National children’s policy out soon

A national policy for children will be launched in the coming weeks – a year after a working group was nominated to finalise the proposals that intended to establish the strategy by the end of 2010.

Reasons for the delay in the launch of the policy, aimed at offering guidelines on how to protect children, could not be provided yesterday by the family ministry.

Speaking in Parliament last year, Family Minister Dolores Cristina had said the working group was composed of experts from various ministries and other entities, whose role was to analyse the legal framework on the protection of children, the rights and responsibilities of authorities, the courts and other service providers.

Mrs Cristina yesterday said the children themselves had played a major role in drawing up the policy and had been consulted throughout.

The policy emphasised their rights – including the right to play and to be entertained – as well as their obligations, which were sometimes forgotten.

The minister was speaking at the launch of Żigużajg, a festival for children, aimed at promoting their interaction with performing arts, organised by St James Cavalier, Centre for Creativity, under the patronage of Prime Minster Lawrence Gonzi.

Even newborns are being catered for at the upcoming festival due to scientific proof that they too stand to benefit.

These performances, based on imagery and sound, colours, shapes and repetition, are among 100 by 26 local and international companies that are packing culture and creativity into the week-long programme, hosted in various historic venues in Valletta, including the Manoel Theatre and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Among the highlights is an inflatable city in St George’s Square, offering a multi-sensory performance, said Żigużajg artistic director of Sarah Spiteri.

Żigużajg is aimed at children up to 16 years old and an estimated audience of 22,000. Performances are being presented by adult artists, showing children there is a future in it for them.

The event is the brainchild of the Prime Minister, who expressed a “particular wish” to create a festival for children, and brings together the education and finance ministries, as well as the parliamentary secretariat for tourism and culture.

Mrs Cristina said that while it was not the first time a festival for children had been organised, Żigużajg had an international flavour and offered opportunities to those who had never entered a theatre or listened to an orchestra.

The minister said she had always criticised the educational system for being too academic but over the last 10 years, more “softer” subjects, such as music and sports, had been introduced and major efforts made to encourage children to move towards culture and the country’s heritage.

Żigużajg is being held between November 14 and 20, World Children’s Day. During the week, it is welcoming children from schools in the morning and is open to families in the afternoon.

Entrance to the performances is free of charge but booking is required via www.ziguzajg.org, which should soon be up and running.