By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@gmail.com, +231777889870/ +231886631025
IPNEWS – Monrovia: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has lighted up the Ministerial Complex in Congotown, in support of Liberia’s children.
The lighting was done, Friday, November 19, ahead of the beginning of the celebration of World Children’s Day (WCD), which is celebrated on November 20th, annually.
Speaking after the gates of the Complex had been lighted blue, Ms. Lydia-Mae Sherman, Deputy Gender Minister, said WCD is celebrated on 20th of November every year to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1959.
The day is being observed under a Global Theme: ‘A Better Future for Every Child, Kids Take Over,’ while Liberia is commemorating the day under a national theme: ‘Children Taking Over, A Hope for Liberia’s Future.’
The WCD celebration is a global and annual event primarily led by the UN’s leading child protection agency — UNICEF. It is a day of action for children, on behalf of children, and led by children. The day was instituted as an entry-point of promoting, advocating, and celebrating the rights and the welfare of children, giving them the opportunity to enjoy and grow into healthy and educated citizens.
The primary objective of this year’s WCD celebration is to afford kids the opportunity to take over. As it is globally observed, children across the world including Liberia will be allowed to take over in high-profiled roles in prominent areas to include: the media, legislature, business community, sports and entertainment normally held by adults to shine a spotlight on issues that matter to them.
Additionally, the Ministry’s main partner — UNICEF — decided to light up the Ministerial Complex blue during the observance of the day to show support for children’s rights.
Activities marking the commemoration of the day began on Friday, November 19 with the lighting of the Ministerial Complex. On Monday, November 22, the children will be allowed to proxy or sit in temporarily as legislators at the Legislature, at which time, they will hold deliberations on the passage of the Children’s Right Law amongst other issues confronting their wellbeing. Whilst on Tuesday, November 23, an official indoor program climaxing the celebration of the World Children’s Day will take place at the theatre of the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, with the children taking over the entire program.
Concluding, Ms. Sherman disclosed that this year, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection will use the Day to resound President George M. Weah’s administration’s commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of children especially ending all forms of violence against children, and also, inspiring children in Liberia in their quest to advocate for their rights.
For Joel U. K. Gray, Jr., Chairperson at the Liberia National Children’s Parliament (LNCP), the LNCP is really excited for the partnership that exists between the GOL and UNICEF, which is ultimately making them have a voice to be heard by adults.
“As we observe this day, the LNCP will be discussing issues affecting them when it comes to the amendment of the Children’s Rights Law. As we discuss the Law, we are going to be doing so to identify ills within the law and come up with recommendations to the Government of Libera,” Gray said.
He expressed thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Gender and UNICEF for the level of support and care they are giving the children of Liberia.
Also speaking, Ms. Laila Omar Gad, UNICEF Representative to Liberia, stated that this year’s celebration is about children’s voices and that Liberia’s children’s voices will be a part of the voices of children from all around the world particularly after Covid_19.
“Everybody recognizes that the solution to the problems of the present, the problems of the future, lie with the children and young people of the world, so, it’s fantastic that we have the opportunity as Liberia to share the voices of the girls and boys of Liberia with the world,” Ms. Gad said.
The UNICEF Rep. looks forward to hearing the “demands” from the children and expressed thanks to everyone who have come together to be a part of the solutions to the problems that the world faces at the moment.
Speaking on the significance of the blue lighting, Ms. Gad told journalists, “Liberia has always been a leader in the commemoration of important events that affect children. In the past Liberia has commemorated the Day of the Africa Child and, also the WCD. But this year it’s a particularly significant and we are using the lighting up of an important building because after Covid the situation of children in the world has changed dramatically.”
She further stated that by turning on the light, it is symbolic on the situation of children that things can’t remain as they were in the past across the world.
“We saw recently at COP 26 that the voices of the young men and women from all over the world have put to the leaders from different countries what their demands are and pushing the leaders to be accountable because this the world that the children will inherit. So, in Liberia, what we are symbolically using by putting these lights on, is to say that the voices of children are important that we need to, all the leaders, business leaders, leaders of Liberia, they need to listen to what the children have to say. It’s also about putting and showing the light on the need to realize the rights of children in Liberia.”
On the status on the world’s children, including Liberia’s, the UN specialized agency representative in Liberia stated that there has some progress that have been in Liberia in the areas of health, education, birth registration. She added, however, “But also we know that after Covid, not in Liberia only but all over the world, there have been some setbacks so what we want. So, by turning the lights on the situation on children to say that we still have a lot of works to do together: to improve health, to provide quality education, to protect children from violence so that Liberia can truly be fit for children.”
Ms. Gad thanked the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for supporting the children’s forum, which is about children themselves from across the country working hand in hand with the government to highlight those things affecting them.
