From May 8 to 10, at the United Nations’ Special Session on Children, government leaders, Heads of States, non-governmental organizations and young people themselves will evaluate the realization of the goals adopted in1990 at the World Summit. Cybersolidaires and Action Canada for Population and Development will be in New York to inform you on issues, negociations and decisions concerning the well-being of children from all around the world for the next ten years.

Montreal, May 2, 2002. Today, Ayodele’s life, an African girl born the same year of the earlier World Summit for Children in 1990, is similar to a 10 years old girl at that moment : no running water, no school, no appropriate health care. She works in the fields and takes care of her little brothers and sisters, which two have died before the age of 5. Forced to genital mutilations, to early marriages and pregnancies, to slavery, to sexual relations without protection and consent, millions of girls need that government leaders and Heads of States act now to give them a better life.

From May 8 to 10, at the United Nations’ Special Session on Children, government leaders, Heads of States, non-governmental organizations and young people themselves will evaluate the realization of the goals adopted in1990 at the World Summit. They will also elaborate a Plan of Action for the next 10 years. Will the right wings allow the specific realities of girls to be taken into account? What rights will be acknowledged to them? Will the international community commit themselves to realize precise objectives?

From May 5th, with Action Canada for Population and Development (www.acpd.ca), Cybersolidaires will be in New York to cover the Session, the Children’s Forum and side events. Our team will disseminate news, in French and English, on important issues concerning girls and teenagers through listservs’ of the women’s networks and on our web site at www.cybersolidaires.org. Finally, if you go to the Session, we would be glad to meet you. Don’t hesitate to contact us at i...@cybersolidaires.org.

You can also visit our Web pages in French on girls' rights at: www.cybersolidaires.org/obs/filles.html.

In cybersolidarity !

Nicole Nepton and Colette Lelièvre

i...@cybersolidaires.org