UNICEF Representative to Azerbaijan Edward Carwardine has issued a message on the occasion of 1 June – National Child Protection Day.

The message reads:  “Today is National Child Protection Day in Azerbaijan, and this year we celebrate this special occasion in very different circumstances than in the past.

For several months, parents and children have been living under the threat of coronavirus – with schools and kindergartens closed to prevent the risk of transmission, with restrictions on playing outside, and limited contact with friends and relatives. Some families will have seen loved ones fall sick. For every family, every child, the last few months have been challenging, and sometimes frightening.

So today, I salute the parents and families of Azerbaijan who have worked so hard to make life as normal as possible for their children in recent weeks … by encouraging learning at home, by finding creative ways to play with and entertain their children while under quarantine, by managing the stress and anxiety faced by their children, and by keeping their children physically safe from the coronavirus. 

Today is a day when we come together, even as we continue to face the very real threat of coronavirus and applaud the nation’s families and celebrate the potential of its children.

Long after the virus has been defeated, how Azerbaijan recovers from this pandemic will depend greatly upon how children and young people have been – and continue to be – supported to maintain their education, their physical health and safety, and their mental wellbeing.

I believe that Azerbaijan’s strength comes from its children. Today, we commit ourselves to protecting all those children, under every circumstance, so they can play a full part in shaping the future of the nation. This has never been so important, and our responsibility to Azerbaijan’s children has never been so critical.

Happy National Child Protection Day!”

News.Az