Prospects and challenges in eastern and southern Africa the interplay between international human rights norms and domestic law, tradition and culture / Welshman Ncube -- African cultural fingerprint? the changing concept of childhood / Welshman Ncube -- Domestic application of international human rights norms protecting the rights of the girl-child in eastern and southern Africa / Bart Rwezaura -- Reconstructing the image of the girl-child / Janet Kabeberi-Macharia -- The duty to hear the child: a view from Tanzania / Bart Rwezaura -- Right of the child to participate in decision making a perspective from Zambia / Chuma Himonga -- Consent and compensation: the sexual abuse of girls in Zimbabwe / Alice Armstrong -- Re-evaluating law, tradition, custom and practice custody and access to non-marital children in Zimbabwe / Welshman Ncube -- Custody and guardianship of children in Botswana customary laws and judicial practice within the framework of the children's convention -- Athaliah Molokomme and Keletso Mokobi -- Best interests of the child and child labour in Lesotho / Puleng Letuka -- Searching for a child-centred adoption process the law and practice in Uganda / Jennifer Okumu-Wengi -- Female genital mutilation and the rights of the girl-child in Kenya / Janet Kabeberi-Macharia -- Gender, norms, cultural values and the right to education the example of three schools in Manhica district of Mozambique / Lucena Muianga -- Law, culture and children's rights in eastern and southern Africa contemporary challenges and present-day dilemmas / Bart Rwezaura.