The WHO was represented at the conference by Dr. Andrew Mbewe. He noted that the WHO recognizes that all children and adolescents should have the means and opportunity to attend to their full potential s which includes the rights to public health. He also gave the following as reasons why human rights are important in the context of public health;

• Human rights violations or lack of attention to human rights can have serious health consequences.
• Realization of human rights reduces vulnerability to ill health.
• Health policies and programmes can promotes ore violate human rights.

He added that the CRC present a channel for advocacy and practical support for child and adolescent health and it present a legal framework for WHO work across the broad spectrum of child and adolescent health and development.

The WHO representative stated that to increase health monitoring through the CRC reporting process, the WHO is developing key indicators on child and adolescent health in the context of the CRC.

Commenting on WHO work in Nigeria he said ‘’ In Nigeria, WHO works with partners to advocate for the rights of the child. Recently WHO was part of the many organizations that attended a national conference on the rights of the child which was held in Ilorin, Kwara in May this year (2010).

In conclusion he said that the department was ready and available to provide any technical assistance to ensure that vulnerable children achieve their full potential.