Schoolgirl urges UNICEF to include children's opinions after becoming its 'chief' for a day

Kolkata, Nov 20 A physically challenged minor girl, who symbolically assumed the chair of the chief of UNICEF in West Bengal on Wednesday on the occasion of World Children’s Day, has urged this international body to include children's opinion in their decision-making process.

After being helped to sit as the symbolic chief of UNICEF in West Bengal for a day, Riya Sardar, who hails from Vidyanagar village decided that the officials of this UN body would meet the children once annually and their opinions would be included during planning for children's development programme.

As part of UNICEF's "Kids' Takeover" programme on World Children's Day today, this class-IX student of Vidyanagar Girls' High School held the chair of Dr Monjur Hossain the chief of UNICEF in West Bengal.

Riya is a physically challenged girl who faces difficulty in walking and uses a wheelchair to move around. As she clicked on Dr Hossain's computer button, an email containing her decision reached all officials of UNICEF in Kolkata.

"Initially, there was no ramp in the toilet of our school. Now with the help of our school authorities, a ramp has been built. Classes are now being organised on the ground floor of our school only after my father requested the teachers as children like me faced difficulty in walking up to the top floors of the building. I want that no physically challenged children should face any trouble in school and other places," Riya, the daughter of a small businessman, said.

UNICEF officials pledged to implement the decisions taken by Riya as their chief for the day. They said that an annual meeting with the children would be organised as part of their movement to 'Listen to the Future' and their participation in the decision-making be promoted adequately.

"The idea and drive to include children’s voices in our work will promote and ensure children’s participation through platforms created to listen to them. Such initiatives will help us to understand their problems and opinions to ensure inclusive decision-making and realise their rights," Dr Hossain said.

Source: IANS