Get ready for Geneva volunteers at the UN

Two young volunteers from the Children’s Rights Alliance for England’s Get ready for Geneva project, Alex (16) and Iqra (17), have been in New York this week as part of the UK Government’s delegation to the UN General Assembly’s World Fit for Children +5 event.

World Fit for Children +5 (WFFC+5) has been organised by the UN to find out how much progress countries have made towards the goals they set to make the world a better place for children at the UN Special Session for Children in 2002.

WFFC+5 took place from 9th to 12th December in New York, and Alex and Iqra spoke to children and adults from all over the world about issues including HIV/AIDS, health, education, and keeping children safe.

Speaking from New York, Alex, a children’s rights investigator for the Get ready for Geneva project, said:

“As a child brought up in care, I have learned about children’s rights. I’ve tried to do as much as possible as I want other children to know their rights. I feel it is my duty to do something about it. I’m really looking forward the main UN meeting and hopefully getting the opportunity to speak about the main issues for children’s rights.”

Iqra has also been making the most of the meeting. She said:

“It was great meeting delegates from all around the world and between us we spoke over 20 languages from 53 countries. I am really looking forward to speaking at the General Assembly tomorrow in which I will be able to address some of the issues that the UK are still struggling to make progress in.”

You can download Alex and Iqra’s speech to the UN General Assembly here

To find out more, check out Alex and Iqra’s blogs.

Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007