Skopje, 26 March 2024 (MIA) - In the upcoming elections, all political parties have an opportunity to put children, young people, and families at the centre of the electoral platforms by making concrete commitments to ensure that every child has access to quality services and more opportunities to build a better future for themselves and the country, reads an open letter from UNICEF Representative to North Macedonia, Patrizia DiGiovanni, to all political parties ahead of the elections. 

According to her, the upcoming elections are an opportunity to make family, youth and child-focused policies for a better country. 

"Elections open prospects for the future. This future is constructed now, and children and young people are counting on these elections. As a non-political and impartial organization, UNICEF stands ready to work with all partners to advance children’s rights providing every child and young person, girl and boy, an equitable chance to build a bright future," the open letter reads. 

The UNICEF Representative to the country notes that children make up twenty percent of the resident 1.84 million population, approximately 180,000 girls and 192,000 boys under 18. 

Children, she adds, remain an important constituency despite not actually voting right now. "In the not-so-distant future, they will be leaders of their families, communities, and the country. They will not only shape the future of the country but are forming important political views now based on these elections," says the letter. 

According to DiGiovanni, since ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, just over 30 years ago, and the adoption of Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development in 2015, the country has made significant progress in advancing the rights of children and adolescents, girls and boys. She points out that the progress toward the realization of children’s rights for every child requires continued efforts, leaving no one behind.  

"In September 2022, the Committee on the Rights of the Children adopted its Concluding Observations on the country’s progress to realise children’s rights, drawing attention on recommendations requiring urgent attention, in five areas: coordination, non-discrimination, violence against children, children with disabilities, health and health services. Many of these same issues, including efforts to ensure quality education for every child, are highlighted in the report on the country’s progress toward EU accession. These recommendations can be used to inspire key policy priorities in your electoral platforms," reads the open letter. 

DiGiovanni says all parties have a role to play in building a country where all children and youth can reach their potential. 

"Many critical reforms have required and will continue to require multi-year commitment from all decision makers such as the European Child Guarantee, Education Reform; Child Care System Reform, Justice and other legislative reform; Reforms to improve access to preventive health care programmes for children, and other reforms to support families, including families of children with disabilities," says UNICEF Representative Patrizia DiGiovanni. 

Photo: MIA archive