SOUTH SUDAN: Lawmakers pledge to prioritize budget for children’s rights on Day of the African Child

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SOUTH SUDAN: Lawmakers pledge to prioritize budget for children’s rights on Day of the African Child

Child leaders speak to action in an event organised by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare as they engage with members of the South Sudan Transitional National Legislative Assembly during the International Day of the African Child.

JUBA, South Sudan – June 17th, 2025 – South Sudanese children have called on their leaders to take immediate action against challenges facing children in the country including inadequate budgeting for child-related programs, forced child marriages, widespread poverty and gender-based violence and limited access to quality healthcare, education, and proper nutrition. The children were speaking during this year’s Day of the African Child celebrations in Juba.

In a historic moment for child participation in South Sudan, members of the National Children’s Council engaged in a meaningful dialogue with national lawmakers at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly. The children shared their reflections on the progress, challenges, and opportunities in child-focused planning and financing, advocating for a stronger government commitment to child-centered budgeting.

During the session, child representatives courageously voiced their concerns and aspirations to members of parliament. 

“I call all our leaders, parliamentarians and the Rt. Honorable Jemma Nunu Nkumba to hear our little voices and take action. You say we are the future of tomorrow, so what will happen if you don't plan for us today? When you invest in children, you invest in the future. We are not just crying for peace, for security not as a charity but as a right”, the speaker of the Children’s Council, Noami Mamone, 16, told lawmakers. 

Organized by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, in collaboration with Joining Forces for Children implementing organizations—Save the Children, World Vision, and Plan International—the high-level engagement commemorated the Day of the African Child 2025 under the African Union theme: “Planning and Budgeting for the Rights of the Child.” 

This year’s theme emphasizes the importance of inclusive planning and equitable resource allocation to ensure that the rights of all children are upheld in policies and programs across various sectors, including education, health, protection, food security, and livelihoods.

The speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Rt Honourable Jemma Nunu Kumba, said Article Seventeen of the South Sudan Constitution explicitly enshrines the rights of the child, adding that we must strengthen our implementation efforts and ensure these rights are not only acknowledged in law but realized in practice.

“I am glad this conversation is taking place ahead of the 2025/2026 budget planning cycle. Several key parliamentary committees are present today—including Finance, Education, Health, and Human Rights—and I encourage you to take the children’s voices seriously in your deliberations. During public hearings, children should be invited to participate, allowing for direct input into policies that affect their lives. We must also meet international budgetary benchmarks—10% for education, 15% for health, and others—as committed under various ratified protocols. What remains is the domestication and implementation of these commitments”, Said Rt Honorable Nunu Kumba. 

The children urged the government to implement concrete, inclusive plans that will enable them to grow into healthy, educated, and empowered leaders of tomorrow. The dialogue reaffirmed the importance of child participation in governance and the need for stronger cross-sector collaboration. 

Media Contacts:

Diwa Aquino-Gacosta -  diwa_aquino-gacosta@wvi.org, Senior Manager of Advocacy and Communications, World Vision South Sudan

Kangu Tito Justin -  Tito.Justin@savethechildren.org, Media and Communication Manager – Save the Children, South Sudan

Kemisa Barbara -  Kemisa.Barbara@plan-international.org, Communications Manager, Plan International, South Sudan

 Notes to editors:

• The Day of the African Child was established in 1991, in memory of the 16th June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. At that time, students marched in protest against the poor quality of education they received, and many of them lost their life during the protest.