Children of 2019 are the Future Leaders…we can see peace and change in their Eyes
«Children of 2019 are the Leaders of the Future…we can see peace and change in their eyes.» With this in mind children and young people took the lead to start their consultations. They came from all Lebanese Governorates, prepared with their working documents, to meet the Governors. . They sat responsibly, with their notes and spoke, in orderly manner, in their name and on behalf of the boys and girls of their generation. Such a wonderful sight. Children can identify better than anyone else their problems, their issues, and the needed solutions to bring back their rights, justice and peace.
Like leaders they sat and started articulating their challenges and proposed solutions. Nour, Balsam, Ahmad, Shahd, Lynn, Hoda, Saad, Batoul, Amjad, Marwa… children and young people participated in raising their problems with much dignity. Problems previously identified during discussion sessions, where they wrote down on paper scraps issues reflecting personal or general suffering, discussed with confidentiality to avoid unease and embarrassment.
«We, 160 boys and girls and young people, convened on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, actively managing for the first time in thirty years a project from A to Z.» This is how Marwa explained the process of this initiative adding: «This initiative allowed us to shed light on our problems and find solutions. And we will succeed.»
When Children Speak on Behalf of Children
Amjad, 14, spoke of «violence against children by other children and teachers» and explained: «Teachers who use violence with their students should be held accountable, children must be prevented from bullying their friends, and violence perpetrators should be punished. Also, let the Ministry of Social Affairs intervene to reduce child labor.»
Marwa, a Palestinian girl, said with tearful eyes: «I'm afraid for my future in a country of which I am not a national. I fear this will affect my dream of becoming a lawyer when I grow older and I enrolled in this project to become stronger and be able to overcome my fears.» Ramez, 17 years old, spoke about drugs in schools: «They should protect us from drug dealers. We don't feel safe. They should arrest them and enforce the law on everyone.» Ahmed, 13 years old, talked about pollution of the sea: «Throwing plastic into the sea are then eaten by the fish thus exposing us to diseases. The municipalities, the ministry of Environment and the Governors are responsible. They should clean the sea.»
Complaints about the heavy school bag and the exhausting intensive curriculum was repeatedly voiced by the children who identified the responsibility: «The Minister of Education is in charge. He must issue a decision to replace heavy books with modern technologies such as the tablets.» «School hours are long, recess time short, and the school bag is heavy,» said 12-year-old Ali.
children and young people voiced concerns adults would have never thought of. They talked about the suffering of many of them. There are bullied children at school, there are teachers who hurt children's feelings with their attitude, there are parents who do not know how to deal with a lazy son or a shy daughter who stutters and doesn't dare to mingle with others. These children talked about issues that are most of the time unnoticed by many adults.
Children have feelings and ideas that they do not often convey or express.. UNICEF's initiative succeeded in breaking the circle around many of these rightful thoughts, releasing ideas, proposals and visions of children and young people who are supposed to grow up and later lead the country and institutions. It has also uncovered to local officials a generation they have long forgotten or overlooked during their planning and implementation of projects and laws.
Ali, 10 years old, arranged his papers and read a demand in his name and in the name of kids of his age: «We want paved roads, buses that take us to schools, and clean bathrooms in our schools. This is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.» He then gave the floor to 11-year-old Lynn who said: «We are subjected to violence. We fear getting kidnapped. The «police» should interfere.» Saad, 13 years old, takes over to convey an additional demand: «Recess time in school is too short. we want more space and time to play, eat, have fun as we study, learn and grow.» Sabine, in turn, says, «We want sidewalks and public parks, and that is the responsibility of municipalities.» Lara addresses the divorce problem: «Children are the most affected by divorce, and spiritual courts are supposed to be more just and listen to the child's opinion.» Children have many requests, and some are very simple: «We want safe places to play, clean air to breathe and less noise around us.» These are very simple demands from children who are supposed to be happy, educated and raised in safe environments.
The initiative did not stop there. Children and young people backed their demands with solutions. In this context, Clara says, «Our education system is not up to date. The Ministry of Education must develop the system and the curriculum.» Children with special needs and strong will also need to be integrated with other children, and the participant children repeatedly demanded that «all logistical facilities must be equipped so they could be with us and we could be with them». In his turn, Nour tried to speak on behalf of refugees’ children: «refugee children living in Lebanon have the right to learn and interact with others.» These are the proposed solutions from children to the problems they face. It is their right to express, participate, suggest and innovate, and to make the official bear his responsibilities.
It is amazing how these children got together to find solutions to other children's problems. It is amazing to hear and see their excitement and hopes as they follow the underlying problems with solutions and hope.
Children from all governorates: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, Bekaa, Hermel, and Nabatiyeh. They all participated with a strong willpower, in rectifying many things by declaring with tremendous hope: These things harm us, these solutions protects us, and these recommendations will keep us safe.
They are children and young people who deserve to be crowned leaders of 2019. They are children and young people who overcome daily many challenges that hinder their right to joy and health, play, leisure, learning, speech, and communication. Children - Leaders who succeeded on the 30th anniversary of the declaration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in expressing themselves and establishing a road map.
