Tomorrow’s women today

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33967, 7 October 1975, Page 6

Tomorrow’s women today

International Women’s | Year made an impact on • this year’s Universal I Children’s Day which ; was given the theme “Today’s Girls — Tomorrow’s Women” by the International Union for Child Welfare and the United Nations Children’s Fund i (U.N.1.C.E.F.). In Christchurch, the day was celebrated yesterday by 90 children from 35 schools who took part in recreational and educational activities organised by the Christchurch Regional U.N.LC.E.F. : Committee Mrs Doreen Grant, presiIdent of the committee, said that it was a good idea that ■girls received a little more attention this year to make up for the fact that they were often unjustly neglected and discriminated against. However, she added, it was important that one ' injustice was not replaced iby another and that being pro-girl was not being antiI boy.

That was why the Christ church committee chose thi theme “Today’s children — all of them — Tomorrow’ adults” for a poster com petition, she said. The children submitted their entires to be displays at the. function held fo them at the Red Cross Hal yesterday. The programme included ai educational quiz, musica entertainment, a meal and U.N.I.C.E.F. film, “Th Secret Life of Danny Kaye.” Children’s Day was firs celebrated in 1953 after proposal by the Internationa Union for Child Welfart The United Nations Genera Assembly established “Uni versa! Children's Day” ii 1954. The day was establishe try cart/o ac on onnnol romir

• der to all adults that it is • vital to give children every- - where adequate protection > and preparation, so that ■ when the future of the world was in .their hands, it I would be in good hands. I It also serves to increase • awareness among children of I their interdependence and kinship with their counteri parts in other countries. I The Internationl Union for (Child Welfare and 3 U.N.I.C.E.E. published some facts which lead to their t decision to give the day the t theme on women. 1 The United Nations Dec- . laration of the Rights of the 1 Child states that no child - should be discriminated i against by reason of race, religion, national origin, 1 social class or sex. However, facts supplied

Iby the tw r o organisations,' show that 60 per cent of the world’s 800 m illiterates today are female. Uneducated women are seriously handicapped, and so too are their communities and fami ilies, because lack of educaI tion touches off a chain re- j I action which perpetuates i inefficiency and disi crimination in other fields.

ENGAGEMENT

Rzepecky — Mclntosh: The engagement has been between Helen Patricia, eldest daughter of i Mrs and the late Mr B. A. B. | Mclntosh, 12 Good Street, Rangiora, and Leslie Alan, I eldest son of Mr and Mrs A. 'Rzepecky, 45 Arrow Street, lOftmarn.