Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Lulu Xingwana, will spend this year’s National Children’s Day on Saturday interacting with over 3000 children at the Union Buildings.
National Children’s Day is observed every year on the first Saturday of November. The theme for the National Children’s Day is: “We are the World, Plant a Tree and Save the Earth”, which is linked to the seventeenth Conferences of the Parties (COP 17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Durban on 28 November - 9 December 2011.
The department is aware that climate change can have adverse effects on children. It may undermine our capacity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Climate change can increase the burden of disease on children, increase poverty levels and ultimately cause death.
Climate change exposes children to unbearable weather conditions that may cause deterioration of the quality of their lives. In order to fully celebrate children, there is a need to raise awareness on the consequences of global warming and climate change.
During National Children’s Day, different governmental departments will be exhibiting how best they can contribute towards the reduction of climate change.
The Minister will use the occasion to present the child-friendly version of the National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC) to the children. They will be encouraged to take the document home, read through and make inputs through their institutions (Schools / Child and Youth Care Centres). This will form part of the consultations on the NPAC where children themselves participate and give input to the policy process that seeks to enhance their own development.
Members of the media are invited to join Minister Xingwana as follows:
Venue: Union Buildings
Time: 10h00
Date: Saturday, 5 November 2011
