1.0  PROJECT BACKGROUND.

2.1. Promotion of Girls education

In many African countries, like Kenya, where the quality of education and teaching continues to deteriorate due to other factors, while the learning environment and processes are not child-friendly, achieving the education-for all goals becomes a mirage. The gap between declared principles and actual performance continues to widen for the majority, the formal education system is simple out of reach.

That is why the first major meeting to disseminate information on the education-for-all campaign held in Nyeri and in the pastoral community i.e. Maasai, Pokot, Giriama land etc. is a step in the right direction.

The outcome of the meetings, whose objectives are to sensitize the public on EFA, might be productive for it is intended to prepare the ground for mobilizing communities to develop regional action plans.

This strategy is already working in other African countries like Uganda , South Africa and Tanzania , where they have developing viable progammes to guide the development of education. These countries have devised methods of mobilizing resources and addressing development.

Since one-third of out of school going children like pastoral communities are girls, ensuring them equal participation in education requires particular sensitivity to social, economic and cultural barriers.

In the pastoral communities, the main culture is to marry out girls child in exchange of livestock. Off lack is committed in forming the communities regional action plans in support to Education for All and especially for girl child.

In most cases of sexual and physical abuse, the violators are usually relatives or people known to the child. For such cases of physical/sexual abuse OFFLACK intends to establish a rescue home where the children can stay while the case is being deliberated in a court of law.

1.1  Street Theatre for mobilization and promotion for the girl child.

OFF LACK has come to realization that, when you educate a woman you educate the whole nation, an educated mother would contribute to the family welfare and development. Education of a girl child ensure that on becoming an adult she would give better services to the family in terms of nutrition, social and emotional support. This comes about, as an educated mother would pass on better values than one who is not.

Through this project, we hope to mobilize the pastoral and rural communities to support the education of girls and address the high rate of school drop out. The street theatre media would be used to reach a wider audience.

2.0  Objectives of (Project).

(a)   To sensitize the pastoral, rural and urban communities on the need to educate girl child and to encourage those in school to continue with their education.

(b)  To address negative traditional and cultural barriers to the achievements of child's right education.

(c)   To use of focus groups to discussion and theatre performance to promote education for all in the pastoral, rural and urban community.

(d)  To prepare educational drama shows in the Nairobi slums i.e Kibera and Mathare,korogocho & Maasai land i.e. Narok, Kajiado & Pokot etc.

(e)   To distribute pamphlets on gender issues and especially on girls education & rights.

3.0  Project Rationale

The social and economic factors leading to the high drop out of girls from school are high cost of schooling, lack of parental perception of girls role in labour market, some parents force their girls child to look after younger children while the mother goes for work. Also social evil such as prostitution among others. Through theatre, the communities in Nairobi slums and the pastoral communities and other surrounding areas would be encouraged to support the education for the child right.

It is a right!

The adoption by the UN General Assembly of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 20^th November, 1989 marked the universal endorsement of children's entitlement to rights which are unique to their status. This progress is concrete recognition of children as a special interest group whose disadvantaged and vulnerable status entitles them to supreme legal protection that has their best interest as the guiding principle.

Constitutional guarantee and protection of rights of every Kenyan child is therefore a fundamental right! Indeed it was in recognition of this that the Task Force appointed by the government to review and update laws relating to children In Kenya recommended in its 1994 report to the Attorney General that, inter alia: -

"Thee fundamental rights chapter of the present constitutional should be reviewed and reformed so as to address concerns of convention on the rights of the child"

Further, with reference to the inadequate legal protection of Kenyan children's rights, the 1998 joint GoK and UNICEF Situation Analysis of Children and Women in Kenya points out that for the law to be an effective tool in implementing the convention, it will have to be negotiated with all the interested parties. The report then proceeds to recommend, inter alia, that: -

Chapter V of the constitution be reviewed to incorporate provisions of the CRC."

And with specific regard to the constitution review process, section 10(d) (xi) of the constitution of Kenya Review Act, 1997, which is the special law enacted to govern the exercise, requires the review commission to, among its other functions: -

"Examine and review the rights of the child and recommend mechanism that will guarantee protection thereof."