GLOBAL CONFERENCE MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED NATIONS CHILD RIGHTS CONVENTION

ADDIS ADABA, ETHIOPIA -- The United Nations Child Rights Convention’s 20th anniversary will be observed with the convening of a “Global Conference On Child’s Rights And Research” which will be held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Adaba, Ethiopia from 30 November 2009 through 2 December 2009. Organizers of the Global Conference include Childwatch International, African Child Policy Forum, UNICEF Innocenti Research Center, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Comparative Research Programme on Poverty, and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

“Children’s Rights At A Cross-Roads” is the theme of the Global Conference which will explore and promote research promoting the rights of children, collaboration among policy makers, practitioners and academics which will lead to the creation of relevant child research and its implementation, and cooperation between adults and youth in connection with designing and developing participatory research. Participants in the Global Conference will include policymakers, politicians, civil servants who are responsible for creating and implementing child-focused policies, representatives from Non-Government Organizations throughout the world who have a child rights mandate, development agencies, agencies of the United Nations, academics, regional organizations, independent human rights and children’s rights organizations, and independent experts.

Keynote speakers for the Global Conference include Agnes Aidoo, Member of the United Nations Child Rights Convention Committee; Assefa Bequele, Director, The African Child Policy Forum; Shirin Cziffra, Ombudsperson for Children, Mauritius; Seynabou Ndiaye Diakhate, Chair of The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Jaap Doek, Chair of the United Nations Child Rights Convention Committee (2001-2007); Julie Meeks Gardner, University of the West Indies; Bience Philomina Gawanas, Commissioner of Social Affairs, Africa Commission; Simon Heap, Global Research Portfolio Co-ordinator - Plan International; Haktor Helland, of The Norwegian Ministry of Children and Equality; Lothar Krappmann, United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; Yanghee Lee, Chair of the United Nations Child Rights Convention Committee; Stephen Lewis, Special Envoy for AIDS In Africa (2001-2006); Richard Morgan, Director Policy and Practice, UNICEF; Marta Santos Pais, United Nations Special Representative On Violence Against Children; David Parker, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre; Irene Rizzini, President Childwatch International; and Rose September, University of the Western Cape.

Registration for the Global Conference ends on Friday, 6 November 2009. For information about the Global Conference and how you can register, please visit Childwatch International’s website at http://www.childwatch.uio.no/projects/global-conferences/un-child-rights-convention-anniversary-conference-2009.