ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Press Release
HR/4246

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

GENEVA, 24 November (UN Information Service) -- Any issue involving children was highly humanitarian and needed to be promoted in order to achieve the goals set forth by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was told this morning.

The Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Akila Belembaogo, said coordination with other treaty bodies was essential to enhance efforts by avoiding duplication of work. Meetings and exchange of views among the treaty bodies were important for the sharing of experiences regarding the rights of the child.

The rights of the child was at the centre of all human rights questions, she continued. The conditions of the family, the education system and even conflicts affected their rights. She particularly commended the contribution of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to the protection of the rights of children worldwide, as well as of organizations and persons for the amelioration of the general conditions of children.

Committee members also said that the child was the central concern when the economic, social and cultural rights of any society were examined. Identification of a country's socio-economic indicators would increase the opportunity of finding appropriate measures in the protection of the rights of the child. The need for cooperation in monitoring the implementation of the various human rights agreements was emphasized.

Also this morning, the Committee adopted its general comment on the economic, social and cultural rights of older persons submitted by Maria de los Angeles Jiménez Butragueno, Committee expert from Spain. According to the general comment, the world population was ageing at a steady, quite spectacular rate. The total number of persons aged 60 and above rose from 200 million in 1950 to 400 million in 1982. It was projected to reach 600 million in the year 2001 and 1.2 billion by the year 2025. The document urged States parties to take appropriate measures to fulfil the economic, social and cultural needs of older persons.

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