The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) is celebrating today’s adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations General Assembly, at a Summit in New York in which over 130 heads of state and government were in attendance.
The historic adoption of the proposal came shortly after an address by Pope Francis, who remarked: “we live in a world in which many who are born poor will die poor. It is up to us to be the first society to eradicate poverty and bring justice and equality to the most disenfranchised people on earth.”
The Sustainable Development Goals represent an ambitious plan of action that aims to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger, provide quality lifelong education for all, protect the planet and promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
These new global goals offer a historic opportunity to provide children with the fair start in life they deserve, UNICEF said, cautioning that this opportunity will be wasted if the world does not focus efforts and investments on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.
Angélique Kidjo, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002, sang a moving version of ‘Afirika’ – her hymn to the continent she calls home.
“Africa and its children have the most to gain from the Sustainable Development Goals, but they also have the most to lose if our leaders do not fully commit to this new agenda for peace and prosperity,” Kidjo said. “As an artist I want to use my voice to make sure that people around the world understand the new global goals and why they matter, so that they can hold their leaders accountable for their success or failure.”
Flanked by a group of young people from across the world, Malala Yousafzai then delivered a message of hope for today’s children before the SDGs were ratified by world leaders.
Also Shakira, a passionate advocate of children’s rights, told the assembled world leaders before her performance: “Our children have the right to equal opportunities; to thrive, to be happy, healthy, and safe.” [myad]
