A drop in world infant mortality recorded

The World Health Organization has disclosed that the infant mortality in children under five has fallen by 30 per cent since 1990. They say that this is what can be achieved with stronger health systems.

This reduction shows the validity of a better healthcare, the use of mosquito nets to fight malaria, oral rehydration against diarrhoea, more vaccines and sources of clean water and sanitation, a high-ranking WHO official said.

According to WHO Health Statistics and Information Technology Director, Ties Boerma, more action is needed to achieve similar results in other areas, including the mother and newborn child healthcare.These figures are contained in a report titled World Health Statistics , the first drafted by WHO on public health-related tasks, as part of the UN Millennium Development Goals slated to be achieved by 2015.

United Nations,

Prensa Latina

'A Festival of Colours' at the British Council

An art competition and exhibition titled 'A Festival of Colours' will be presented by the British Council for children between 5 and 15 years at the British Council premises. It will be held on June 18 and 19 from 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.The topic for the competition is "People, Places and Events Related to UK or Sri Lanka". Colour pastels and art paper will be provided on competition dates and participants will be given guidance by popular artist Ms. Sybil Wettasinghe.Selected works will also be exhibited on June 20 form 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

For more information contact the Library Help Desk on 4521596.

Compiled by Asha SENEVIRATHNE

The man passed out in a dead faint as he came out of his front door onto the porch.

Someone dialed 911.

When the paramedics arrived, they helped him regain consciousness and asked if he knew what caused him to faint.

"It was enough to make anybody faint," he said. "My son asked me for the keys to the garage, and instead of driving the car out, he came out with the lawn mower."

With four daughters and one son always dashing to school activities and part-time jobs, our schedule was hectic.

To add to this, we kept running out of household supplies.

I instructed them all to let me know when they used the last of any item by writing it down on a note pad on the refrigerator.

As a reminder, I wrote at the top: “IF WE ARE OUT OF IT, WRITE IT DOWN.”

When I checked the pad a few days later, to my delight I found the following message:

“Mom, you may be a bit old-fashioned, but you are not ‘out of it.’ ”

A family of three tomatoes were walking downtown one day when the little baby tomato started lagging behind. The big father tomato walks back to the baby tomato, stomps on her, squashing her into a red paste, and says, “Ketchup!”

Your first job will be to sweep the floor.

But I'm a college student the young man replied.

In that case give me the broom - I'll show you how.

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Teacher: Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York harbour?

Pupil: Because it can't sit down!

What was Camelot?

A place where people parked their camels!

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Who gave the Liberty Bell to Philadelphia?

Must have been a duck family A duck family? Didn't you say there was a quack in it!

Teacher: Where is your homework?

Pupil: I lost it fighting this kid who said you weren't the best teacher in the school.

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Birth and death anniversaries from June 14 - June 20

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June 14

Birth of J.W.R. Ilangakoon, first

Ceylonese Attorney-General in

1885.

Birth of Che Guevera,

(Argentina)

a revolutionary, in 1914.

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June 16

Birth of Prof. Miniwan

P. Tilakeratne in 1932.

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June 18

Death of Maxim Gorky,

Russian writer in 1932.

Birth of Paul McCartny English

musician and member of the pop

group ‘Beatles’, in 1942.

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June 19

Birth of a former Prime Minister

of Sri Lanka Dudley Senanayake

in 1911.

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June 20

Birth of Lional Richie, American

pop singer in 1949.

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Special events which took place in history, from June 14 - June 20

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June 14

Establishment of the first Press Council of Sri Lanka in 1973.

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June 17

Vidyalankara University inaugurated in 1959.

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June 19

Open University of Sri Lanka commenced operations in 1980.

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June 20

Queen Victoria ascended the British throne in 1837.

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World Day Against Child Labour was on June 12:

Cracking down on offenders

by Ananda KANNANGARA

'The ill effects of underage children being employed' was the theme of this year's World Day Against Child Labour which was commemorated by the Women's and Children's unit of the Labour Relations and Manpower Ministry, on June 12.

In addition to the main ceremony in Colombo, the event was held in 56 Labour Department offices islandwide with the participation of people from all walks of life.

