NZ High Commissioner: Children Have The Right to Protection
Dame Meg Taylor highlights need to reverse climate change because of its effects on children
I know we are all ready for the challenge of lifting up our young people and giving them opportunities to learn, to grow, to be loved and to belong. Jonathan Curr New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji.
Every child should have the opportunity and right to protection, says New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Jonathan Curr.
He was speaking to more than 150 Government leaders from 15 countries at the 2019 Pacific Early Childhood Development (ECD) Forum at the Sheraton Fiji Resort in Nadi yesterday.
“The engagement of families, communities and grassroots organisations working together through forums and meaningful engagements such as this gathering will benefit children and young people across the Pacific region,” he said. “I know we are all ready for the challenge of lifting up our young people and giving them opportunities to learn, to grow, to be loved and to belong.”
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett said Pacific Children needed to see actions and commitments and not just hear words. “With early childhood development, we are intervening at the most critical stage of human development, when we are in a better position to break the vicious cycle of intergenerational and structural poverty, and inequality of opportunities, ensuring that no child, anywhere in the Pacific is left behind,” Mr Yett said.
Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor concurred with Mr Curr’s statements.
She said: “Our young people are confronted by what are being increasingly identified as non-traditional human security challenges. Improving access to early childhood development needs to be addressed within a complex environment where our children also need improved access to health including vaccine and hygiene services.”
She also said the first step to a child’s education was critical as learning affected the development of a child’s brain.
Climate change issue
Dame Meg said the Pacific people needed to act now and assist each other to eradicate the effects on climate change on children.
“We need to act now to reverse the negative impacts of climate change and other imminent development challenges, so they no longer threaten the development of our children and young people,” she added.
“We must work cohesively as Pacific Governments, civil society, and development partners to find measures to address them.” Dame Meg was hopeful the forum would allow Government leaders to improve policies and services for young children and their families.