Governments urged to ensure children rights

Angola ,  Luanda - The world's governments should respect, protect and ensure the implementation of the rights of adolescents, promote gender equality and formulation of policies and programmes, under the international treaties on human rights. This was stated Friday in Luanda by the chairperson of the 7th Commission of the National Assembly (Parliament), Irene Neto, while addressing the forum on "Teen Girl - Pillar of Society.” The official said that they are subject and holders of rights and therefore it is an obligation of States to recognise and ensure that they, like all human beings, can fully enjoy and exercise such principles. The National Assembly member also stressed that the cultural, ethnic, racial, educational, social and age discrimination facing the adolescents in several countries represent a gross violation of their rights, affecting the welfare and health, restricting the development of  human potential.    Irene Neto also insisted that the actions of empowerment of adolescent girls are listed as a standard, supported by international human rights treaties for the countries that have signed and ratified the legal instruments assuming their protection. As an example, she mentioned the Convention on Children Rights (CRC), Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Cairo Platform for Action of Beijing and others. The event aimed at gathering elements to work out a legislative initiative with a view to promoting the protection of this important social group.Attending the forum were MPs, Government officials, basic and high education teenagers, representatives of women organisations (ruling MPLA and opposition UNITA women wings , respectively OMA and LIMA.Members of the Women Journalists Association, Angolan Women Network, UN Children Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organisation (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and others also attended the event.