ACT COLLECTIVELY AND DECISIVELY IN FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE OF CHILDREN, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM'S WIFE

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- It is time for the First Ladies around the
world to act collectively and decisively in fighting for the cause of children
universally, for the sake of the future of the respective countries and its
people, said the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor.

Although the United Nations and its agencies had been instrumental in
undertaking the role, Rosmah said the First Ladies must accept that it was
their problem and they could not simply turn a blind eye and hope somebody else
would come and resolve the issues occurring in their own backyard.

"If we don't seriously help and guide these children to overcome the
numerous social challenges they face, how will they ever become good and
responsible leaders of tomorrow?" she said in her opening remarks at the
official opening of the First Ladies Summit 2010, at Seri Perdana, here,
Monday night.

Seri Perdana is the official residence of Malaysian Prime Minister.

The three-day summit themed "A Child Today, A Leader Tomorrow" was launched
by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Also present were Deputy Prime
Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and wife Noorainee Abdul Rahman.

Rosmah, who is also the patron of the summit, said as children were the most
precious assets, it was the First Ladies' collective responsibility as citizens
of the world to develop and nurture them.


"So that they will be capable not just to take on the challenges that are
familiar right now, but also empowered to take on possible complexities of
tomorrow.

"I dread to think of the hefty cost children have to pay as a consequence of
our neglect and carelessness, if we fail to nurture and equip them to survive in
an increasingly complex and challenging world.

"Our responsibility and obligation today must be to ensure that our children
are equipped not only with the knowledge of today, but also with the necessary
basic skills that will make them resilient and ever ready to adapt to future
developments," she said.

Rosmah said as First Ladies, she believed they were strategically placed
to be social advocates for community initiatives in the areas of leadership,
education, empowerment and social development.

She said as individuals having the privilege of prominence, they also had
the opportunity to direct public attention to matters that needed to be attended
to most urgently.


"As spouses of national leaders working together, we have a chance to
advocate for change to take place across the nations represented here, which
may lead to a more comprehensive adaptation of our ideas in other parts of the
world."

Rosmah said the First Ladies must continue advocating the importance of
preparing children early and effectively, and they should not stop until
the goals and objectives had been met.

She said the strong networking among the First Ladies should also be
strengthened and enhanced even when the summit was over, to help pave the way
for closer cooperation and better collaboration in efforts to achieve the
gathering's objectives in building a better future and sustainable development
for children.

-- BERNAMA