ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (BG) – In a landmark conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ministers responsible for Children’s Affairs from Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states endorsed the IGAD Child Policy Framework on Friday.

The move signifies a unified commitment to protecting and advancing children’s rights across the region.

IGAD is a regional trade bloc comprising eight member states in the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley, and the African Great Lakes region: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

The endorsement occurred during a Ministerial conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, chaired by H.E. Mouna Osman Aden, Minister of Women and Family of Djibouti.

Ministers from IGAD Member States gathered to validate the framework to address pressing challenges affecting children while aligning regional efforts with international commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Fathia Alwan, Director of the Health and Social Development Division at IGAD, emphasized the importance of the policy framework in empowering member states to meet their regional and international commitments to children’s rights through child-sensitive initiatives.

She also urged Member States to develop national action plans, implementation strategies, and robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to ensure effective implementation.

The adoption of the IGAD Child Policy Framework is expected to enhance protections for children by tackling regional challenges, including access to education, health care, and protection from violence.

The framework also emphasizes the importance of implementing child-sensitive programs that align with global best practices.