread public as well as political support. They have long been politically referred to as hot potato which instead of advancing the interests of children puts them in danger. This is a very grave state of affair that calls for intellectual investigation. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that the society be educated concerning the rights of children (Kawewe and Dibie, 1999). The convention also requires that the states, which have ratified it, make the standards and provisions necessary for making its content known all over those countries to both children and adults. People who are wary of childrens rights and liberties tend to concentrate on the issue of civil as well as political rights (Lawson and Bertucci, 1996). The notion of childrens rights being respected is interpreted by many as being lenient in addition to giving them a lot of control and power, while simultaneously taking away power and control from their parents (Sloth-Nielsen, 2008). African countries should stop laying the blame on poverty for failure to enforce childrens rights, due to the fact that financial status is far from the principle considerations in childrens rights and liberties (Gordon, Nandy and Pantazis, 2003).

UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children rights- Case Study (Africa)
There is no one way to extensively evaluate and list the ways through which children across Africa and the rest of the world are mistreated physically and economically oppressed.  However, the numbers are tremendous and the suffering is great and rampant. Schwab (1997) states that very many children all over Africa are sexually abused by adults destroyed beyond their age through hard life in addition to drug abuse in the streets wounded by landmines and other explosives and turned into murderers by war and stricken with diseases they cannot recover from. All these aspects contribute to the general struggles against illnesses, hardships, and cultural traditions which compromise childrens rights and subject them to extreme emotional as well as physical suffering (Scott and Ward, 2005).

Though the sufferers of poverty and injustice have throughout history experienced troubles being heard (Harsch, 2001) Gordon, Nandy and Pantazis (2003) states that none of these have had more difficulties as compared to children. Regardless of the form of exploitation, children require support as well as safeguard from a grown-ups world that is responsible for most of the abuse (Waller, 2009). To illuminate the reality of the most devastating violations of International Human Rights Law and encourage administrations to conduct investigations to certain cases, a Special Rapporteur on child prostitution, the sale of children, and child pornography in addition to other forms of children oppressions, was established by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (United Nations, 1995). This commission was established with a main aim of gathering information and presenting it to the U.N.

The convention on the rights of children greatly assists the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in its endeavors to accomplish its mission (Kawewe and Dibie, 1999). The convention, established on varied legal systems and cultural aspects, is a globally agreed lay down of invariable principles and standards. These fundamental principles are referred to as human rights and establish minimum entitlements that governments should uphold (UNICEF, 2008). These standards are grounded on reverence for the self-respect as well as worth of each and every person regardless of ethnic background, color, gender, religion, wealth, birth strata, age, opinions or capacity and thus are applicable to all human beings allover the world (Schwab, 1997). The terms of the convention obliges both individuals and governments not to breach the parallel rights of others. The convention on childrens rights is the first officially obligatory global tool to incorporate the extensive range of human rights. Global leaders, in 1989, decided that children were in need of a special convention due to the fact that all people under the age of 18 years need unique care and protection as compared to adults (UNICEF, 2007). The main intent of these leaders was to make the world aware that children have human rights as well (Lawson and Bertucci, 1996). The terms of the convention makes it clear that children have the right to live to develop to their maximum to safeguard from harmful circumstances, abuse and oppression and to take part fully in family and social affairs (Seidman and Anang, 1992). All rights spelled out in the convention are intrinsic to the human decorum as well as harmonious development of all children. The convention safeguards the rights of children by outlining principles in medical care, education, legal, civil and social services (Scott and Ward, 2005).

Generally children, who suffer from violation of or are denied human rights, experience poverty emanating from economic unfairness. Poverty is the most perverse nature of deprivation of childrens rights (Harsch, 2001). This is due to the fact that it makes it extremely impossible to meet the needs that are fundamental rights. As per the figures compiled by UNICEF, which is the organ of the UN that directly deals with childrens matters, there are very many countries not only in Africa, but all over the world, in which childrens conditions are far less than the standards to be projected for their levels of economic advancement (The UK Committee for UNICEF, 2010). This incorporates such measures as levels of malnutrition mortality rates for under-five proportion of children who carry on with education to higher levels in addition to low literacy levels for women (UNICEF, 2008).

