By Mickey Kavera – EM TV, Port Moresby
Universal Children’s Day takes place annually on 20 November. First proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world’s children.
The Callan Special Education Resource Centre Wewak is one of 19 Callan centres in 17 different provinces in Papua New Guinea.
They commemorated the day with the visit of Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion Delilah Gore on Monday November 17, 2014.
The event was an opportunity to bring to the attention of the Minister, the work of Callan Services in Papua New Guinea. The network is committed to developing the welfare of people living with disability.
They have been in the country for the past six years, empowering people living with disabilities to reach their full potential.
Director of Callan Services Network, Kevin Ryan said, the needs of the network are many.
“We are in need of vehicles to carry out awareness and housing for our staff,” he said.
They are content with the funding by the government received under the tuition free subsidy, but appreciate if the government could do more in building their capacity.
Minister Gore said her ministry is doing all it can to address some of these issues faced by Callan Services Network.
She said Papua New Guinea has signed and ratified a number of conventions and her ministry is obliged to ensure these conventions are implemented to benefit children in Papua New Guinea.
Also to ensure people living with disabilities are not marginalised, rather their rights are promoted and protected.
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