GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT PLEDGES TO KEEP WELFARE OF CHILDREN UPPERMOST IN MIND

Press Release
GA/SM/123
HR/4440

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT PLEDGES TO KEEP WELFARE OF CHILDREN UPPERMOST IN MIND

Following is the text of introductory remarks of Theo-Ben Gurirab, President of the General Assembly, at the special event marking the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights on the Child:

It is my pleasure now to introduce this special segment to mark the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, over which I have the honour and the pleasure to preside.

In addressing the General Assembly’s formal commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which we just concluded, I stressed the unique importance of the Convention in inspiring virtually universal recognition of a comprehensive set of standards and values, adopted by the governments of Member States to guide their policies and actions with regard to the welfare of all children under their jurisdiction.

I also referred to the major obstacles that are impeding the implementation of the Convention -– obstacles that include the process of globalization, uneven and volatile economic growth and environmental degradation in developing countries, debt burden, gender discrimination and violence, HIV/AIDS, and armed conflict.

I have made a personal pledge that, for the duration of my Presidency of the General Assembly, I will keep uppermost in my mind the plight and, no less, the protection and welfare of our children at all times.

In this, our common effort, I will always work in concert with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, as well as with various non-governmental organizations throughout the world.

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