“African governments need to provide ‘more protective environments’ to keep children safe and free from harm and exploitation,” UNICEF said in a statement marking the 2011 Day of the African Child on Thursday, the U.N. News Centre reports.

The statement called on “governments to strengthen support systems, which provide the basis for a more protective environment in families and communities to keep children safe and strengthen families through the provision of basic social, health and education services,” according to the news service (6/16). According to the statement, “UNICEF is collaborating with governments throughout the continent to create a protective environment by both fostering social welfare programmes and engaging in advocacy efforts to protect children from exploitation and abuse” (6/16).