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[11 November 2007] - UNICEF has launched a campaign to encourage incoming MPs to build on the successes of the Ninth Parliament in tackling children's issues. UNICEF representative Olivia Yambi said she was concerned that although Kenyans will be choosing new political leaders next month, the voices of children will not be heard. It is therefore up to those who commit to respecting and protecting children's rights to pay special attention to their issues, she said. Before the 2002 General Election, the UN children's agency was involved in a similar campaign in which aspiring MPs committed themselves to doing something about the growing number of orphans and other vulnerable children. "After the elections, MPs who had signed onto the campaign formed the Parliamentary Committee for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, which was instrumental in getting the issue of orphans and other vulnerable children high on the national agenda," Dr Yambi said. The committee was chaired by the then Rangwe MP, Mr Philip Okundi, who was present at the launch. The theme of this year's initiative is Look out for Leaders who Look out for Children. "We hope to hear more about children during the ongoing campaigns and also in Parliament next year," Dr Yambi said. "I would first like to assure all the political parties that this campaign is non-partisan and that UNICEF staff out in the field will be mobilising every candidate to sign up." She noted that Kenya had made great strides in protecting children's rights since 1990, when the country ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and cited the passing of the Children's Act in 2001 and the creation of the National Council for Children's Services among key advances made in ensuring children enjoy their rights. Other achievements include the introduction of free primary education, the provision of free healthcare in public health facilities to children below five years and pregnant women, as well as the protection of orphans and other vulnerable children. "Through the commitment of the Ninth Parliament, 8,000 households with extremely vulnerable children across the country now receive cash support from the government under the cash transfer programme," she said. She added that it was the MPs who drafted the national policy and plan of action for orphans and other vulnerable children and also passed the motion that saw the creation of the fund for such children. They also pushed for the increase of funding for free primary education and the bursary kitty, she said. The money is distributed through devolved kitties such as the Constituency Development Fund, bursaries and the Local Authorities Transfer Fund (Latf). But, she noted, these funds are prone to abuse and the most needy children do not benefit from them. Dr Yambi said there are still high rates of infant mortality rates and poverty and an increasing number of orphans. Of the estimated 15 million children in Kenya, fan estimated 2.4 million are orphans, she said. Many drop out of school before acquiring skills that will enable them to contribute effectively to the economy. "However, for a country like Kenya which is enjoying its current economic growth and great agricultural potential, a lot must be done to bring the situation of its children at a par with those in countries in similar circumstances," she said. "This is what the campaign is all about." She said UNICEF would like aspiring MPs and other leaders to invest in three key areas of concern for children: survival, quality education and social protection. "The right to survival and development remains unfulfilled for many children," Dr Yambi said. "The last Kenya demographic survey published by the government shows that of every 1,000 babies born alive, 115 die before their fifth birthday." This means that on average, a child dies in Kenya every five to six minutes, and almost 40,000 babies die every year before they are a month old. One in nine dies before reaching their fifth birthday. "The saddest thing about these deaths is that nine out of 10 are preventable through immunisation, the right nutrition, safe water and sanitation and the use of insecticide-treated nets to protect children from malaria," she added. The UNICEF official said Kenya is still far from achieving effective management of childhood illnesses, arguing that the immunisation rate is lower than the 85 per cent target. Further information