KUALA LUMPUR: The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and Malaysia commemorated 70 years of partnership on Wednesday (Nov 20) championing the rights and well-being of children across the nation to celebrate World Children’s Day.
Unicef Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam, Robert Gass said the transformative collaboration had significantly advanced healthcare, education, and child-friendly policies in Malaysia.
"This partnership has always been driven by a single mission: to imagine and create a better world for every child. Together, we have turned this aspiration into a reality.
"World Children’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved and what lies ahead. The future belongs to children, but it is up to us to pave the way together,” he said during his opening remarks at the World Children's Day and Unicef's 70th anniversary event here.
Also present at the event were Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Karima El Korri, and social activist, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir.
Reflecting on early initiatives, Gass highlighted Unicef’s contributions, including providing nutritious milk, BCG vaccinations, and establishment of rural clinics to improve healthcare access for remote communities.
He noted that initiatives in the 1960s and 1970s, such as mass vaccination campaigns and integrating blind children into schools, laid the foundation for Malaysia’s compulsory education policy.
By the 1990s, child mortality rates had dropped fivefold, thanks to cost-effective practices like growth monitoring and breastfeeding.
"This collaboration has been instrumental in ensuring no child is left behind. By working together, we have created opportunities for children to thrive,” he said.
Gass further noted that recent milestones include Malaysia becoming the first country in the WHO’s Western Pacific Region to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 2018.
In 2022, Petaling Jaya was recognised as Malaysia’s first child-friendly city under Unicef’s Child-Friendly Cities Initiative, with similar initiatives underway in Sarawak, Penang and Johor.
"Cities must be places where children can grow up safely with access to the resources they need. I am thrilled to see other city councils joining this journey,” said Gass.
The event, themed "Reimagine the Future”, underlined Unicef’s commitment to fostering child-friendly urban spaces, supporting youth-led climate action, and advocating for social protection.
World Children’s Day is observed annually on Nov 20 to promote awareness of children’s rights and well-being globally. - Bernama
