Children urged to speak up on World Children’s Day

On the occasion of World Children’s Day, UNICEF has called upon young Barbadians to amplify their voices and actively advocate for their rights. Speaking at the national child rights ambassadors graduation ceremony held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), UNICEF monitoring and evaluation specialist Patrice Bosso emphasized the importance of ensuring that children’s voices are central to national discourse. He urged the newly appointed ambassadors and their peers across Barbados to reflect on their aspirations and take proactive steps to secure their futures. Bosso highlighted the transformative impact of the child rights ambassador programme, launched a year ago in collaboration with the Ministry of People’s Empowerment. The inaugural group of 19 ambassadors has been instrumental in promoting children’s rights through various creative and advocacy-driven initiatives within their schools and communities. This year’s World Children’s Day theme, “My Day, My Rights,” underscores the need to prioritize children’s lived experiences and ensure their rights are actively pursued. Bosso also acknowledged Barbados’ longstanding dedication to child rights, referencing the country’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 35 years ago. He stressed that safeguarding children’s rights requires consistent action and investment, describing them as a “living promise” rather than mere rhetoric. UNICEF remains committed to empowering young people and integrating their perspectives into policymaking and development efforts to build resilient communities.