SL, UNICEF launch World’s Children Report
UNICEF, in a report launched jointly with the Government of Sri Lanka, urges governments to put children at the heart of urban planning and to extend and improve services for all.
In its annual State of the World’s Children Report the UN body dealing with the world’s children states that more focused, accurate data are needed to help identify disparities among children in urban areas and how to bridge them. The shortage of such data was evidence of the neglect of these issues.
The Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, and UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative, Reza Hossaini, spoke at the launch of the report about how disparities in health and education opportunities can be at their widest in cities.
Addressing the joint launch of State of the World’s Children Report, 2012, in the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo, Dr. Amunugama said: “While many children enjoy the advantages of urban life, too many children are excluded. These children are deprived of the chance to reach their full potential; it de-
Children need to enjoy their rights and quality services if they are to develop as creative and productive individuals
nies their societies of the economic benefits of having a well-educated, healthy urban population.”
Mr. Hossaini said: “Children need to enjoy their rights and quality services if they are to develop as creative and productive individuals. We have to improve our understanding of urban poverty and that means better data and analysis to pinpoint problems.”