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Children’s mental health deserves special attention, Annan says

Children’s mental health deserves special attention, Annan says

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called upon all nations to “rededicate” themselves to protecting children with mental health problems.

In a statement welcoming World Mental Health Day, Mr. Annan noted that this year’s focus was on the special needs of children and adolescents with mental, emotional and behavioural disorders.

“Developing and developed countries alike have a duty to do all they can to ease these burdens, by improving diagnosis, treatment, public awareness and education,” he said. “Governments must live up to their obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – the most widely ratified international legal instrument in history – to ensure ‘the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential’."

“On this World Mental Health Day, let us rededicate ourselves to translating into reality the rights of children as enshrined in the Convention. Let us vow to give the mental health of young people all the attention it deserves,” he said.

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