UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mohmoud Kabil promotes child rights in Mauritania
Nouakchott, Mauritania, 28 April 2010- Three-year old Mohamed, in Dar-Naim, a poor suburb of Nouakchott, calmly received from the hands of the Regional Goodwill Ambassador (GWA) Mohmoud Kabil, the two vaccine drops aiming to protect him from polio. This followed a briefing on the polio campaign in the local health centre by national and regional health authorities and several family visits to witness the strong social mobilization. The GWA 4-day visit to Mauritania coincided with the s19-country synchronized anti polio campaign launched by the President of Mauritania, evidence of the strong political support ensured through UNCEF and WHO advocacy. The objective of this campaign was discussed with the Minister of Health in the presence of the Regional Communication Chief in the Middle East & North Africa region and the Representative of UNICEF, Christian Skoog, in which Mahmoud Kabil expressed his commitment to contribute to awareness raising of the population and to support polio eradication and child rights promotion in Mauritania. He worked tirelessly in Dar El Baida (the campaign launch site), in Sebkha maternity, Teyaret health centre and in the city of Atar on social mobilization to support the health workers, to do spots and to advocate for immunization programs. Christian Skoog stressed in his launch speech: ``this unprecedented mobilization to fight polio would not be possible without UNICEF and WHO’s substantive support through technical and financial assistance and the GWA’s contribution``. Child survival in general was at the core of the GWA visit to Mauritania as he also advocated for the malaria program. FGC call for action Ending child trafficking The GWA called for a greater role of media in promoting child rights during a press conference covered by the main national and international media in Mauritania.
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