Weekend march to highlight children’s needs

The Sudanese Movement for Children, which comprises governmental and nongovernmental agencies and civil society organisations, will next Friday organise a march to start from Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazirah State, and end at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum, as part of the global campaign “Say Yes for Children”. A procession of artistes, youth and women’s groups will visit selected villages and depressed communities, giving theatrical performances and gathering pledges. The march is patterned after the long walk of displaced children to cities in the north, UNICEF stated in a press release. The message of the “Say Yes for Children” campaign is that citizens of the world care about children and expect governments to keep the promises they make to them, according to UNICEF. It is the first major initiative of the Global Movement for Children, a broad-based coalition of organisations and individuals dedicated to children’s rights and wellbeing. The movement aims to build a groundswell of support that will push leaders to renew and honour their commitments to children at the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children from 19 to 21 September. More than 3.2 million people worldwide have signed a pledge on the theme since April, including scores of celebrities, heads of state and other leading citizens. The campaign asks people to agree to 10 fundamental principles on improving and protecting the lives of children, which are part of the Special Session’s draft outcome document - a critical plan of action for children over the next decade. From education to HIV/AIDS and discrimination to armed conflict, the campaign spotlights the serious issues facing children. [For more details on the “Say yes” campaign, including a copy of the pledge form, go to: www.gmfc.org]