Kids in the company of Nadine Perault at UNICEF organised activity ahead of World Children’s Day
By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
In the prelude to the commemoration of World Children’s Day observed every November 20, the Cameroon Country Office of UNICEF, on November 18, 2023, organised an activity marked by singing, dancing, and painting for children of staff members of the institution in Cameroon.
The event that took place in the Bastos neighbourhood of Yaounde was presided at by the UNICEF Cameroon Country Representative, Nadine Perault.
In an interview on the sidelines of the activity, Perault told reporters that “UNICEF doesn’t only serve the children of Cameroon but staff members also have children who have to enjoy all the rights. We do this each year and it enables the children to be aware of what UNICEF is doing and well as also be acquainted with their own rights.”
She referred to the theme of this year’s commemoration which is: “For Every Child, Every Right,” and noted that children have to enjoy all the rights irrespective of their condition, status, or gender. “No matter their nationality, either refugees or internally displaced people status, all the children have the right to enjoy all the rights,” she stated.
On the efforts of the government including the putting in place of instruments to foster children’s rights, the UNICEF Country Representative said they have been working closely with government partners and contributing enormously in the development of such texts. “We have very few countries that have made such advances and we are therefore appreciating the government of Cameroon for that,” Perault remarked.
Observing that digitalization also has its positive side, she talked of the need for laws to, however, protect children from all sorts of abuses on the web. She mentioned UNICEF’s initiative dubbed: “Connect My School” which is geared at giving children access to digitalization. “It previews that in schools, children can also have access to digital technology and training modules that are not necessarily available in Cameroon. So, they can have access to all that the world can offer in terms of training opportunities,” she said.
She disclosed that apart from commemorating the day with government partners, they shall be organising another activity with their sub-national offices notably that of Buea where they will demonstrate what UNICEF is doing in the presence of the population and government partners.
On why they equally focused on painting by the children, Perault said it is a form of expression. “So, they should be given that liberty and opportunity to express themselves, create friendship, and work together as a team,” she noted.
She said all the children’s rights enshrined in the UN Convention are upheld and protected by UNICEF. The Convention which has 54 articles covers all aspects of a child’s life and sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to.