PRESS BRIEFING ON 'SAY YES FOR CHILDREN' CAMPAIGN

The “Say Yes for Children” campaign sought to mobilize support and action at all levels as part of preparations for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, to be held in New York from 19-21 September, Marjorie Newman-Williams, Director of Communications at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing.

Joining Ms. Williams, as she briefed correspondents on the London launch of the Say Yes campaign, which took place earlier in the day, were David Morrison, President, Netaid.org Foundation, Urban Jonsson, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, and Dan Seymour, Head of United Nations Office of Save the Children.

Ms. Williams said that almost ten years had passed since the World Summit for Children adopted a series of goals and strategies for children and since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  The campaign aimed to create a movement of interest and a constituency of people –- particularly children -- who really cared about the issues and would express their views.

Focusing on the Internet dimension of the campaign, Mr. Morrison said that the campaign’s goals were to give voice to the world’s children and to provide an opportunity for the world to listen.  The Internet was being used as a key tool to aggregate and showcase those voices for the world.  The campaign was marrying one of the world’s oldest means of communication -– word of mouth -– with one of the newest –- global Internet communication. 

Netaid was working to broker a global dialogue on child rights over the Internet in advance of the Special Session, he added.  People could pledge support, as well as learn about the ten principles that sought to improve and protect the lives of children, by logging on to any of the Web sites featuring the campaign, including those of Netaid, UNICEF and Save the Children. 

Mr. Jonsson said that sub-Saharan Africa -- the poorest region in the world -- had the highest infant mortality rate, the lowest immunization coverage and lowest primary school enrolment.  It was seriously affected by armed conflict, which killed 200,000 people last year.  It was also the part of the world most seriously affected by HIV/AIDS.  There was no doubt, therefore, that there was a need for a strong movement for children in Africa.

In Madagascar, where the campaign was launched a few weeks ago by that country’s President, there was a special effort to mobilize sports organizations, he said.  In Malawi, there was a national youth forum being held today, church organizations were being mobilized and the President was to have a question and answer session with children later in the day. 

Poverty was the biggest problem in Africa and poverty reduction must start with children, he added.  The aim was not just to create a global movement for children and with children; it must be a global movement of children. 

Save the Children, along with BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) and World Vision, had been among the early partners working together to build the Global Movement for Children, stated Mr. Seymour.  Save the Children had always

believed that the realization of children’s rights depended on everyone recognizing and living up to their rights towards children.  “Say Yes” was a means to get the world’s attention. 

While meetings such as the upcoming Special Session were important, the real test by which to judge the campaign was the extent to which it drew people into projects which went beyond the meeting in September.  That was the only way to bring about real and lasting change for and with children. 

In response to questions, following a video presentation of the public service announcements to be carried by broadcasters worldwide free of charge, Mr. Jonsson said that in sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of children lived in very poor families and did not receive the kind of services they needed.  UNICEF was working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies to get medicine at cheaper rates by buying them generically.  All the drugs they provided were generic ones.  It was clear that they could not reach everyone and that was why they needed to work harder.

With regard to the $7 to $10 billion required to provide drugs to those infected by HIV/AIDS, Mr. Jonsson said that that amount could not be raised using old methods, such as merely asking for it.  The international community had to look at it in a different way.  While it was a lot of money for organizations such as the United Nations, it was one per cent of global military expenditure.  If those responsible for military expenditure were to reduce their expenditures by one per cent, that would pay the bill. 

Mr. Morrison agreed that simply asking for such a large amount of money would not work.  The only way to generate the money would be if people around the world demanded that their governments made it a priority.  The campaign, along with others like it, was designed to let leaders know what the important issues were and make them respond to world pressure.

On funding for the campaign, Ms. Williams said that the sources of funding, at least for the media portion of the campaign, had come from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation.  In addition, the campaign had received an enormous amount of pro bono contributions.  It was not an expensive campaign.

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