Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: Lagos, 29 April 2002 - President
Olusegun Obasanjo with
11 delegates representing eight non-
governmental organisations from
Nigeria would be among over 72
heads of states and governments
and 1,400 delegates from 800 NGOs
around the world expected at the
United Nations Special Session on
Children Scheduled to hold between
May 8 and 10 in New York, United
States.
President Olusegun Obasanjo with 11 delegates representing
eight non-governmental organisations from Nigeria would be
among over 72 heads of states and governments and 1,400
delegates from 800 NGOs around the world expected at the
United Nations Special Session on Children Scheduled to hold
between May 8 and 10 in New York, United States.
The Assistant UNICEF Representative, Mr. Gerald Clark, who
disclosed this during a press briefing said the children's special
session would re-evaluate the goals set for children during the
World Summit for Children in 1990.
It is also to make new commitments towards achieving "the
unfinished business".
Among the goals set in 1990 was the reduction of under five
mortality rates and malnutrition by half.
Others are reducing by half the world's adult illiteracy levels,
protecting children in especially difficult circumstances, and
ensuring greater levels of children's participation in development
programmes.
Mr. Gerald Clark disclosed that so far, more than 60 nations had
achieved the one-third reduction in infant and under-five mortality
rates which translated to a 14 per cent reduction globally.
While stating that polio and guineaworm were close to being
eradicated, he said deaths due to measlses had been reduced by
66 per cent, while about 2.5 million children were being saved
each year through immunisation.
Clark noted that issues relating to child labour, sale of and
trafficking in children, child prostitution, gender-related violence
and child soldiers continued to gain political attention.
But despite these successes, he said "we are still a long way
from the targets set in 1990. Much more still needs to be done
and quickly too. We, therefore, need new and bold strategies to
galvanise increased human resource support for children's rights
and development."
And the best place to do all these, Dr. Clark stated would be at
the forthcoming Special Session which "will offer a historic
opportunity to the world to review the way it views and treats
children and for the world leaders to renew their commitment to
building a world fit for the children."
Association: This Day (Lagos, Nigeria)