In developing countries, children work in order to supplement inadequate family income or else to assist the family business. Even though they may not at all time work under the desirable conditions, a lot of them are not deliberately exploited by their families.  Hayden (2009), states that traditionally children in African families were taken as a source of labor, but UNICEF tries to beat that notion out of the minds of African adults in the modern world. The main concern in such circumstances is not whether the young people work or not, but rather whether the environments under which they work are conducive and just, and also whether they are deprived of other fundamental rights due to their work, for example the right to education right to freedom from abuse and right to proper medical care (Hayden, 2009). Numerous studies, according to UNICEF (2007), reveal that if child labor is to be brought to an end, in many developing countries, some form of economic reimbursement have to be found for their families. The conditions of children reclaimed from child labor in some countries have proved to be worse than when they were working (Hayden, 2009).

The UK Committee for UNICEF (2010) states that UNICEF has committed itself to fight for elimination of child labor in addition to the fight for childrens education. UNICEF, in conjunction with the International Labor Organization, has vowed to bring child labor to an end not only in African countries, but all over the globe (United Nations, 1995). These parties have agreed to take positive steps aimed at creating public awareness in regards to matters of child labor and education. The role played by UNICEF across Africa in its endeavors to promote childrens rights is commendable. UNICEF has financially assisted in establishment of numerous childrens projects, nutrition units, and water and sanitation projects in rural villages all over the continent. UNICEF seeks to extend its assistance to rural households in order for children to benefit from food distribution and other assistance (UNICEF, 2008).

UNICEF, along with African governments seeks to carry out and widen its work on immunization, delivery of vitamin A and de-worming services for children in countries that are most affected (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF is increasing HIVAIDS awareness among rural communities through clearly defined programs all over the continent. In its efforts to promote efficient delivery of health services to children, UNICEF call for establishment of health centers in the rural areas, intervention packages consisting of vaccines for children, pre as well as post-natal care for pregnant women, and exclusive breastfeeding for a period not less than 6 months. The chief mission of UNICEF is to promote the protection of the rights of children, to assist satisfy their fundamental needs as well as widen their opportunities to attain their maximum potential (UNICEF, 2007).

UNICEF works in collaboration with African governments, communities, and families to promote the rights of all children (United Nations, 1995). The endeavors of UNICEF, according to UNICEF (2007), are grounded in the UN convention on childrens rights, which makes sure that each and every child has the same rights. UNICEF helps African governments to establish and equip health systems, educate health professionals, and provide foodstuff and clean water so as to guarantee the health of all children (UNICEF, 2007). Through distribution of vaccines UNICEF safeguards the lives of millions of African children against death from avoidable illnesses. UNICEF also helps governments train tutors, establish schools and equip them so that all children can get quality education (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF also helps families and communities take care of children and shelter them from exploitation and oppression, thereby fulfilling their right to a childhood (UNICEF, 2007). UNICEF works together with partners to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to participate in sports and play. UNICEF aims at involving all children at all levels of decision making thereby upholding there right to be heard. UNICEF (2008), states that through working at the highest level of the administration as well as through local staff and associates on the ground, UNICEF devotes its efforts to tackle poverty and segregation in order that every child is treated justly. UNICEF recognizes that children are uniquely susceptible to the effects of climatic change as well as HIVAIDS, and therefore, has time and again launched campaigns all over the world to enlighten communities on way through which they can protect themselves and the young generation (The UK Committee for UNICEF, 2010).

Conclusion
It can therefore be concluded that children together with their families continue to experience hurdles to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights as well as to their inclusion in society affairs. Their capacities are also underrated and their needs given a low priority. Even though the situation is improving, a lot needs to be done to guarantee protection of childrens rights.  The United Nations Childrens Fund is an organ of the UN that mainly deals with childrens matters. This organ devotes time and resources to advocate for protection of childrens rights which include right to life right to education, right to protection from abuse right to proper medical care and right to be heard. The efforts of UNICEF, in its promotion of childrens rights not only in Africa but all over the world, are remarkable. The chief mission of UNICEF is to promote the protection of the rights of children, to assist satisfy their fundamental needs as well as widen their opportunities to attain their maximum potential.