Office, NGO sign agreement to champion children’s rights

THE National Office of Child and Family Services and Save the Children Papua New Guinea have signed an agreement to work together to be the voice of children in the country.
Save the Children PNG country director Fiu Willame-Igara said during the signing that it was a historic ceremony for the organisation.
“Together with the office, we can do more to protect children and their rights, and ensure they have a positive future,” she said.
“We consider it as a great privilege for the recognition by the Government of PNG through the office, the most important authority to amplify the voice of our children.”
Igara acknowledged the work that the government and agencies were doing at the national, provincial and local level to improve the situation of more than three million children of PNG.
“We also acknowledge the support of local and international development partners, private sectors, and faith based organisations, communities and non-government organisations in this particular space,” she said.
She said the organisation looked forward to working under the office’s guidance, policies and priorities of the government, Lukautim Pikinini Act 2015 and the national child protection policy.
Office chief executive officer Simon Yanis said that it was a record-breaking ceremony in terms of how best an international organisation could work in partnership with limited resources to deliver to the children of PNG.
“Giving visibility to the children in this country is an achievement for children alone,” Yanis added.
“Giving an office for children can become the mouthpiece, ears and eyes for the children of this country because the population cannot speak for their rights.”
Yanis said his office had been working towards putting into effect the Lukautim Pikinini Act.
He added that Save the Children PNG had recognised their desire to do that.