IN CONJUNCTION with World Children’s Day, Nurul Izzah Anwar urged Malaysians and policymakers to strengthen commitments to children’s rights, stressing that health, education, protection, and participation are fundamental entitlements.
The patron of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) highlighted the message in a speech themed “My Day, My Rights”, calling it a reminder of the country’s responsibility to its youngest generation.
Nurul Izzah who recently received the Kinabalu Declaration on Safeguarding Children Through Ethical and Inclusive Action from the MPA during its 46th Annual Congress in Penang on October 9 said the declaration reflects the reality that many children — particularly those on society’s margins — still face barriers that limit their future.
“I urged the government to advance equity for all children in Malaysia, regardless of nationality, including tackling childhood statelessness and fully upholding the Zero Reject Policy in access to education and healthcare,” said the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Drawing from her work with vulnerable communities, she noted that trauma and intergenerational poverty often reinforce one another, emphasising that psychosocial wellbeing should be treated as a basic right.
Izzah also called for accessible psychosocial services in schools and communities, alongside trauma-informed training for teachers, healthcare staff, and community leaders.
“I urge the prioritisation of accessible psychosocial health services, particularly within our schools and communities, and the training of our frontliners in compassionate trauma-informed care.
“This means equipping our educators, health workers, and society leaders to recognise the deep, often invisible wounds of childhood. We must empower families, particularly single-mother households, with the support they need to break cycles of deprivation,” she said.
Marking the day, she urged adults across all sectors to renew their pledge to protect and uplift children, saying Malaysia’s future relies on ensuring every child grows up with their rights safeguarded and their potential recognised.
“On this World Children’s Day, let us, the adults, reaffirm our personal and professional pledge. Let the spirit of reform and inclusion drive us to create a compassionate country where every single child is seen, heard, and protected,” the former MP added. – November 20, 2025
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