The Children Consortium under the auspices of CANGO has called on the Eswatini Government, parents, and civil society groups to listen to protesting students in order to find amicable solutions to problems faced by the children.

The NGO also called on the students to corporate with the relevant stakeholders reminding them that the rights they have also come with responsibilities.

This is contained in a statement that was released by the Children Consortium on Tuesday at a time when the Kingdom of Eswatini is embroiled with schools protests in most parts of the country. Over 80 schools have partaken in the protest and at least 1 student was shot allegedly by security forces deployed to maintain peace and order.

The protesting students are calling for the release of Members of Parliament who were arrested in June among other demands.

In the statement, The Children Consortium raised concerns about the ongoing protests saying they will cost the country and the citizens in the near future because the child’s timelines are limited and can never be regained once lost.

“The deployment of armed forces, burning of schools materials and furniture, arrests of children, and the eventual missing out on lessons will impact the future of the children and the development of the country” read the statement.

A child remains a child, no matter the circumstances. To this end, we call upon all stakeholders such as government, civil society, including children, and parents to come together at this time and strike a balance with the aim of ensuring that children’s rights, including the right to education, are protected,” it added.

The NGO said all efforts should be made for stakeholders to find solutions in addressing the grievances of the children. It also appealed to the Ministry of Education to find a peaceful manner to engage learners, listen to their grievances and explore how some of these can be addressed, including service delivery-related grievances ranging from availability of learning material as well as teachers at all times.

It also appealed to the security forces to desist from using force against children and to adhere to human rights treaties and the Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2012.

To the Justice System, the Children Consortium advised that issues relating to the children should be dealt with accordingly saying that should there be a need for a child to be brought before any judicial process this is done with the knowledge and presence of a parent, guardian, caregiver or social worker.