Global Child Rights Advance in 2024 with Bans, Tech Solutions
With Malawi securing a $37 million Green Climate Fund project to protect rural communities from climate-related health risks, climate initiatives gained momentum.
FAIRFIELD, Calif. US — From banning child marriage in Sierra Leone to deploying blood delivery drones in Rwanda, 2024 marked significant advances in children's rights and welfare across Africa and Asia, Save the Children reported Wednesday, writes Winston Mwale.
Sierra Leone passed landmark legislation criminalizing child marriage, targeting a practice that affects one-third of girls under 18.
The law establishes penalties for offenders and follows a campaign supported by First Lady Fatima Maada Bio and various organizations.
"Girls who are married young are not only robbed of their childhood but they are also robbed of their futures," Save the Children said in its year-end report.
The Gambia reinforced its stance against female genital mutilation by rejecting attempts to overturn its 2015 ban.
The practice currently affects 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 in West Africa.
In a historic development, the G20 summit included child representatives for the first time in its 25-year history.
Three Brazilian teenagers represented over 50,000 children from 60 countries, delivering recommendations on climate action and poverty reduction.
Technology plays a crucial role in improving healthcare access.
In Rwanda's Mahama Refugee Camp, drone deliveries of blood and medical supplies transformed maternal care.
"Women giving birth no longer have to travel for hours to receive specialist care," the report noted.
With Malawi securing a $37 million Green Climate Fund project to protect rural communities from climate-related health risks, climate initiatives gained momentum.
The program aims to benefit 22% of the country's population across six southern districts.
Laos became Southeast Asia's first country to ban corporal punishment, joining 65 other nations worldwide. However, Save the Children warns that at current rates, global elimination of corporal punishment could take another 60 years.
The Democratic Republic of Congo addressed child labour in cobalt mines through educational catch-up clubs.
At the same time, Côte d'Ivoire's community health workers reduced malaria cases by up to 70% in some areas through bicycle outreach programs.
The year concluded with a record-setting conference in Bogota, Colombia, where 119 countries pledged to combat violence against children, earning a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering focused on childhood violence.