Election of Ms Mulenga as the new East and Southern Africa Representative on the NGO Advisory Council to the UN Secretary - General's Study on Violence against

Zambia Civic Education Association Executive Director Ms. Judith Mulenga has been elected as the new East and Southern Africa representative on the NGO Advisory Council to the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children. The Council was formed in 2007 to support strong and effective follow-up to the Study. Its central role today is to work closely with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children to ensure civil society participation in the follow up activities. The NGO Advisory Council is composed of 18 members: 9 International representatives drawn from International NGOs and 9 representatives from national or regional NGOs, representing global nine regions; East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and Pacific, South Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, North America and Europe and Central Asia.

Ms Mulenga replaces Mr. Gilbert Onyango of Kenya who previously held the portfolio for East and Southern Africa. Ms Mulenga was nominated to the Council by the Southern African Network to End Corporal and Humiliating Punishment of Children: Promoting Positive Discipline. The Network is composed of 14 NGOs from 6 countries.

The nomination period run from July to mid September 2010. Thereafter a jury assessed the nominees against the set criteria and Ms Mulenga emerged as the most suitable candidate to represent the region based on her experience, expertise, network and knowledge of the region.

The primary purpose of the NGO Advisory Council is to encourage and maintain NGO involvement at national, regional and international levels in advocacy with governments, UN agencies and others for full implementation of the Study’s recommendations. 

The international representatives are drawn from World Vision International, Human Rights Watch, International Save the Children Alliance, Defense for Children International, Global Initiative to End all Corporal Punishment of Children, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes, World Organisation against Torture, Plan International and Child Rights Information Network.