Plateforme de suivi de l'EPU / UPR monitoring platform

The zambian experience with Mrs Judith Mulenga, Executive Director, Zambia Civic Education Association - ZCEA (http://www.zamcivic.com.zm/).
Set up un 1993, the ZCEA aims to promote and advocate children’s rights. This NGO intervenes against violation of those rights, campaigns for their reinforcement through law and consistent policies and aims to unify all initiatives in this area. In Zambia, studies and reports on children’s rights are the result of a close cooperation between relevant NGOs. Such an approach makes it possible to avoid isolation and gives more weight and credibility to political and administratives forces in the country. Moreover, this strategic choice enables, at least in part, to overcome organisations’ financing difficulties, problems of disseminating information and the rather low level of mobilization from the civil society. The ZCEA’s participation to the UPR process in the country has contributed to favor, as soon as 2008, a certain number of issues such as a legislative review in the field of children’s rights, an implementation of a youth national policy, a better awareness among the professionnel staff concerning the situation of the children’s rights, a reviewing of a birth registry and a budget increase for various programs dedicated to childhood. Four years later, the civil society stakeholders are still pursuing the same objectives and work to report on the following priorities : the right of children to education, health and participation and children protection throughout justice and against violence. This in-depht study was broadly disseminated around the country and in the ambassies and medias as well.