| Applications invited for Children's Rights Education Funding Scheme |
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The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau is inviting applications under the 2013 Children's Rights Education Funding Scheme. A spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (December 18), "The Government is committed to working together with community organisations to promote the rights of children. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has also noted with appreciation in its Concluding Observations of the Report of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2005 the efforts made by the Administration to support organisations representing children." The spokesman added, "The Convention has been in force in Hong Kong for 18 years, and the Government will undertake a series of programmes to promote the Convention and enhance the public's understanding of children's rights. We appeal to all members of the public to respect children's rights, including their right to survival, right to development, right to protection and right to participation, which are the basic rights enshrined in the Convention." Enthusiastic support from organisations for the Scheme has been received in every cycle since its establishment in 2006. The community activities funded under the Scheme are targeted at different social groups and have enhanced the public's awareness of children's rights. So far, the Scheme has funded more than 160 projects carried out by various non-government organisations, including community organisations, children's organisations, ethnic minority groups and secondary and primary schools. The Government has also enhanced the 2013 cycle of the Scheme, which offers sponsorships under "General Project" and "Theme Project" categories. Projects sponsored under the "Theme Project" category shall adopt "Community Participation" as the theme. In order to encourage children to participate in the construction and improvement of the community, applicants may, through organising all types of activities and services, such as arranging for children to visit recreational and cultural facilities, allow children to express their views on the planning and enhancement of the cultural facilities in the community as well as other issues of their concern. The Government aims to encourage and enable more community organisations to undertake educational projects to enhance stakeholders' understanding of the children's rights enshrined in the Convention and children's participation in the community. Application forms are available from the website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/issues/child_funding.htm) and at all Public Enquiry Service Centres of the District Offices. The deadline for application is January 18, 2013. For enquiries, please contact the Children's Rights Unit of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau at 2810 3950. Ends/Tuesday, December 18, 2012 |