Nearly 200 government officials, scholars and experts, and
people working with children from 16 countries and regions gather
in Beijing to discuss children's development at the First
International Forum on Children's Development which opened
yesterday.
The three-day forum was co-hosted by China's Soong Ching Ling
Fund (SCLF) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
"The development of children, which has become a global issue
with the deepening of globalization, has now drawn more and more
attention from the international community," said Hu Qili, SCLF
Chairman, at the opening ceremony of the forum.
Hu Qili, president of the China Soong Ching Ling
Foundation
Christian Voumard, UNICEF Representative in China, said China
has made great strides in reducing poverty and improving the lives
of the hundreds millions of children, almost achieved the goal of
universal primary education.
But some problems still exist such as how to improve the quality
of education, to ensure universal access to education, and how to
overcome the disparities between eastern and western regions, and
to assist disadvantage groups, he said.
The forum will "enable experts from China and all over the world
to share valuable experiences on how to respond to these
challenges," said Voumard.
The forum also invited 20 children aged 12-18 to take part in it
as delegates or children reporters. They will exchange ideas with
experts, offer their opinions on the related issues and report to
their peers around the world what is going on here.
In her letter to the forum, UNICEF Executive Director Ann M.
Venerman, praising children's participation in the forum, said
"UNICEF has long supported Children's participation in issues that
directly affect them, and the issues discussed at the Forum are
central to children's development and well-being."
The meeting has three sub-forums, focusing on children's
development quality, gender difference and children's development,
and protection of the disadvantaged children's rights.
Ms. Reva Nayyar, secretary of Department of Women
and Child of Ministry of Energy and Development of India
Dr. Christian Voumard, UNICEF representative in
China
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2005)
