On June 9, the first session’s theme was “Ideas to action.” WFDD’S Marshall greeted the audience before remarks by Machel and Key.
Machel focused on the importance of education for children and the necessity of providing education for refugee children. She pointed out that 91 percent of the world’s non-refugee elementary children attend school, while only a half of refugee children attend school, referring to statistics by UNICEF and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Machel said, “Refugee children deserve mental and physical care,” adding that pregnant and child-rearing refugees also need adequate nutrition as the first 1000 days are critical for babies to have healthy bodies. She also stressed that we must demand that governments, nongovernmental organizations and society contribute to the education of refugees.
She also stressed the importance of the transition from elementary to secondary education or refugees, referring to the UNHCR statistics that indicate only 23 percent of refugee children attend secondary schools.
She mentioned the main mantra od SDGs, “Leave no one behind,” and urged the international community to take action.
New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Key raised hopes that it is “human nature that we want to help,” referring to donations and volunteers after the quakes and tsunami in Japan following the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and similar aid offered to other countries after disasters.
He also mentioned that it is human nature to forgive, referring to his reflection after trips to Hiroshima Park.
He then stressed achievements made in terms of SGDs in recent years. He said, “Access to clean water has improved, poverty has decreased and education has dramatically improved…We have great concerns, but most importantly, we have hope.”
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Former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
WSD
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(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, July9, 2019）
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