South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Andrea Arop Malek
The Minister for Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Aya Benjamin Warille on Wednesday called for all children’s rights to access education to be respected during celebration to mark the Day of the African Child.
Warille noted that education for all children is a fundamental right which must be realized through increased budgetary allocation to the education sector.
“Let’s us reaffirm our collective commitment to safeguarding our children’s future, investing in education transforms individual lives and strengthens our nation’s resilience and prosperity,” she said during a ceremony held Nyakuron Cultural Center in Juba.
The ceremony attended by government officials, diplomats and senior officials of the United Nations agencies was held under the theme “Education for all children in South Sudan, the time is now”
This year’s commemoration highlights the critical importance of empowering children through education, equipping them to shape a prosperous future for South Sudan.
“The day of the African Child serves as poignant reminder to reflect on the challenges African children face, and advocate for their rights, particularly in accessing education, in line with this year’s African union theme,” Warille said.
Brendan Ross, Chief Child Protection at UNICEF in South Sudan said that the recent statistics from UNICEF highlights that over 2.8 million children in the country are out of school.
Ross noted that factors such as poverty, gender disparities and communal conflicts continue to hinder children’s education particularly girls.
Rebecca Nyandeng Demabior, the Vice President for Gender and Youth Cluster noted that education is not a privilege, saying it offers opportunities to successful professional careers for all children.
“We cannot afford to overlook the staggering number of children out of school. Education is not merely a privilege but a lifeline for our children, offering them hope, opportunity and a pathway towards a brighter future,” Nyandeng said.
She noted that the prevalence of harmful practices such as forced labour, child marriage and child trafficking, endanger children’s rights to education.
