UNICEF calls on the business community to stand up for children's rights



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The representative of the United Nations Children's Fund in Namibia, Rachel Odede, called on leading business leaders in Namibia to adopt the "Go Blue for Women" program. children ".

Odede launched this call last Tuesday at the celebration of World Child Day and the introductory meeting of the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Business Council in Namibia .

The Go Blue for Children campaign requires corporate leaders to commit to advancing the rights of every child in Namibia by creating an environment conducive to this goal, for example by preparing young people to a future skilled workforce.

The purpose of the Business Council is to promote the achievement of results for children and to promote the rights of every child in Namibia.

Odede noted that neighboring countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, eSwatini (Swaziland) and South Africa had already set up their business councils earlier this year, and that the leaders of 39, company and Unicef ​​will need to contact the Namibian government to define the best establish a business council here.

"Given that children and youth are an important part of our population, the actions and decisions of businesses will inevitably affect them, directly or indirectly, as consumers, children of employees and illegal workers of certain employers," he said. she said.

Odede added that the integrated partnership of all development partners, the private sector, children, youth and government is needed to ensure the realization of children's rights as defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. ;child.

The business sector, the second largest employment sector in Namibia, must urgently invest in education and vocational training in order to prevent the rapidly growing world population of teenagers and youth, which is expected to reach 2 billion by 2030, is neither prepared nor skilled. as future workforce, she said. According to Odede, Namibia has much to celebrate on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, noting that children born today in Namibia are more than twice as likely to die. Reach their fifth birthday as a child born 29 years old.

Says at the same time, Charity Mwiya, Acting Director General of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, acknowledged that the private sector needed to do more to fight poverty.

In addition to this recognition, she urged the sector to help the government launch projects that could contribute to the fight against poverty and youth unemployment.

This year, the celebration of World Childhood Day comes just two months after the UN General Assembly launched a global partnership called "Generation Unlimited" – calling on stakeholders , including the private sector, to mobilize resources and specialized skills to ensure that every young person learns, in training or in employment, by 2030. – Nampa

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