UN / STATE OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN REPORT LAUNCH

Actress Lucy Liu and former child soldier Grace Akalla joined UNICEF Executive Director Ann M Veneman at UNICEF House today to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of a landmark achievement-the Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:36
• Production Date: 19 November 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: SOCIAL GROUPS; HUMAN RIGHTS; CULTURE
• MAMS Id: U091119d

Description

STORY: UN / STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN REPORT LAUNCH
TRT: 2.36
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 NOVEMBER 2009, NEW YORK CITY, USA

Shotlist

1. Various shots, press conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF:
“There are some remarkable achievements including a 28 per cent reduction in the annual rate of deaths of children under the age of five deaths since 1990. Advances have also been made in expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment, enhancing access to improved water sources and increasing primary school enrolment.”
3. Cutaway, press conference
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF:
“An estimated one billion children are deprived of one or more services essential to survival and development. On average around 24,000 children under the age of five die every day from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. Nearly 200 million children are chronically malnourished.”
5. Cutaway, press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Grace Akallo, former child soldier:
“I can say this to you with complete conviction that exploitation of children is not simply a breach of an international treaty. It is pain, suffering and confusion and damage. It’s hope lost and hope betrayed.”
7. Cutaway, press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Lucy Liu, Goodwill Ambassador, UNICEF:
“My hope is that together we will take a step to strengthen the protection against every threat to their childhood. It’s not merely the right thing to do; it’s the only thing to do, if our future on this planet as a human family is to hold any promise at all.”
9. Cutaway, press conference

Storyline

Actress Lucy Liu and former child soldier Grace Akalla joined UNICEF Executive Director Ann M Veneman to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of a landmark achievement—the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This year UNICEF has dedicated its flagship publication, the State of the World’s Children to the achievements of the Convention, the most ratified human rights treaty in history.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF:
“There are some remarkable achievements including a 28 per cent reduction in the annual rate of deaths of children under the age of five deaths since 1990. Advances have also been made in expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment, enhancing access to improved water sources and increasing primary school enrolment.”

However Veneman said the convention stands at a pivotal moment and the gains of the last twenty years should not obscure the work that remains to be done for children deprived of even the most basic rights.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF:
“An estimated one billion children are deprived of one or more services essential to survival and development. On average around 24,000 children under the age of five die every day from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. Nearly 200 million children are chronically malnourished.”

Grace Akallo, who was forced to become a child soldier at fifteen, called for more protection for children trapped in conflict.

SOUNDBITE (English) Grace Akallo, former child soldier:
“I can say this to you with complete conviction that exploitation of children is not simply a breach of an international treaty. It is pain, suffering and confusion and damage. It’s hope lost and hope betrayed.”

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lucy Liu said the anniversary was an urgent reminder to place children’s rights at the heart of human development.

SOUNDBITE (English) Lucy Liu, Goodwill Ambassador, UNICEF:
“My hope is that together we will take a step to strengthen the protection against every threat to their childhood. It’s not merely the right thing to do, it’s the only thing to do, if our future on this planet as a human family is to hold any promise at all.”

Veneman said the challenge of the next twenty years is to firmly put the rights of children at the centre of all human activity.