General News of Tuesday, 11 December 2007

Source: GNA

Alima Mahama to address forum on children

Accra, Dec. 11, GNA - The Minister of Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, is leading the official government delegation to the UN General Assembly meeting on "A World Fit for Children" (WFFC+5), the plan of action that was adopted at the conclusion of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002.

The December 11 and 12 meeting would assess progress on WFFC+5, according to a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Hajia Alima led the government delegation to the preparatory WFFC+5 review meeting in Cairo.

The statement said the Minister would be speaking at the General Assembly on behalf of the African Union, as Ghana currently chairs the African Union forum.

UNICEF, Save the Children and the Global Movement are organizing the two-day forum for Children.

It said she was joined by two children from Ghana, Edith Esinam Asamani, 15, and Richard Mawutor Dzikunu, 16, who were both members of the child-led organization Curious Minds. The statement said Mr Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi, Senior Researcher at the Department for Children of the Ministry and coordinator of Ghana's contribution to the World Fit for Children+5 global report, was also part of the Minister's delegation to the World Fit for Children +5 event.

Edith and Richard are among the 75 children from more than 50 countries who participated in a meeting on the 10th of December to prepare for the United Nations sessions on children's rights. It said the forum would train children to share their ideas effectively with each other and international leaders they would be meeting in the coming days.