Public Participation on the Proposed Children's Bill underway.

By Dickson Odhiambo

April 11, 2017.

Public Participation on the Proposed Children's Bill underway.

VARIOUS Stakeholders have started to participate and giving their views on the proposed Children Bill.

The Deputy Director Heading the National Council for Children services JosphineOguye says they are currently  gathering the public opinion on the proposed bill that seeks to amend the Children’s Act of 2001.

Speaking at St. Ann’s Guest House in Kisumu on Tuesday, Oguye says Kisumu is one of the ten regions they are visiting for the purpose of seeking public views of the proposed bill.

She says other regions include Lower and Upper Eastern, Coast, Nairobi, North Eastern,South Rift and Western Kenya Regions. 

She says one of the major stakeholders is the children drawn from various backgrounds so as to give their views on the proposed amendment to the Children’s Act.

Oguye says they are doing this so as to be able to have the current Children’s Act be in line with the new Constitution that was passed in the year 2010.

The officer says the process of seeking the proposed amendment begun in the year 2006.

“We are seeking the public opinion on this which begins with both adults and children.Children are the major beneficiaries of this Act and their views are very important,” she says.

The officer says there will be a national validation process on the views once the process of public participation is completed after which the Ministry concerned will take up the process from there.

She says after they will have collected the public views on this, they will forward them to the Attorney General’s office for drafting of the bill.

She says several issues needs to be included such as the issue of parental responsibilities which should be bestowed to both the parents.

She says the current Children’s Act of 2001 has a gap since it has not been in line with the new constitution that came into force after its promulgation on August 27, 2010.

A section of Children from Kisumu Children’s Remand says they have proposed that the Government should introduce the formal education at secondary level at the facility unlike now when only those primary levels are taught at the facility.

Kisumu County Director of Children Service Humphrey Wandeo says it is important for children to participate in the proposed laws that will protect them.

He says the proposed bill has identified various issues like child headed household that has not been adequately covered in the current Children’s Act of 2001, adding that it should be included in the proposal and the final amendment.

ENDS: