The African Movement of Working Children and Youth (AMWCY): Rights in Action of Working Children and Youth

The AMWCY was founded in 1994 in the Ivory Coast by children and youth from 4 countries since then has rapidly grown and now operates in 27 African countries.

The movement gathers children and young people who did not have the opportunity to go to school or dropped out for various reasons. These children had to work to help their families and support themselves.

Children who are members include employees: waitresses in cheap restaurants, domestic girls; apprentices: sewing, carpentry and welding; self-employed: luggage carriers, shoe-shiners, street vendors; others are: farmers, fishermen, girls underemployed but helping at home, students who study and work...

Rights in Action of Working Children and Youth.

A platform of 12 rights - set by the founding members of AMWCY - is still valid and constitutes a shared reference for all the members. Several studies show that the WCY have translated the rights of the child into their reality and their everyday practices.

The 12 basic rights are:

*to read and write - *to express oneself- *to be taught a trade- *to play and leisure--*to health care-*to be listened to- *to rest when sick- *to work in safety- *to be respected and dignity- *to stay in the village- *to light and limited work- *to equitable justice

But rights must be built. This is what WCY are doing every day to progress and make other children progress. By negotiating the availability of classrooms in the evening schools and access in health centers, by exercising vigilance at any time towards children in mobility, by multiplying activities and leisure and diminishing the hours of work, by showing solidarity and being friendly with each other, and recently by organizing campaigns against Ebola in 10 countries.