Macedonia: Children are not political pawns

Macedonian children?s association Megjasi (First Children?s Embassy in the World) is campaigning to bring an end to the use of children in election campaigns, saying that Article 92 of the Law on the protection of children protects children from being used to pursue political goals.

The association, founded in 1992 to protect and raise awareness about the rights of children, claims that in the past children have been ?turned into walking ad-boards dressed in t-shirts with political slogans or portraits of political party leaders? and that they have been made to participate in political party rallies and to distribute political ?propaganda? materials.

Megjasi calls on parents and political leaders to act responsibly, keeping the interests of the child, and not of their political party, at heart. And invites the media to refuse to broadcast paid political advertisement that feature children, quoting the Convention on the Rights of Children, Articles 3 and 36, that says that advertising should not carry messages that violate the best interests of children.

Megjasi expects all political parties to now offer guarantees that they will observe the Convention on the Rights of Children and will take the necessary efforts to prevent the violation of children`s rights.

More info
www.childrensembassy.org