OUTCOME OF SESSION ON CHILDREN"S SUMMIT SHOULD BE CONCISE, NEGOTIATED INTERGOVERNMENTAL DOCUMENT, PREPARATORY COMMITTEE TOLD

Press Release
HR/4460

OUTCOME OF SESSION ON CHILDREN’S SUMMIT SHOULD BE CONCISE, NEGOTIATED INTERGOVERNMENTAL DOCUMENT, PREPARATORY COMMITTEE TOLD

The outcome of the special session should be a concise, negotiated inter- governmental document, the Preparatory Committee for the 2001 special session of the General Assembly for Follow-up to the World Summit for Children was told this afternoon, as it continued its organizational session.

Speaking on the preparations for the General Assembly session, the representative of Nigeria, speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that one important objective would be not to renegotiate the existing agreements, but to review the achievements of the Summit. The priorities had already been defined –- now, the obstacles to the full implementation of the objectives of the Summit would need to be identified.

The representative of Canada said that the Preparatory Committee should recognize the importance of the participation of all relevant actors, including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), children and youth. That would lead to the development of a future global agenda. To that end, delegations to the May- June Preparatory Committee session should include young people, as well as non- governmental organizations. Children should be viewed as more than passive beneficiaries of development assistance. They should become actors in their own development.

This afternoon, the Preparatory Committee took note of the provisional programme of work for its first substantive session, which is to take place from 30 May to 2 June 2000 and started consideration of its agenda item on NGO participation.

Also speaking at the meeting were the representatives of India, Russian Federation, Pakistan and Mexico. Kul Gautam, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, addressed representatives’ questions.

The Preparatory Committee will continue its work tomorrow, 8 February, at 10 a.m.

Committee Work Programme

As the Preparatory Committee for the special session of the General Assembly in 2001 for Follow-up to the World Summit for Children met this afternoon, it was expected to continue its organizational session, concluding the general debate on the preparation for the special session and starting consideration of participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The organizational session is to end tomorrow, 8 February. [For additional information, see Press Release HR/4458 of 4 February.]

Statements

NGOSI UKAEJE (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said her delegation attached great importance to the work of the Preparatory Committee. The review of the World Summit for Children was crucial, especially at a time when the United Nations was reviewing the outcome of major summits of the 1990s. The World Summit for Children should not be overlooked. She requested time to conduct consultations within the Group of 77 on the agenda of the organizational session and proposals for the special session.

The meeting was then suspended until 4:30 p.m.

When the meeting resumed, LANDON PEARSON (Canada) said that last fall the General Assembly had recognized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) implementing the World Summit Plan of Action and had stressed the need for their active involvement in the preparatory process, including the preparatory committee and at the special session. Canada fully supported this approach, which would recognize the participation of all relevant actors -– UNICEF and other United Nations agencies, children and youth. The participation of those groups, along with the contributions of NGOs, would lead to the development of a future global agenda for the next decade and beyond.

She also said that the Committee’s working methods should be innovative in order to ensure that the voices closest to the issues would be heard. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognized the right of young people to participate in decision-making that affected them and required States to ensure that their opinions were given “due weight”.

The meaningful involvement of children and adolescents at the national and international levels was essential to ensuring the credibility and success of special session preparation, she said. To that end, she recommended that delegations to the May Preparatory Committee session include young people as well as NGOs. This would show that children were viewed as more than victims and passive beneficiaries of development assistance. They should be heard as actors in their own development and bearers of internationally recognized human rights.

One of Canada’s major objectives for the special session was to place special emphasis on children who were particularly vulnerable and in need of protection: children affected by violence; exploited child labourers; HIV/AIDS affected children, and children who were sexually exploited or trafficked in were all of particular concern.

As to the outcome of the special session, she said that Canada favoured a short focused political declaration followed by a set of clear and measurable goals. It was vital, however, that all key actors influence this outcome. In that regard, she welcomed UNICEF’s proposal for holding a “side event” that would link civil society to the special session.

While the world community had come to a consensus about the language with which the situation of children could be described in universal terms, this commitment had not been translated into reality. Nor had it been able to create within governments and populations a culture of respect crucial to making sustainable improvements in child and adolescent well being. It would therefore be important for the preparatory process and the special session itself to build on what had actually been accomplished and to restate goals that were still meaningful, she said. It would also be important to establish new goals to reflect emerging issues and the changing circumstances of the last decade.

Another essential component of the preparatory process was the importance of national and regional action feeding into the special session, she said. Canada was committed to playing an active role in this regard. She urged that conferences and meetings outside the Preparatory Committee be used to develop ideas and recommendations that could be fed back into the Committee for approval and inclusion on the global agenda. To that end, Canada was sponsoring two conferences on war-affected children: the first would be held in Accra, Ghana, in April and the second in Winnipeg, Canada, in September.

Ms. UKAEJE (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said that in informal consultations, the Group had agreed with regard to the form and scope of the special session. One important objective would be to review the achievements of the Summit and not to renegotiate the already-reached agreements. The priorities had already been defined -– now the obstacles to the full implementation of the objectives of the Summit would need to be identified. Further actions and initiatives would also need to be considered. The outcome of the special session should be a negotiated intergovernmental document, which should be very concise and to the point.

ATUL KHARE (India) associated himself with the previous statement on behalf of the Group of 77. He said that the special session would not only review, but also result in the renewal of the commitment to its goals. Future actions needed to include those areas where progress had not been sufficient. Emphasis should be placed on the new strategies.

