In order to implement the articles of the MOU signed by Khartoum State and the CPI, on the issue of broadening the scope of the participation of children and youth in the state affairs that directly concern them, the Council For Childhood Protection has held a series of preliminary meetings since May 2006. It has also conducted a workshop that includes a training programme on participation in children’s Parliament, which included youth representatives for Khartoum State, from 20th to 22nd August, 2006. Seventeen participants have participated in this workshop, representing a delegation of student activities relative to each of the seven districts, in addition to representatives of the Association “ Youth For Children”, which has benefited from a training programme on the “Children’s Rights” convention, and which included a training on the methodology of the “Child to Child” programme , as well as the issue of the different levels of participation and representation involved. The children and youth of Khartoum State were informed on these proceedings.
In addition to this, one hundred children have been elected from each district on the basis of the electoral campaigns launched by each elected child. Ten children have been chosen, by election, from each district, thereby representing the children and youth of Khartoum State. The Sudanese Parliament held a preliminary session, on Tuesday 30th January, 2007, to which Dr Gamal Mahmoud Hamid participated with a keynote speech. Mr Adam Ibrahim, Director of the Children and family Protection Unit of the Social Security division, and Dr. Najwan Shamsuddin, Secretary of the Childhood Council of Khartoum State, also participated in this parliamentary session. Several children (male and female) - including children from the ‘risk group’ and handicapped children - have participated in discussions and expressed their views and conceptions of what they aim to realize through their participation in parliament in Khartoum State.