- Children and young people are key partners to a development that is really sustainable and must be put under the spotlight at the EU Development Days
- New European Consensus for Development must turn references to children and young people into concrete commitment to them.
- World Vision is organising three events and hosting a stand at the EU Development Days, putting children and young people at the forefront of the development debate.
“I want to ask the people at the European Development Days to help us in South Sudan to come together, work hard to talk to the governments in South Sudan to stop the conflicts. When something like that happens, they should find a safe space for children," says Mary, a young delegate from South Sudan, ahead of the European Development Days.
That’s the call from Mary, who, on Wednesday and Thursday 7th and 8th of June, will participate in the European Development Days (EDDs). Her story shows that there are ways to mitigate the effects of a conflict on children and young people, but, to do so, they need to be listened to.
Three other young people from Ghana and Romania will attend the EDDs and share what violence looks like in their country and how to end it. Several engagements will put children under the spotlight, enabling them to rise up as key development actors in the EU and global debates.
World Vision welcomes the EU and its Member States commitment, in the newly signed European Consensus for Development, to work with partner countries to improve the protection of children and their participation in decisions that concern them.
These words now need to be turned into concrete commitment. These four young people will attend the European Development Days to show the EU and development actors ways to protect children and young people and involve them in decision making processes.
“The new European consensus commits us to leave no one behind – this mean no child can be left behind. If the EU is serious about this it means that children and young people need to be involved and have a say. We all need to listen to them” says Justin Byworth, World Vision Brussels’ Executive Director.
The four young people will bring their grassroots experiences to discuss the critical issue of violence against children in all its form, from school bullying to violence in conflict and from child marriage to child labour. These young but powerful voices will show how engaging at the local level can in fact bring an end to violence.
ENDS
Where: Stand #61, Tour & Taxis on Avenue du Port 86, B-1000 Brussels.
When: 7-8 June 2017
Where: Room D6, Tour & Taxis on Avenue du Port 86, B-1000 Brussels.
When: 09.00 to 10.15 - 8 June 2017
Where: Room D5, Tour & Taxis on Avenue du Port 86, B-1000 Brussels.
When: 15.15 to 16.30 - 8 June 2017
Where: Youth Lounge, Tour & Taxis on Avenue du Port 86, B-1000 Brussels.
When: 11.00 to 11.30 – 8 June 2017
Notes to editors
World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. It works in close to 100 countries in most regions of the world including Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific Region.
World Vision Brussels’ office represents World Vision members in 12 European countries, including 10 EU member states, as well as the wider international World Vision partnership.
For more information, please contact:
Ludovic Wahis, Policy and Communications Officer, World Vision Brussels & EU Representation, +32 (0) 2 274 18 67, Ludovic_Wahis@wvi.org