Airdates: No airdates currently scheduled.

Eastern Congo is one of the most violent places on earth. Children here face a daily reality plagued by human rights violations; including abandonment, rape, physical violence and child soldiering. Congo's future hinges on its children, but that future is compromised by the country's current state of lawlessness and a culture of impunity. Years of continued war has left the political system in tatters. Foreign companies' thirst for mineral resources (tin, coltan and cassiterite) for use in electronic devices such as cellular phones and computers, fuels this corruption on all levels.

International agencies try to help, but in many cases that help is misdirected, arguably exacerbating the situation. The future rests with the Congolese themselves in the form of organisations such as the Children's Parliament.

Children's Parliament is a local organization run by children for children. Their mission since its conception in 1999 is to fight for the rights of children. As teenage students, the parliamentarians dedicate their free time to this noble task and receive no payment, despite enormous obstacles and risk to themselves. Members of Children's Parliament are elected by their peers and delegates are chosen from different neighbourhoods, schools and districts. What unites them is their will to make a difference for Congo's children.

LEARN MORE:

View excerpts of other Witness episodes airing on Link TV

Visit Al Jazeera English

More on Witness from Al Jazeera

WATCH ONLINE:

About Al Jazeera - Witness

Rageh Omaar presents Witness, a half-hour daily documentary series which features short, specially commissioned or acquired films gathered from independent filmmakers.
 
Each documentary reveals the unknown lives of ordinary people, following their lives, telling their stories and portraying the challenges that confront them. Our witnesses are people in a situation or those who have observed them first hand.
 
The films cover conflict, belief, the past and the future and as well as bringing new stories to light they showcase the talents of a new breed of multi-skilled, frontline journalist. In the studio, Rageh will further explore the issues raised in the films, with expert guests on the subject matter and the filmmakers themselves.

ACTIVATE YOURSELF WITH UNIVERSALGIVING
Give towards emergency food and health-care in the Congo
Help save the sight and life of a child
Support work to bring attention to human rights violations