World Children Day
World Children Day
Theme: Inclusion for Every Child
By Bongmin Walter.
World children’s day was celebrated with much fanfare and fulfilled activities in Yambio on Thursday 24th, November 2022. The day was coordinated by UNICEF child reporters in collaboration with the western Equatoria State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, UNICEF, and partners including CMMB, CEPO, and world vision international.
The theme for this year’s world children’s day celebration was, “Inclusion for Every Child”. This theme means that every child belonging to any society, community, or nationality is entitled to the equal rights.
Minister of Gender, child and social welfare, western Equatoria state; Hon: Cecilia Anigunde, who was the guest of honor at the celebration in Yabongo primary school, congratulated all the partners dealing with child protection in western Equatoria state. The Hon minister further reiterated that what is needed in the Republic of South Sudan is unity, and further explained that unity eliminates discrimination against children.
Hon. Minister encouraged the children to work hard and desist from laziness. Hon Cecilia informed the children to support their parents, talk to them with respect, be honest and help them with garden work, especially on Saturdays.
On the other hand, the director for child welfare at the state ministry of Gender, child and social welfare, western Equatoria state, Mr. Phillip Mashakil Bona said that the ministry’s effort is the eradication of gender-based violence in western Equatoria state.
He requested UN agencies especially child protection units to fully support child transit centers because it is the best place for gender-based violence and child soldiers.
The UNICEF head of office, Mr. Clement Gbatanawo says that world leaders adopted children’s rights because a lot have been done to the children.
He stated that there are so many children who are not at school, many are used for different purposes, they are exploited by different companies and others are exploited by different organizations for their own profit.
Mr. Clements says that Unicef confirm their action for children as it has been; to uphold children’s rights, inclusively provide services and that they don’t want to leave any child behind in their programming.
He calls upon leaders within the government, the businesses and the communities to be inclusive by securing children’s rights, providing the space for them to express themselves, care for them, allow them to go school, never to exploit and take children for granted.
He encouraged the government to build institutions that will build the capacity of children
