UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell says children depend on adults to do the hard work to give them the best start.

The Head of UNICEF is in the country and addressed the students of Gospel Primary School in Nasinu this morning. Fiji is only her second stop in the region, following a visit to Vanuatu earlier in the week.

She says it is every adult’s responsibility to provide the best care for children.

“They depend on adults to do the work when they are young to get them off to the best start. And what does that mean? It means making sure they are healthy, they are immunized, they have access to health care, they are protected in their homes and communities, and they get a great education. That’s the role of adults; that’s our job.”

Russell also says that children do better when the government does its best to cater to the welfare of children.

She relays to students that the saying “children are the future” depends on children, which may be a cliché but is the truth.

The UNICEF Executive Director reminded students that they will need to grow up understanding their roles for Fiji, but adults need to prepare them for that.

She says their future will involve understanding issues like the challenges Fiji faces, such as the impact of climate change, and most importantly, how to make Fiji a better place.

Russell is on a two-day visit and has met with other stakeholders, including those in government.