Laos celebrates 30th anniversary of child rights convention in New York

Lao representatives attended a high-level meeting of the General Assembly in New York, USA, on World Children’s Day on November 20, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Justice Mr Bounsavath Boupha said Laos had adopted policies and measures and introduced legislation to promote and protect the rights of children.

The government recently made a commitment to uphold children’s rights in support of the Lao Generation 2030 and pledged joint efforts with development partners and other stakeholders to invest in children, adolescents and young people, with a focus on critical interventions and programmes at pertinent stages in their life.
In addition, the government would strengthen health, education and child protection systems, and adopt a comprehensive approach to changing behaviour and practices. A greater focus would be placed on gender equality and statistic systems and establishing a robust monitoring structure.
For the effective implementation of these commitments, resource mobilisation was of paramount importance, Mr Bounsavath said.
He called on the international community to provide support and assistance so that the above commitments could be realised and thanked the United Nations and UNICEF in particular for enabling the Lao delegation to attend the meeting in New York.  
Lao youth representative Ms Panyphorn Vongmala told the meeting she had participated in youth consultations with her peers from around the country and thanked the National Commission for Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children for making this possible.
“We, Lao youth, believe that every child should enjoy the right to access quality education. Access to technology and know-how will enable our full potential to contribute to nation building. In Laos, access to the internet at home in the countryside is very limited. We need computers and internet service in schools. We need teachers to show us how to use technology through interactive learning to help us find good jobs,” she added.
“We also want to see all Lao children complete primary and secondary education by 2030. In Laos, in the poorest communities, the school dropout rate is high, especially among girls at the secondary school level. How can we ensure that all Lao youth become the country’s human capital? My request to all of you today is to please think how you can help us children get a quality education,” Ms Panyphorn said.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update November 22, 2019)