Unicef Board Turns the Spotlight on Children and Young People in Africa

About 60% of African children under the age of 25 live in poverty, according to a new report from the United Nations' children's agency.

And that's not good enough, says UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

"This future is contingent on every child receiving the support they need now, through equitable access to education and quality services," she said in her opening address to the UNICEF Board this week, per a press release.

"This means investing in key systems that children rely on, like education."

To that end, Russell called for increased investments in education, climate action, and green and sustainable business solutions, as well as more young people in decision-making, especially in education and climate change, the Guardian reports.

The report, published Thursday, also found that more than a third of children in sub-Saharan Africa don't go to school.

And that's one of the reasons why the African Union has named 2024 as the Year of Education and Training for the continent.

"The development of human capital through education and training is defined within the framework of Agenda 2063," African Union President Azali Assoumani said in his address to the UNICEF Board.

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