Senior UNICEF official urges Southern Sudan to prioritize children’s issues

The deputy head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed the need for Southern Sudan, which is scheduled to become an independent nation in July, to prioritize issues such as birth registration and immunization and to invest in programmes to ensure the progress and well-being of young people.

“The transitional period for Southern Sudan provides a unique opportunity to put children at the centre of policy and decision making and to build on the gains made,” Deputy Executive Director Hilde F. Johnson said on Sunday at the end of a four-day visit.

In January, Southerners voted overwhelmingly in a historic referendum to secede from Sudan and form their own country. The vote was part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended two decades of war between the North and the South.

The years of conflict have devastated the infrastructure in Southern Sudan, according to UNICEF. Thousands of children have been left without access to schools, basic health care and clean water.

In addition, one out of every seven children in Southern Sudan dies before his or her fifth birthday; only about 10 per cent of children are fully vaccinated; and less than 50 per cent of all children receive five years of primary education.

“We need to confront the current glaring realities of deprivation,” said Ms. Johnson. “Now is the time to act to deliver on our commitments for the children of Southern Sudan. The key for their future lies with us.”

During her visit, which also included stops in Darfur and Abyei, Ms. Johnson met with the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and other senior officials, and visited children’s programmes in Unity state.

While highlighting the gains that have been made – such as increasing school enrolment and developing laws to protect the rights of children – she stressed the need for greater investment in social services, infrastructure and human resources to ensure progress for the children of Southern Sudan.