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UNICEF kicks off online campaign to collect pledges for girls' education

UNICEF kicks off online campaign to collect pledges for girls' education

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in conjunction with a leading pan-European children's entertainment company, today launched an online campaign to collect pledges in support of the UN agency's drive to get more girls into school.

The online pledge campaign was developed jointly as part of the overall partnership between UNICEF and Fox Kids Europe (FKE) to promote the "Go Girls! Education for Every Child" programme, a major part of the agency's initiative to get more girls into school in 25 priority countries by 2005.

"Far too often, girls are denied the chance to go to school, to learn in a safe and protective environment, to be taught by well-trained teachers, to be treated fairly and as equals," UNICEF Director of Communications Marjorie Newman-Williams said. "The pledge campaign calls on the world to help us give both boys and girls the same opportunities."

The pledge campaign has five points outlining what it takes to ensure every child has the best possible education: the best start in life, the best schools, the best teachers, safety, protection and fairness. To make a pledge, supporters can log on to any of the 12 dedicated and fully localized Fox Kids Cup micro sites worldwide.

Those interested will be able to make their pledge starting today until the Fox Kids Cup 2003 international finals, to be held from this 22 to 26 June in the Netherlands. UNICEF however plans to continue collecting pledges through various alternative methods over the next two years.

The Fox Kids Cup is a six-a-side football tournament for girls and boys under 13 years of age. It will be the biggest in its history with close to one million players taking part. FKE and UNICEF first teamed up last year to promote the Say Yes for Children campaign, an initiative in which over 94 million people pledged support for 10 basic principles to protect and improve the lives of children.