Quiz for children on the African Children’s Charter
By Elizabeth Willmott-Harrop
20 November 2015
This quiz was produced to support the 25th anniversary of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (African Children’s Charter).
The African Children’s Charter is as relevant to children today as it was 25 years ago, when it was first launched. During that quarter century, millions of children have been born across the continent who can benefit from the rights laid out in the Charter. These rights include the right to education, the right to access health services, and the right to be free from violence and abuse.
What does the African Children’s Charter mean to you?
Take our quiz and find out – you can check your answers at the end and discuss what you have learned! Why not look at the charter as you discuss your answers to see where the various issues are set out in the Charter.
You can also download a pdf of the quiz.
25 Questions
1- The African Children’s Charter adapts the global United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child by making it more relevant to protecting the rights of children in Africa.
True/False
2- There are some children in Africa who do not have rights – such as the right to be free from discrimination.
True/False
3- The Charter protects the rights of a child who is affected by HIV/AIDS in several ways. It protects the child’s right to health care, their right to be free from discrimination, and their right to alternative family care if they lose their parents.
True/False
4- A child is defined as “every human being below the age of 16 years”
True/False
5- According to the charter, the Best Interests of the Child should be the primary consideration when making a decision concerning a child.
True/False
6- The charter only focuses on so called “political rights” such as the right to a fair trial.
True/False
7- The rights enshrined in the Charter are an ideal which we all hope for, rather than describing minimum standards which governments must adhere to.
True/False
8- The Charter allows the recruitment and use of children in armed groups under certain circumstances.
True/False
9- The Charter places specific duties on parents at all times.
True/False
10- The Charter introduces the Concept of children also having responsibilities.
True/False
11- The Charter encourages pregnant girls to leave school to care for their children.
True/False
12- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a new set of global targets designed to end poverty and improve the lives of poor people by the year 2030. The African Children’s Charter is very important to the SDGs as it supports the realization of those goals in multiple ways.
True/False
13- The Charter puts a particular emphasis on education and requires governments to take special measures to ensure that female, gifted and disadvantaged children, have equal access to education.
True/False
14- The charter gives special protection to children with mental or physical disabilities.
True/False
15- All children have the right to nutritious food and safe drinking water, unless they live in a remote area.
True/False
16- Every child has the right to be given for an opportunity for their views to be heard in all proceedings affecting his or her interests, and those views must be taken into consideration.
True/False
17- No one monitors whether or not governments honor the charter.
True/False
18- Fifty four countries are members of the African Union, how many have ratified (agreed) to the Charter?
17, 27, or 47?
19- Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tunisia are the only countries still to agree to adopt the Charter.
True/False
20- In 2014, the South Sudan government voted to ratify the African Children’s Charter so may become the newest state to join the call for children’s rights.
True/False
21- Physical and sexual abuse of a child is banned by the charter but emotional abuse is not.
True/False
22- If a child is accused or found guilty of a crime, they must be separated from adults in their place of detention or imprisonment.
True/False
23- Every child should be registered immediately after birth because birth registration protects many child rights
True/False
24- Girls and boys are allowed to marry from the age of 15 if their parents approve.
True/False
25- The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is 25 years old in November 2015!
Join the campaign: #acrwc25 | #RatifyAndReport | #MyCharterMyRights
Question 1: True
Question 2: False – every child has rights Question 3: True
Question 4: False – a child is below 18 years with no exceptions, even if your country’s law says otherwise
Question 5: True
Question 6: False – the charter covers the whole spectrum of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights
Question 7: False – The rights enshrined in the Charter form minimum standards. Other guidelines and legal instruments build on the charter to increase the level of protection of children
Question 8: False – there are no exceptions. Children can never be used by armed groups
Question 9: True
Question 10: True
Question 11: False – the charter safeguards the right of a pregnant girl or young mother to education
Question 12: True
Question 13: True
Question 14: True
Question 15: False – nutritious food and safe drinking water is the right of every child, no exceptions
Question 16: True
Question 17: False – The Charter has a monitoring body of eleven Experts, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), which works with governments to ensure the charter is implemented
Question 18: 47
Question 19: True
Question 20: True
Question 21: False – emotional abuse is also banned: Children shall be protected from “especially physical or mental injury or abuse, neglect or maltreatment including sexual abuse”.
Question 22: True
Question 23: True
Question 24: False: Girls and boys are not allowed to marry before the age of 18.
Question 25: True
