BuaNews (Tshwane)
13 May 2008
Addis Ababa — President Girma Woldegoirgis of Ethiopia has stressed the need for urgent action towards eradicating child hunger and poverty in Africa.
Speaking at the 3rd International Policy Conference on the African Child held under the theme "Child Poverty in Africa" on Monday, he said poverty touched every aspect of the lives of children and was the root of many human rights abuses.
President Girma said although there had been considerable and, in some cases, impressive economic progress in many African countries, the social and economic situation of children remained distressful and even alarming.
Poverty impacted not only on the now but also on the future of children, according to the President.
"I therefore cannot stress enough the need for all of us to act forcefully and urgently. The eradication of child hunger and child poverty is a shared moral and global responsibility."
Addressing the conference through a representative, the Chairman of International Board of Trustees of the African Child Policy Forum, Dr Salim A. Salim, said the world today was a horrifying reality that was not conducive to children's well being.
It is damaging to their mental, physical, emotional, and overall development.
The alarming situation calls for urgent action so as to ensure that African children enjoy a dignified childhood and grow into productive and confident citizens.
"Investing in their health, nutrition and education not only improves our children's quality of life but impacts on future generations as well," said Dr Salim.
He also stressed the need to ensure the survival, protection and development of Africa's children so as to build an economically dynamic continent.
The two-day conference, organised by the African Child Policy Forum and its partners, has attracted government officials, researchers, experts on children's rights and child poverty and activists.
In order to mitigate this crisis, World Vision a humanitarian organisation, has called on government and other donors to fund a shortfall of over $700 million in contributions to the World Food Programme (WFP) which is the largest source of food aid in Africa.
It also urged the United States government, as the largest food aid donor, to release an addition 600 million USD in committed funding to the WFP for maintaining its food aid programme in Africa.
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