Stronger action is needed to uphold children’s rights in a world where they are increasingly under threat due to conflicts, rising poverty and climate impacts, the head of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Monday.
Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and other global challenges, children and youth are nearly 50 per cent more likely than older people to believe that the world is becoming a better place, according to the results of a landmark intergenerational poll published on Thursday.
Engineer, nurse, breakdancer, shepherd, human rights lawyer, journalist, musician and president are just some of the future dreams harboured by young displaced people in the Sahel region of Africa.
A recap of Wednesday’s stories: UN envoy reiterates position on illegality of Israeli settlements, World Children’s Day marked with calls for rights of children to be upheld, new report highlights major gap between use of fossil fuels and commitments to limit global warming.
Children were both seen and heard in the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, World Children’s Day, during a celebration to commemorate 30 years since the adoption of a milestone treaty that protects their rights.
A South African teenager was at the UN recently to raise her voice for children everywhere, particularly on the issues of education, child labour and gender inequality.
Lathitha Beyile from Soweto read a manifesto she had written which was inspired by children in her country.
The 14-year-old also served as a guest UN spokesperson during the daily briefing for journalists at the Secretariat: part of the events celebrating World Children’s Day in November, which saw children “take over” high-visibility roles in media, politics, business and sports and entertainment.
Children with disabilities deserve to have the same rights as everyone else, which is something that will have a “tremendous impact” on society as a whole.
That’s the message from Emmanuel Elisha Ford, a 16-year-old Guyanese-American disabilities activist, speaking at an event at UN Headquarters on World Children’s Day, observed on Monday.
Elisha stressed that children with disabilities have dreams despite the challenges they face, and his wish is “for every child to have a fair chance.”
