Children have urged UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) authorities to meet them annually and take their opinion before making schemes for their development.

The children took part in UNICEF’s Kids Takeover programme to celebrate the World Children’s Day, today. Riya Sardar, who hails from Vidyanagar village at Bishnupur Block II in South 24 Parganas, symbolically assumed the chair of Monjur Hossain, chief of UNICEF in West Bengal. Sardar, who is a student of Vidyanagar Girls High School, is physically challenged and is wheelchair bound. The programme was held at Murshidabad.

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Riya clicked the computer button on Mr Hossain and her request reached all the UNICEF officials in the city.

She said initially, there was no ramp in the toilet of her school. Now, the school authorities have set up a ramp to facilitate physically challenged students to use the toilet. Her father requested the school authorities so that classes could be arranged for physically challenged students on the ground floor as they found it difficult to climb the stairs. Riya said, “I want that no physically-challenged student should face any trouble anywhere, be it in schools or other places.”

The UNICEF officials said they would meet the children annually as a part of their programme, Listen to the Future.

Mr Hossain said, “The idea and drive to include children’s voices in our work will promote and ensure children’s participation through platforms that have been created to listen to them. Such initiatives will help us to understand their problems and opinions to ensure inclusive decision making and realise their rights.”