Child Welfare Week calls attention to child rights

BEIJING, June 1 2010 – The Ministry of Civil Affairs together with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and China Child Welfare Expert Committee initiated a week long campaign to advocate for establishing the first week of June as Child Welfare Week (CWW) in China to raise public awareness on child rights and welfare.

The goal of the Child Welfare Week is to engage government agencies, civil society, the media and children themselves in a campaign to raise awareness on the need to establish a comprehensive child welfare system in China.

Each year a stocktaking report will be launched by the China Child Welfare Expert Committee. This year's report recommends that the new child welfare system should be incorporated in China's 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015) to secure financial and human resources. The report also recommends that child welfare services should not be based on institutional care but on family and community based solutions.

At the launching ceremony in UNICEF China Office Compound, three children affected by HIV/AIDS and famous actress Tao Hong helped kick off the campaign by voicing their concerns and hopes on behalf of the most vulnerable children in China. access to health and education services, protection, and support for every child.

"China's economy has reached a certain level, but faced with the demands from the children, all the responsible adults will feel ashamed," said Mr. Wang Zhenyao, Director General of the Department of Social Welfare and Charity Promotion, Ministry of Civil Affairs.

"The child welfare week starts from listening to the voices of the children and will involve government officers, experts, civil society and all the stake holders in the following days to discuss better ways to mobilize social resources to care for the children." He added.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) forecast that by the end of 2010 China's average GDP per capita will hit around 4000 US dollars. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is working to transform the existing welfare system from residual to universal. UNICEF is supporting the government's transitional efforts to ensure that the child welfare system covers every child in China.

"I hope that with a holistic child welfare system, all sectors can work together to ensure that all the children can realize their dreams." Dr. Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative to China said.