One team for children's rights

Skopje, 21 November 2022: To mark the World Children’s Day and promote children’s rights, UNICEF and the Football Federation of Macedonia organized “kids take over” friendly football match between children, professional players from the national representation, players from Special Olympics and officials.

"The World Children’s Day is an opportunity for all of us, adults together with children, to reflect on our priorities, on future directions, on what we have to achieve in order to give children a happy childhood, and of course a better future and opportunities for development," said the Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski. "This day is a reminder of the obligations that we as a society have towards our children, especially the most vulnerable."

“Every girl and boy, regardless of their ability, their ethnic background, their family’s financial status, has the same rights, and as we take action to advance child rights, we must make extra efforts so that no child is being left behind because of disability, poverty, ethnicity or gender,” said Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Representative. “Protecting the rights of every child – whoever they are, wherever they come from – is important for children today, but it is also the best way to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world for everyone.”

Taking place every year on 20 November, World Children’s Day highlights critical issues affecting children’s lives and supports the engagement of children and young people as advocates for their own rights. This year, World Children’s Day falls on the same day as the official start of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 providing partners a unique opportunity to put children’s issues at the top of the global agenda.

The match is part of UNICEF and the Football Federation of Macedonia joint campaign under the slogan “We are all one team” calling for all to come together for children’s rights.

“Football means promoting friendship, equity and healthy lifestyle. We encourage all young people to actively participate in events that convey the message of friendship and equality on the sports’ fields, but also in everyday life,” said Deni Masev, director of the national football representation.

The event gathered children, teachers, ministers, ambassadors, junior football teams, and Special Olympics players. Children from “Dajte muzika” television show who represented North Macedonia at Child Eurovision contest Kika, Filip, Anastasija and Miha moderated the event.

World Children’s Day is an annual day of action to bring attention to issues important to children, including the need to create a more equal, inclusive world for every child. UNICEF and partners call on the whole society to get behind action to support:

• Quality health care, for every child including action to ensure all children have access to quality health care, nutrition and are protected from vaccine preventable diseases.
• Quality and inclusive education, for every child including increased investments and improved efficiency and equity in education spending to help build every child’s 21 century skill and empower girls and boys to become the adults who will transform economies and societies.
• Mental health and wellbeing of children and young people including establishing programmes that promote mental health and wellbeing, in schools and in the community so that every child has the childhood, they deserve and have a right to have.
• Healthy environment including creating spaces for children and young people to be at the centre of designing climate actions and providing innovative solutions to the environmental challenges we face today.
• Fair chance for every child, including actions to tackle persisting discrimination and exclusion so that no child is being left behind because of disability, poverty, ethnicity or gender.