To mark the World Children’s Day, observed on November 20 of each year, the Ministry of Family, Women, Children and the Elderly is organising a national communication campaign till December 20 under the theme: “They grow up and don’t forget,” to underline the State’s commitment to protecting children’s rights and combating violence against them.
A training programme for trainers was also launched under the theme: “No to violence in schools,” in a bid to promote the culture of children’s rights and hold awareness-raising sessions to combat violence in schools, reads a ministry press release.
The ministry further indicated that the Observatory for Information, Training, Documentation and Studies on the Rights of the Child has started updating all the indicators on the situation of children in Tunisia.
Two studies have also been launched on “ways of strengthening the social protection system” and on “the impact of violence against children,” in addition to a reference framework for the reintegration of child
ren back from conflict zones.
The ministry further drew national plans to protect children from violence in cyberspace and to ensure Tunisia’s active participation in international efforts to reduce the impact of climate change on children, especially migrants, the same source reads.
The ministry recalled in this regard, the ministry recalled that a set of projects had been implemented to promote children’s rights, such as the opening of 47 integrated public kindergartens for 2,700 children, most of whom are from low-income and poor families in rural and border areas, in a bid to guarantee the children’s right to pre-school education, and the integration of 600 autistic children into public and private early childhood institutions by providing monthly financial support to their families.
Besides, the ministry indicated that under its partnership with the Tunisian Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (STPEA), a guidebook for teachers had been drawn up. This is the first official scientific guideb
ook of its kind to be provided in Tunisia for teachers in nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools.
The ministry pointed out the efforts it is exerting to raise awareness among the parents about the need to build their skills and knowledge to ensure a better guidance for their children, under the “Positive Parenting” programme.
A capacity-building programme targeted child protection officers, and a toll-free number (1809) was launched for listening, psychological assistance and guidance for children and families, and a digital child protection platform was set up to make it easier to receive reports.
The draft text of the integrated public policy for the protection of children will soon be finalised, the ministry added.
Some 6908 children are being taken care of by the State in 105 children’s centres and 22 integrated centres for young people and children, at a cost of TND 13.5 million.
Besides, 280 children have benefited from the family deposit programme in 2022-2023, (TND 200 per child), in additi
on to building the capacity of families to provide better care for their children.
Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse