Workshop on orphans and vulnerable children opens

A conference attended by 23 countries from West and Central Africa and partner organisations opened on Monday, in Cote d'Ivoire, to address the growing problem of children who have been affected by the AIDS pandemic in the region.

The one-week technical workshop on orphans and other vulnerable children, taking place in the capital Yamoussoukro, will offer a forum to participants to learn from each other and " build the capacity of governments and civil society to respond to the looming crisis", UNICEF's regional office said. Participants will issues including discuss community capacity development, policy, paediatric care and vulnerable children in armed conflicts.

According to UNICEF, more than 10 million children under 15 years had lost at least one of their parents to the disease by 2001. Most of them live in Sub-Sahara Africa, an area most hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Losing parents, the UN agency added, is a traumatic experience which can lead to several conditions including economic hardship, withdrawal from school, psychological distress and increased risk of abuse and of HIV/AIDS.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis, said the family remains the best source of care for orphans. He urged donors to fund governments' plans of action. UNICEF Regional Director Rima Salah advocated closer partnership between governments, local populations, NGOs and civil society groups and foreign donors.

The workshop, organised by UNAIDS/UNICEF, USAID, Family Health International and the International Save the Children Alliance, will end on Friday with the adoption of a regional plan of action against the pandemic.