A Mila Productions film produced for Save the Children UK
One third of world’s children reside in South Asia but in them, they comprise the half of the world’s poorest children. There are estimated 43 million working children in South Asia aged between 5-14. And only about three-quarters of the children are enrolled in primary schools but most of the primary school graduates can’t read or write. In spite of all these, South Asia is rapidly growing as global economical power and in this rapidly evolving world re-shaped by technological advancement and marketing policy, corporate leaders can develop strategies to include children in its collective vision.
UNICEF-ROSA and Save the Children Alliance, South Asia, in a regional level initiative, conceived the project ‘Change Makers for South Asia’ with an aspiration of commencing a dialogue between children, eminent Corporate leaders, and Government planners in the pursuit of accomplishing children’s rights.
A consultation meeting on Investment in Children was hosted by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal in Kathmandu from 19th to 24th May 2001; the meeting was sponsored by UNICEF and Save the Children Alliance. As the current progress for children in South Asia is below anticipated so the expected resolution, from the series of four linking interactive meetings between young Change Makers, socially responsible Corporate and later joined by Government planners, was to get a commitment and to develop strategies to move away from ‘business as usual’ and make a difference in the children’s life early in the millennium. During the High Level meeting there were three panel discussions on
- Investing in the girl child and reduction in gender disparity.
- The impact of HIV/AIDS.
- Forging new partnership for investment in children.
