The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Enugu Field Office, in collaboration with Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs, has organised a one-day symposium for children as part of activities to mark the 2023 Children’s Day.
In a welcome remark, the Chief of UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Juliet Chiluwe said that the symposium was to help hold the duty bearers accountable towards the fulfilment of children’s right.
Chiluwe urged stakeholders, parents and families to use the opportunity provided by the symposium to think back on the state of Nigerian children today, proper parenting for value orientation and national consciousness, which was the theme of the symposium, to ensure a better future of the Nigerian children.
She said: “Children’s Day celebration provides kids an opportunity to immerse themselves in several social activities, expressing themselves in any way they can among their peers, providing an ample opportunity to conscientise stakeholders on importance of proper parenting of children and for children to add a voice.
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“Let me one more reiterate that children all over the world have the right to voice their opinion and areas of need, be heard and listened to; it is the duty of duty bearers and care givers of children to nurture them and help them actualise.”
The UNICEF Enugu Field Office head called on the children particularly the girls to use the symposium as a turning point to break the social norms and work hard to change their stories in education for better.
“I urge you to grow and run the agenda for children as you take responsible positions in governance. UNICEF Enugu is mandated to assist and encourage the children,” she said.
In her speech, the Director of Administration, Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs, Uzoama Okenwa Uzoechina, called on the children to develop agenda they would work towards achieving and change the narratives.
She said that if the theme of the symposium was carefully looked into by the stakeholders, it would go a long way in reshaping Nigeria in areas of corruption, robbery and many other crimes such as prostitution.
Some of the students that spoke to BusinessDay commended the government for passing the Children Right Law but called on the government to critically look into establishing and equipping health facilities in various schools in the state.
