UNICEF Liberia in partnership with Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has begun the commemoration of the Day of the African Child and will climax with a formal program on Friday, June 14, 2024.
As part of activities of the celebration, the elections of a new leadership of the Liberian Children Parliament and children representing the fifteen political sub-divisions elected a new leadership to advocate for the rights of their peers.
This year is commemorated under the theme: “Education for All Children in Africa: the time is now,” and underscores the urgency of providing accessible and inclusive education opportunities for all children, irrespective of gender or circumstance.
Speaking with the reporters Wednesday, June 12, 2024, UNICEF Representative Andy Brooks said many people have not understood the issue of children with half of Liberia’s children not in school with high maternal mortality rate.
Brooks said that pregnancy rate of adolescent girls between ages 10 to 19 is 38 percent and one third of children born are not registered at birth. According to him, majority of children born do not have birth certificates, and “when you are not registered at birth then you do not exist.”
He noted that Liberia In 2007, only about 4 percent of the children under age five were registered but there have been 66 percent increment in birth registration of infants.
For her part, Minister for Gender, for Children and Social Protection, Gbeme H. Kollie said this year’s Day of African the Child aims to remind stakeholders of their commitments to address the hurdles facing Liberia’s educational system and provides an opportunity for parents, national and international partners, communities and children to elevate the educational discourse, reaffirm commitments, mobilize resources and take concrete actions.
“According to UNESCO, a substantial percentage of children in Liberia are out of school, with various factors contributing to their exclusion, such as poverty, gender-based discrimination, violence, conflict, and displacement. The UNESCO’s alarming stats further revealed that 20% of children between 6 and 11, 30% of children between 12 and 14, and 60% of children between 15 and 17 years are out of School. Additionally, a 2022 quantitative survey, conducted by UNICEF on the status of children estimated that there are 126,702 children living in streets without going to school in Liberia,” she said.
She urged Liberians to join hands to ensure that every child in Liberia has the opportunity to receive quality education, healthcare, protection from violence, and a nurturing environment to thrive.
