A Representative Of UNICEF, Mr Osama Makkawi, has called for the use of science, technology, and the unstoppable human spirit to create a future where every child can thrive.
He made the call at Model Children’s SDG Summit held in Accra on Tuesday, June 25,2024.
Since COVID-19, the hard-earned SDG progress has been threatened, and the SDGs are falling significantly behind the 2030 target.
To ensure that these goals are fast-tracked and not further delayed or even possibly abandoned, the need for children’s participation has become imperative especially, when it comes to key SDGs related to children such as Goal 1 – Poverty, Goal 2 – nutrition, Goal 3 – health, Goal 4 – education, Goal 6 – WASH, goal 13 – climate etc.
Due to the above, the Children’s Model Summit was organised by the Ministry for Gender, Children And Social Protection (MoGCSP), Department of Children in collaboration with UNICEF to extend the scope of children’s participation and to offer a forum to solicit their voices in influencing what policies and laws are enacted.
The forum also activated the National Children’s Parliament (NCP) with participants from all 16 regions converging in Accra to discuss the future of the world and emerging issues such as climate change, conflicts, deforestation and how they affect children.
The participants were drawn with the help of the different Regional offices of the DOC, Partner Agencies like World Vision International, Plan Ghana International, Child Right International, International Needs amongst others.
To ensure inclusion and diversity, children with disabilities, out-of-school children, urban, peri-urban, urban slums and rural children were also part of the summit with a balance between boys and girls.
At the end of the discussions, a summary paper on the challenges, recommendations and views were presented to the stakeholders for consideration in future policies.
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Speaking at the Summit, Mr Osama Makkawi said Ghana has shown remarkable commitment to Sustainable Development Goals.
“Your dedication to the SDGs is commendable, and the reduction in under-5 mortality and halving the maternal mortality ratio in the last 15 years is a clear sign of progress,” he said.
Equally, he noted that almost four out of five children go to primary school, both boys and girls, adding that,”We have the second lowest prevalence of child marriage in sub-Saharan Africa, and 91 percent of households in Ghana are utilizing clean drinking water. But we cannot afford to slow down.”
Mr Osama Makkawi was of the view that,”Now is the time to accelerate our efforts. We must prioritize investment in children, because YOU are the foundation of a brighter future for all.”
For too long, he observed that children have been spoken about and not spoken to, noting that the Summit changed the narrative.
“This is your platform, young participants, to share your dreams, your challenges, and most of all your solutions. The world needs your vibrant energy, your innovative ideas, and your unwavering optimism.
Imagine an Africa where every child has access to quality education, where classrooms hum with curiosity, and where every child feels empowered to reach their full potential. This is the Africa we can build together,” he stated.
The UNICEF Rep continued,”Yes, there are hurdles. Child poverty, limited healthcare, and the ever-present threat of climate change can feel like high mountains. But remember, mountains are for climbing!”
He was of the view that, with education as a compass and the SDGs as a roadmap, Ghana can navigate these challenges and emerge stronger.
“We, at UNICEF, believe in the power of WE. WE, the children, the youth, the governments, partners and all stakeholders working together in an unstoppable force for good. I know our close partners here present, the World Vision and Plan International are with us in this call.
Let’s use science, technology, and the unstoppable human spirit to create a future where every child can thrive,” he added.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
