State is keen on promoting SDGs for children’s benefit, says Mudavadi

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi  has said Kenya will continue advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on the well- being of children.

Mudavadi said the government seeks to work on promoting better health, education and social protection for the children.

He said it is time for Africa and the world to reflect on how to cultivate and foster peaceful environments and abet conflicts that lead to humanitarian crises that affect children.

“Focusing on the wellbeing of our children validates our moral obligation to provide an enabling environment for them to grow into healthy and productive citizens.

Children are our hopes and our future. Every parent, community and country must protect their rights, including their right to quality healthcare, education and social well-being,” he said.

He was speaking when he presided over the global operations and financing meeting of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Nairobi.

Mudavadi also said promoting quality, affordable and accessible health services and education for the children remains a key government priority under the pillar of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda

He also cited the Sudan crisis where the humanitarian situation has affected many school going children, with Africa having at least 98 million children who are disadvantaged as a result of conflicts and crises in various countries.

“Recently we gathered in Paris to raise USD4 billion to try and mitigate the crisis in Sudan. This being a reflection of resources collected but instead of being channeled to positive use like providing improved healthcare, boosting agriculture, supporting education and development, the finances are channeled towards mitigating crises and addressing conflicts,” he regretted.

He was concerned that some schools have become relief centres, others closed and taken over by military and warring factions in the conflict prone regions, which is a devastating situation.

Mudavadi regretted that such situations have affected operations like school feeding programs, provision of vaccines to children among other crucial programs targeting children’s wellbeing.