UNICEF and OFC celebrate 25 years of children’s rights with Just Play Sports Days

On Universal Children’s Day (20 November) and as part of the Oceania Football Confederation’s (OFC) inaugural President’s Cup, UNICEF will celebrate 25 years of children’s rights by hosting Just Play Sports Days in ten Pacific Island nations.

In Auckland, more than 400 children from West Auckland schools will gather at Trusts Arena in Waitakere to take part in the award winning Just Play programme, which uses football as a tool to focus on educating children in four key areas; health and wellbeing, gender equality, social inclusion for all children, and keeping children safe.

Vivien Maidaborn, Executive Director at UNICEF New Zealand, said of the milestone celebration, “The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) enshrines every child’s right to equal opportunity, education, protection and health, regardless of their gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Equally important, and included in the CRC, is their right to play.

“Play and sport are not luxuries reserved for only a few - they are every child’s right. Play is vital to the wellbeing and future development of children, teaching them important life lessons and giving them skills they need to live together peacefully.

“25 years on from the establishment of CRC we need innovative ways to realise rights for all children and Just Play does this in a fun and active way.”

Head of Social Responsibility and International Relations with OFC, Franck Castillo, said of the event, “We have developed a strong and vital partnership with UNICEF and we share the same vision, which is using football as a tool to improve children’s lives.

“Child protection is one of the four pillars of the Just Play programme and through this platform we are able to compliment UNICEF’s work for children’s rights, both through activities and advocacy campaigns.”

The Just Play programme has already seen enormous success in the Pacific region. Just Play Sports Days will also take place in nine other Pacific Island countries including American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

UNICEF Pacific Representative, Dr. Karen Allen said, “In an area of the world where access to information is restricted by poor internet, television and radio penetration, the OFC President’s Cup is a valuable platform that allows UNICEF to communicate important information on children’s rights to a large target audience.”

She added, “The Just Play programme and Sports Days are helping UNICEF and OFC to provide educational opportunities to children through play. Through active participation, children learn about teamwork and fair play. Girls and boys play together and physical activity and exercise has once again become fun.”

OFC President, Mr. David Chung reiterated this by saying, “Children are naturally drawn to sport, recreation and play, which are an important part of childhood. Not only are they important to helping children grow, learn and explore, they are also every child’s right.”

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