Ghana calls for prioritization of equity as world marks 79th UN Day

Two Hundred and Seventy children drawn from 24 schools in the Greater Accra Region converged at the Accra International Conference Centre for this year’s Lifelink Junior High Schools Model United Nations Conference to mark the 79th Anniversary of the United Nations.

The children delegates, representing various countries of the United Nations, debated and discussed strategies to address pertinent global issues such as child labour and exploitation, climate change, and global poverty.

The one-day event was under the theme “Protecting the Future: Breaking the Cycle of Exploitation and Disparity towards a Sustainable World” and was witnessed by some members of the Diplomatic community, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, as well as officials from the United Nations System in Ghana.

The Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Ghana, Dr. Wildred Ochan, denounced exploitations involving children in various parts of the world and urged young people to craft the future and drive the change they desire.

“Your voices have the power to cause change and together, let's champion the rights of the marginalized,” Dr. Ochan said.

He commended Lifelink Friendship Schools Ghana, organizers of the event, for “providing a platform for future changemakers to sharpen their understanding of global issues.”

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr. Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, told the conference that because young people promise hope, the future must prioritize equity.

He said the government of Ghana is implementing several interventions to eliminate child labour and exploitation and to ensure that every child has a dignified life.

The Minister called for collective action among young people to achieve the crucial change they envisage.

“Use your voices and skills to demand a better future; by coming together we can amplify our voices,” he added.

Some of the children will be selected to constitute Ghana’s delegation to next year’s Middle School Model United Nations Session at the UN Headquarters in New York.