Brooke Speaks Out on Universal Children's Day

11.40.55am GMT Mon 20th Nov 2006

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has said that we must act to improve life chances for children all over the world.

Today marks Universal Children's Day, and the end of the Month of Action to End Child Poverty. Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families said:

"Children here in the UK need us to speak out - with them - to ensure that they can have a happy, healthy childhood.

"Up to a million children in this country are living in severe and long-term poverty. Reality for these families means making touch choices between food and clothes, settling a bill or paying for a school trip.

"Child poverty is about much more than figures, it is the stark reality that families are faced with every day."

One way in which families are able to lift themselves out of poverty is through access to education. In this country we are rightly concerned about different educational outcomes for children from deprived areas. However, many children around the world are denied even the right to attend school.

Annette Brooke said:

"Education is crucial in the fight against poverty. We are making progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015, but there are still 115 million children worldwide out of primary education.

"Almost 60% of these children are girls, and 1 in 3 live in conflict zones. The UK Government needs to work with the international community to address the root problems which are preventing these children from achieving their potential.

"Universal Children's Day offers us an opportunity to debate the urgent challenges which we are faced with. Children in the UK and around the world deserve more - they deserve a chance to succeed."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Figures from Save the Children UK