G8 urged to focus on world's children

G8 nations must seize the "unprecedented opportunity" of their upcoming summit this week to also consider the needs of the world's children, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has said in a statement. UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman called on the leaders of the world's wealthiest countries to summon the collective leadership, resources and political will needed to improve the lives of more than 1 billion children living in poverty. She said the G8 decisions could also ensure that children in developing countries were educated about the impact of HIV/AIDS and protected from it. Citing her agency's 'State of the World's Children' report for 2005, Veneman noted that HIV/AIDS was having a particularly damaging impact on the wellbeing of children.