DILI, 1 june, 2023 (TATOLI)-The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative, Bilal Durrani, has outlined four critical areas where the focus should be placed on the development of the Timorese Children.
Speaking during an interview to commemorate International Children’s Day on the 1st of June, Mr. Durrani said children are often forgotten when issues related to development and Government priorities are being discussed.
The coming in of the new Government is a great opportunity for the country to have a renewed focus on children and the issues which are standing in the way of their development.
“There are four areas which the new Government should look it to improve the situation of children, namely child poverty, child mortality, child malnutrition, and the learning crisis,” said the UNICEF Country Representative Bilal Durrani in an interview held at his office in Dili.
Mr. Durrani further explained that based on information from national surveys, 48% of children in Timor-Leste live below the national poverty line, while under-five mortality is 41 per 1000 live birth and 50% of children are chronically malnourished. In education, recent evidence shows that 21% of children leave grade two without being able to read or write a single word.
Based on these statistics, UNICEF calls on Government to prioritize children’s welfare in these four areas and ensure that sufficient budget allocations are made to address these problems faced by children. In addition, the setting and implementation of appropriate laws and policies will provide an enabling environment for the full realization of children’s rights.
TATOLI