The Preparatory Committee had not yet achieved an agreement on the paragraph of the document on proposals for the preparatory process regarding “ a review of the achievement of the goals of the World Summit for Children”, he continued. He believed that it was necessary to be very careful when considering exact wording of that paragraph, to avoid creating an impression that agreements themselves should be reconsidered. It was the achievements that should be reviewed.

Emerging issues should be included in the broader context, with obstacles clearly identified, he said. More than 40,000 children died daily of largely preventable causes. Many millions of families in the poorest slums of the world could not put enough food on the table and keep their children at school. “What will we do to address this broader picture, without which palliative efforts of the community to address the special situations, undertaken in the glare of world media in limited circumstances, may enthuse post-dinner conversations and be a soothing balm for out distressed souls, but will hardly contribute to a solution of the wider emergency?” he asked.

India’s progress towards achievement of the World Summit goals had been positive, he said. His country recognized the importance of decentralization and convergence. The process of preparation of State plans of action had permitted the mobilization of resources at the local level. Special attention was being paid to girl children. The national family health survey along with other surveys would provide information to be reported to the special session. Several other initiatives were being undertaken.

Turning to the organizational matters of the special session, he said that the constraints blocking achievement of the goals needed further analysis at all levels. He believed that the special session should be held within the period of three days, and that panel discussions could also be organized. It should be governed by the rules of the General Assembly and accepted traditions in that regard. It should lead to the adoption of an action–oriented inter-governmentally negotiated document, which should be concise and precise.

EVGENI STANISLAVOV (Russian Federation) said that his country was an active party to the Summit and attached the greatest importance to the course of the review of the implementation of its outcome. The work of the Preparatory Committee would to a large degree determine the content of the session itself. It would be useful for the Committee to discuss the agenda for the substantive session in May- June. The Secretariat should submit the general framework of such an agenda during the organizational session. Recommendations on the structure of the national reports should also be considered.

It was important to render assistance to governments in preparation for the special session, he continued. The active participation of civil society should be encouraged, and that question should be considered in the Preparatory Committee. The modalities of NGOs should be similar to those of other United Nations bodies. Decisions regarding future substantive sessions of the Preparatory Committee should be made during its first substantive session. The time table and modalities of the special session should also be addressed. In conclusion, he asked if there were plans to hold the sessions of the Preparatory Committee in conjunction with those of the Executive Board of UNICEF. He also asked for information regarding the preparatory measures for the past special sessions to review the implementation of other world conferences.

NAVID HANIF (Pakistan) said that while comments from children, adolescents and NGOs would greatly contribute to the preparatory process, the substance of the special session should not be sacrificed. Their participation should also be within the framework of the rules and practices of the United Nations. A special session should be a three-day session in plenary format with a list of speakers -- so perhaps an NGOs session could be held separately. He also urged that any NGOs session should not be held during the meetings of the Preparatory Committee. While his delegation had always felt that the contribution of NGOs was important, perhaps consultations could be held in “side negotiations”, before or after regularly scheduled meetings of the Preparatory Committee.

On the issue of the scope of the current Preparatory Committee meetings, he noted that some had suggested a totally separate or new forum. While this was a good idea, it should not overlap with the current agenda. “There should be no new global agenda”, he said. “We already have one that hasn’t been fully realized.”

He said that there was no need for the Committee to revise its priorities since it had yet to meet goals set out 10 years ago. There were still millions of children living in poverty, so it was important to organize and make decisions that would guide the Committee through its preparations until 2001.

KUL GAUTAM, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, speaking on behalf of the Secretariat, addressed two organizational questions posed by the Russian Federation. As to the first question, whether there were plans for future preparatory committees, he said that would be up to the members of the Committee. He said, however, that it would be helpful for the Secretariat to know just what the agenda of any proposed preparatory committee meeting would be: would there be a succinct declaration of intent? Whatever the decision, the Secretariat was willing to collaborate with the Committee for as many preparatory sessions as it felt were necessary.

The Russian Federation also wondered whether preparatory committee meetings would always correspond with UNICEF Board meetings. He reiterated UNICEF's flexibility on scheduling as many meetings as the Committee felt were necessary, but said that it would be convenient if those meetings could be scheduled during UNICEF Board sessions in January-February, May-June or September.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee, said that UNICEF would conduct consultations in February to renew the dialogue with civil society on current issues pertaining to children and to ensure broad participation and commitment to future actions for children. Based on the suggestions made today, the Bureau would be preparing draft decisions on several items, including the participation of NGOs and organizational expert groups.

Turning to the agenda item on the participation of NGOs, she said that their active involvement in the work of the Preparatory Committee should be stressed.

MANUEL TELLO (Mexico) said that participation of civil society, both within the Preparatory Committee and at the special session, should be encouraged. He asked the Secretariat for a list of NGOs which had consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and which dealt with issues relating to children. Such a list would be useful for future work.

The CHAIRPERSON said that many delegations had addressed the subject of NGOs participation in their general statements. Those positions would be taken into consideration when preparing the draft decision. Arrangements for future sessions of the Preparatory Committee would also have to be addressed, as well as the content of the first substantive session of the Preparatory Committee in May-June.

ROSA BATOREU (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, said that the participation of NGOs had already been addressed in the general statement by her delegation. The documents before the Committee stressed the need for active NGOs involvement in the work of the special session and the Preparatory Committee. The Union would like to advocate the accreditation of NGOs. A number of measures had been identified at previous conferences and meetings, which could be utilized in the work of the Preparatory Committee in respect of NGOs accreditation. Children’s interests should be kept in mind.

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