The objective of conducting this annual event was to create awareness among parents, employers and elders in the country on the serious consequences they face when deploying underage children as domestic workers and in various other employment sectors.

Labour Relations and Manpower Minister, Athauda Seneviratne, prior to his departure to Geneva to attend the annual International Labour Organisation conference, told the `Junior Observer' that both parents and employers must refrain from giving children for employment, and employing such children in their homes, factories or other work places.

"Curtailing the freedom and the most needed educational activities of children who are under 14 years of age is a serious violation of the law, committed by some parents and employers in our country," he explained.The Minister advised such parents and employers not to do so, taking advantage of children from downtrodden families. He said that the same elders who employ such children give a better education to their own children while destroying the future of poor children.

"This is a crime, as we must treat all children alike," the Minister stressed.

He explained how some elders secretly used children under 14 years as domestics in their homes, paying very low salaries while others made money by using small children in drug trafficking, in the manufacture of firecrackers, the fishing industry and also alcohol manufacturing industry.

Quoting recent statistics, the Minister said "Although there was a slight drop in children being employed in our country, still there are many persons who violate this law."

He also urged all citizens in the country to be vigilant on this matter and help law enforcement officers to crack down on offenders, considering it as a crime of national significance.

Girls are most exposed to child labour

The World Day Against Child Labour was celebrated on June 12. The World Day this year marked the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the landmark ILO Convention No. 182, which addresses the need for action to tackle the worst forms of child labour.

Whilst celebrating progress made during the past ten years, the World Day highlighted the continuing challenges, with the focus on exploitation of girls in child labour.

Around the world, an estimated 100 million girls are involved in child labour. Many of these girls undertake similar types of work as boys, but often also endure additional hardships and face extra risks. Moreover, girls are all too often exposed to some of the worst forms of child labour, often in hidden work situations.

On this day attension was focussed on the following:

n Policy responses to address the causes of child labour, paying particular attention to the situation of girls.

n Urgent action to tackle the worst forms of child labour.

n Greater attention to the education and skills training needs of adolescent girls - a key action point in tackling child labour and providing a pathway for girls to gain decent work as adults.

Many dengue patients are children

Keeping the environment clean is a must, especially now, following the number of deaths due to dengue reaching epidemic proportions, with over 100 deaths reported.

According to the Ministry of Health, about 50 per cent of the confirmed cases in Colombo were children below the age of 12 years. Almost half of them had been affected for the second time.Out of the total number of deaths that had occurred so far, most deaths have been recorded from Colombo, Kegalle and Kandy. The areas that have been identified as high-risk areas are Colombo, Kandy, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Galle and Matara districts.

Stringent action will be taken against those who flout the Mosquito Breeding and Control Act, according to the Ministry.Three warnings will be issued to those who do not keep their environments clean and a fine of Rs. 25,000 will be imposed on them. Being jailed is also not ruled out as the virus is spreading and the number of people affected is on the rise.

Do not keep your garden and surrounding areas unclean. Make sure you get rid of all possible mosquito breeding spots in your home and yard and help control this deadly virus.The Health Care and Nutrition Ministry has introduced a special hotline 0112665329 to inform about mosquito breeding sites in the neighbourhoods. The line which connects you to the Ministry's Chief Public Health Inspector is open from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm on weekdays. You too can call if you know of any such places.Meanwhile, schools have been asked to declare a 'Dengue eradication week' and clean up the environment.

Preventing the world becoming a desert

The World Day to Combat Desertification is observed every year on June 17. This year, the Day's theme is "Conserving land and water - Securing our common future" desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) threaten human security by depriving people of their means of life" by taking away food, access to water, the means for economic activities, and even their homes. In worst-case scenarios, they undermine national and regional security, force people to leave their homes and can trigger low - or high-level intensity conflicts. Cutting down trees and pollution contribute greatly to turning the land, rich in fauna and flora, into deserts in the future. So, as the next generation you too must play a role in ensuring this does not happen.

On this World Day to Combat Desertification, everyone should focus their attention to this problem. The World Day to Combat Desertification has been observed since 1995 to promote public awareness relating to international co-operation, to combat desertification and the effects of drought, and the implementation of the UNCCD.