The Commission in Ethiopia has a Commissioner for Women’s and Children’s Rights and a Department for Women’s and Children’s Rights. The Department comprises a Director and Human Rights/ Child Rights Officers at the Head Office and all Regional Offices.
EHRC has a budget dedicated to children’s rights work with an estimated share of 5 million Birr, including salaries and other administrative costs.
Among other things, the EHRC prepared and submitted its application for Affiliate Status with the ACERWC. The ACERWC granted Affiliate status in March 2022. It’s also advancing its strategy for engagement with ACERWC through contributions during sessions and the State Party reporting process.
In Ethiopia, there is an indication of multiple avenues for collaborating with the government on children’s rights. The EHRC collaborates with line Ministries and law enforcement agencies at the national and regional levels on various issues concerning children’s rights, such as children in contact with the law, enactment of regional family law, and countering trafficking and exploitation of children and young people. There is also cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Federal Prison Administration with regard to the protection of the rights of children imprisoned with their mothers. In addition, the EHRC has also initiated collaboration with the House of People’s Representatives to strengthen the Children’s Parliament at the national level.
- Member of NANHRI
- EHRC and NANHRI have collaborated to carry out a number of activities in the past including trainings to CSOs and EHRC staff on litigation before regional human rights mechanisms
- EHRC and NANHRI are currently working on a National Assessment on the Impact of COVID19 on Children with Disabilities.
In monitoring work, children participate as informants including giving opinion on issues that affects them. There is an effort to establish a child-friendly complaints system where children take part in the hearings and decision making process. The EHRC engages with members of Children’s Parliaments.
- Has been cooperating with a wide range of child focused agencies at different levels.
- Established a collaboration platform with CSOs working on children’s rights
- Has cooperation agreements with Save the Children (three years project) and UNICEF (multiyear project).
- Launched a stakeholder’s mapping project which will enable it to reach a wider and more diverse set of child focused agencies.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission uses the Charter as part of its key instruments for implementing its mandate which includes research and advocacy, monitoring and investigation, capacity building, and stakeholders’ engagement. Activities include,
- Reviewing laws and policies in light of the Charter
- handling individual complaints and investigations of child rights violations
- following-up the implementation of the Charter and the recommendations of the ACERWC and other treaty bodies
- promoting the Charter among rights holders, duty bearers and the wider public, including translating the Charter into local languages and disseminating to the public, and the celebration of the Day of the African Child
The Commission’s activities on child rights also include:
- Advise Government, Parliament, and any other body on children’s rights Conduct research, and inquiries on children’s rights situation.
- Promote and monitor the harmonization of national laws with international and regional children’s rights obligations.
- Cooperate and engage with key stakeholders, including CSOs, international and regional human rights bodies, children’s groups and other NHRIs.
- Undertake investigation on children’s rights violation upon complaint or upon its own initiation The Commission uses Agenda 2040 as its framework for designing different strategies and goals.