It doesn't come as a surprise that Pauline Miceli is already starting to leave her mark as Commissioner for Children.  When her name was touted, a couple of weeks back, I hoped that we wouldn't get bogged down with the political nattering once she is appointed because I knew that having her as Commissioner is good for the children. Miceli has the credentials to do a good job as Commissioner for Children for a number of reasons.  

However before delving into them it is fitting I do not take this column any further without a mention of the previous Commissioner Helen D' Amato who was exemplary of how an intense political background did not impede her from rising above her past political allegiance and doing what's best.  

Back to Pauline Miceli.  I am pretty certain that even she will manage to rise above her political allegiances and I am sure she will do well.  With a milieu in education, her strong involvement with NGOs together with the fact that she has been closely affianced with the local communities and until some time ago a local councillor herself, I feel that the choice of Mrs Miceli was apt.  Added to this is her resolute and tenacious personality that will unquestionably make her an effective Commissioner.  This blended with her experience in broadcasting will bring out the much needed role of communicator which is such a central implement in this position.

I know Mrs Miceli from my time teaching at Higher Secondary School when she was Assistant Head.  Nevertheless if there was something she believed in she would be unbendable.  If there was a situation that needed to be looked into she would negotiate and take the necessary decisions even if they weren't popular ones.  Then again she always remained courteous and thoughtful.   Last Saturday whilst I interviewed the soft spoken Commissioner during my radio show Ghandi xi Nghid, unsurprisingly she came across as wanting to slide into this role gently but surely yet with a sense of urgency saying in not so many words that some issues cannot withstand any more delay.  

With Pauline Miceli I discussed how children are complex and that their needs are increasingly broad and extensive.  This issue is further compounded by the fact that the Commissioner for Children represents a heterogeneous group and the issues are as assorted and as mixed as they come.  A guesstimate would show that some 90,000 children and young people can potentially seek the intervention and support of the Commissioner and if you had to add to these the parents/ guardians and immediate relatives, more than half of the Maltese population can potentially have an interest to be served by this Commissioner.   This immediately points towards the broad and encapsulating role of the Commissioner and the need to review it in terms of legal representation.  

So far this position, although it garners a great deal of respect doesn't have enough power to kick up the system and the Commissioner often ends up listening but powerless when it comes to taking action.  She claimed, during the said radio programme, that a number of proposals have been submitted to the Ministry for the revamping of the law.  The changes will focus on safeguarding the Convention on the Rights of Children and the need for children to have the opportunity and the space to voice their opinions. Another priority in terms of tangible action is the need for a national children's policy that one would expect addresses a variety of issues, namely those around ways how we can tote up social capital in our children. However a major challenge I see the Commissioner struggling with is that of juggling the many parties who champion the cause of children, namely Agency Appogg (FSWS), the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity and a number of other entities and NGOs which might slide into variance.  I see the Commissioner of Children as crucial in bringing all stakeholders around the table and providing direction being best placed to ensure that synergies don't turn into gung ho.  Even though roles may be blurred at times it is imperative that these entities work together.  

When the Commissioner for Children spoke about parents she said that in general we have very good parenthood and maybe our bane lies in overprotection.  However this does not rule out the fact that there are parents that need to dialogue more with their children, with the schools and with their partners on how best to take quotidian action.  Let's face it, being a parent is no shaggy dog story in this day-and-age.  The more time passes the more we realize that raising children is becoming a community affair. One of the major concerns shared by the Commissioner is the need to have more spaces for children to express themselves and to share ideas. She also said that it is unacceptable that children should be allowed to stay outside after certain hours.  

In the context of what happened some months ago when the side rail at PlusOne Club collapsed, the Commissioner for Children said that this incident showed how important it is to create alternative public spaces especially for those under 17 years of age who cannot access clubs.  For young people just being together is good enough.  We can't keep sending them away from the parks and the swings.  What we need are zones dedicated to young people where they can get together.    

An added concern was the way children are represented in the media and this is worrying her.  In fact Pauline Miceli described the way children were being used as 'pathetic' especially with reference to the Istrina campaign because it demeans and is only intended to manipulate and take advantage of children.  She added that she disagrees that politicians should be using children in political campaigning.  

The Commissioner spoke about the need for partisan politics to stand aside and allow children and young people to be engaged in a positive way rather than using them as a backdrop.  We need to go beyond tokenistic visuals of children.  As the Commissioner mentioned exposing children unreservedly to partisan politics will label them for their life.

Pauline Miceli is resolute when it comes to poverty.  

She spoke about the scourge of having a cycle of poverty that seems to be dragging young people coming from a socially excluded background.  Breaking the cycle of poverty is a mission and vision that Miceli has for this sector.  She knows that the solution to counteract poverty lies in active engagement of young people in education, expanding their skills set, developing their entrepreneurial skills, giving them space to develop as persons and designing programs around the needs of children.  

Commissioner Pauline Miceli is good news for children and for this sector.  With a revamped Law that provides for opportunities to act and react I can only see this office growing in stature.