The National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and UNICEF organize "We Are the Future" event to celebrate World Children's Day

Under the auspices of Mrs. Entissar El-Sisi, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) celebrated World Children's Day, which marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. This historic convention, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history, was one of the first treaties Egypt ratified, making it a binding instrument that confirms Egypt's commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of its children.

The event featured active participation from children and youth alongside distinguished attendees, including Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, representing Mrs. Entissar Al Sisi ; Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Endowments; Engineer Adel Al-Naggar, Governor of Giza; Dr. Iman Karim, General Supervisor of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities; Counselor Hisham Jafar, Head of the Child Protection Office at the Public Prosecutor's Office and Dr. Ghada Labib, Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Institutional Development. UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador, Actor Ahmed Helmy, Actress Safaa Aboul-Souod, Members of NCCM board, senior officials, Parliamentarians, Representatives of diplomatic corps, and civil society leaders were also present.

Dr. Sahar El-Sonbaty, President of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, said during her speech, "Today we come together to celebrate Children's Day, which is an opportunity to enhance international solidarity to raise awareness among children around the world and improve their welfare. Our celebration today reaffirms our shared commitment to protecting the rights of our children and working to empower them to build a better tomorrow. Our children are the most precious gift from God, they are the hope and future of nations." She emphasized that the Egyptian state pays great attention to the child, which is evident in the ratification of all international conventions related to children's rights, in addition to issuing the Egyptian Child Law No. 12 of 1996, amended by Law No. 126 of 2008, aimed at protecting childhood and motherhood and creating suitable conditions for proper upbringing in a framework of freedom and human dignity. Furthermore, the issuance of Law No. 182 of 2023 reorganizing the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood to be the national mechanism concerned with childhood and motherhood in Egypt.

She added that since its establishment, the council has paid great attention to preserving the rights of the Egyptian child, identifying their needs, and emphasizing our collective responsibility to provide a safe environment for the child to grow and develop properly, enjoying their rights to education, health care, and positive upbringing, contributing to building an aware generation capable of facing all future challenges.

The President of NCCM extended her thanks and appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his support of children's rights, and to the First Lady Entissar El-Sisi for her kind patronage of today's event "We Are the Future," the Prime Minister, his deputies, the esteemed ministers, all governmental and international partner agencies, especially UNICEF for its constant partnership and cooperation, and everyone who participated in today's celebration. She called on everyone to renew their commitment to working together, government, civil society, and individuals, to build a supportive environment that fulfills our children's dreams and gives them the opportunity to express their energies and creativity.

Nathalie Meyer, Acting UNICEF Representative in Egypt, said: "Over the years, Egypt has achieved remarkable accomplishments for children and youth, including significant reductions in maternal and infant mortality rates and increased vaccination rates. In the education sector, the gap between boys and girls in terms of enrollment has been closed, in addition to improving access to healthcare, water, and sanitation."

Meyer added: "Our celebration today provides us with an opportunity to highlight our commitment to child welfare and continue supporting the progress made in Egypt. I would like to thank Mrs. Entissar El-Sisi for placing today’s celebration under her auspices, which reflects her keenness to support children's issues and rights, as well as our partners, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, all concerned ministries, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector for their cooperation with us to advocate for children's rights and to empower them over the past years. Protecting children's rights is the foundation for achieving the best possible future for all children and for all of us."

On the sidelines of the celebration, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood honored the children who won in the art competition, launched by the council in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture under the slogan "Egypt in the Eyes of Its Children" to explore children's vision of their homeland and their rights and how they express their love for Egypt. This competition came within the framework of the presidential initiative for human development "A New Beginning for Building the Human," which focuses on enhancing the social, cultural, and creative aspects and investing in human capital, especially children.

"We Are the Future" celebration encouraged children to share their vision for the future. The event aimed to build intergenerational understanding and highlight the importance of protecting children's rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children also sent messages to decision-makers in Egypt, sharing their views on their rights and how these rights can be achieved to support their vision for the future. The celebration included a range of interactive activities for children of all ages, adding a joyful atmosphere among the children on their special day.