CHILDREN’S PREPARATORY COMMITTEE BEGINS FINAL SESSION, HEARS CALL BY DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR PRIORITY ATTENTION TO CHILDREN’S NEEDS, RIGHTS

Preparatory Committee for the 2001

Special Session of the General Assembly

 on the Children’s World Summit

1^st Meeting (AM)

CHILDREN’S PREPARATORY COMMITTEE BEGINS FINAL SESSION, HEARS CALL BY DEPUTY

SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR PRIORITY ATTENTION TO CHILDREN’S NEEDS, RIGHTS

The international community must recommit itself to make the needs and rights of children a priority in all development efforts, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette told the Preparatory Committee for the special session of the General Assembly for follow-up to the 1990 World Summit for Children, as it began its third and final substantive session this morning.  The special session will take place in New York from 19 to 21 September.

Introducing the report of the Secretary-General entitled "We the Children", she said that the special session must aim at regenerating political will and commitment in order to address the remaining challenges and emerging issues affecting the well-being of children.  Improving the well-being of children also meant a significant leap in human development as a whole, as it was they who would shape the world's future, and it was through them that entrenched cycles of poverty, exclusion, intolerance and discrimination could be broken for succeeding generations.

As the report rightly stressed, she said, compared to what was spent on armaments and luxury consumer items, the resources needed to provide for the basic needs of children were modest and affordable.  What was required was a decisive shift in national investments to favour the well-being of children.

The goal before the special session, stated Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), was no less than to reshape the world, making sure that all children could grow up in peace, dignity and health.  The progress achieved since the Summit had been literally unimaginable half a century ago.  It would not have been possible without participation of players at all levels, including governments, civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  The future of the international efforts was in the hands of the Committee, which was drafting a bold future programme of action. 

In her opening remarks, Committee Chairperson Patricia Durrant (Jamaica) said that new challenges and the “unfinished business” of the World Summit warranted a new commitment from the world leaders.  Among the challenges were trafficking of children for sexual exploitation; their deliberate targeting and recruitment for the purposes of armed conflict; and deaths from preventable

diseases and malnutrition.  Countries had a collective obligation to finalize the outcome document in advance of the special session, so that the event could become a true celebration of the goals before it. 

During the discussion of the Secretary-General's report, Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco reiterated her conviction that children had the right to live their childhood with dignity and without discrimination.  The world was obliged to face the tragic situations in which they lived as a result of embargoes and armed conflicts, such as those facing the Palestinian and Iraqi children.  Such situations constituted a continuous threat to children’s fundamental right to live.  What was important was not the nature of the world to be left to children, but rather the children that would be left to this world.

The concerns of African children, stated the Personal Representative of the Head of State of Egypt, should be at the centre of deliberations at the upcoming special session.  The world could not afford to neglect Africa's children.  The international community should come to acknowledge that improving the conditions of African children would contribute to overall development.  The Forum was confident that the necessary resources could be found.  What was needed was a compact between the international community and African countries.  As the Secretary-General's report stated, Africa's children were the most needy, and as such, they required special attention. 

Also this morning, the Committee adopted its agenda and programme of work. 

Statements were also made by the representatives of the Minister of Social Welfare and Women's Development of Pakistan, the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Sweden (on behalf of the European Union), the Personal Representative of the Head of State of Liechtenstein, the Joint Secretary in the Department of Women and Child Development of India, Minister of Social Affairs for the Promotion of Women and Children of Guinea, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family of Mali, Personal Representative of the President of the Philippines, Director-General for Children of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Spain, Director of the Social Division of the Ministry of Planning of Chile and Personal Representative of the Head of Government of Canada.

In addition, the representatives of Chile (on behalf of the Rio Group), Syria, Norway, Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina addressed the Committee.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its general discussion.

Background

The Preparatory Committee for the special session of the General Assembly for follow-up to the 1990 World Summit for Children met this morning to begin its third and final substantive session.

By resolution 54/93 of 7 December 1999, the Assembly decided to convene the special session and established the Preparatory Committee.  The Committee's first substantive session was held from 30 May to 2 June 2000 and was preceded by a two-day organizational session in February 2000, while its second substantive session was held from 29 January to 2 February 2001.

The main objective of the special session, to be held from 19 to

21 September, is to review the implementation of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and the Plan of Action, which were adopted by the World Summit at Headquarters in September 1990.  The session will also provide an opportunity for world leaders to renew commitments and consider future action for children.

The Committee had before it the report of the Secretary-General entitled, "We the Children:  End-decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit for Children" (document A/S-27/3), which contains information from 135 countries based on national reviews.  The specific goals of the World Summit were to protect children, cut mortality rates among children and mothers, improve access to health care and education, reduce malnutrition and provide better water and sanitation.

One major goal during the past decade, according to the report, was the reduction of the mortality rate among children under five.  Some 63 countries had achieved the Summit goal of reducing under-five mortality by one third, and over 100 countries had reduced rates by one fifth, thus saving as many as 1 million young lives.

Also, at present over 100 million children are immunized annually, saving

3 million lives every year, states the report.  Routine immunization remained high in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa.  In addition, the goal of reducing severe and moderate malnutrition by half among children under five had been achieved by Latin America and the Caribbean.  In education, millions more children worldwide were in school as net enrolment had increased. 

The report also noted that children were now much higher on the political agenda than they had been 10 years ago.  Children's issues now figured much more prominently in political and legal debates in many countries.  At the United Nations, the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and the Security Council had taken up children's issues, particularly in the areas of armed conflict and HIV/AIDS. 

While noting significant achievements, the report's message was that, in

the past decade, the world had not met its own standards for children.  More than 10 million children still died each year from preventable causes, and 100 million children -- 60 per cent of them girls -- were still not in school.  Also, the resources promised at the Summit had yet to materialize, and there had not been adequate investment in social services.

The report identified three key challenges that must be overcome if the world was to make good on its promises to children.  They were poverty, armed conflict and HIV/AIDS, all of which were compounded by continuing discrimination against women and girls.  There had been more conflicts over the last decade than at any time since the last world war, with women and children the primary victims.  In addition, there were now 13 million children who had lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS, and every minute six people under the age of 25 became infected.

In the midst of such daunting challenges, the report states that progress for children would require a serious commitment by political leaders, policy makers, programme designers and service providers to let their actions be guided by the best interests of children.  "A just and peaceful world is a world fit for children."

Four key areas of focus are proposed for the new decade:  promoting healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting children from abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS and the risks it poses to children, their well-being and rights.  Those areas represent the most urgent and strategically important priorities in addressing the needs of children, states the report.

It is now clear to the international community, states the report, that any successful poverty reduction strategy must begin with the rights and well-being of children.  A society whose children are malnourished, abused, under-educated or exploited cannot truly claim to be progressing or to be developed, however impressive its economic growth or per capita income levels might be.

The Committee's report on its second substantive session is contained in document A/S-27/2 and the provisional agenda for its third substantive session is outlined in document A/AC.256/15.

Statements

In her opening statement, the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee,

M. PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), said that she was glad to see a large number of representatives present at the final preparatory session, and welcomed personal representatives of heads of State or government.  The work over many months had been vital in harvesting the support of individual governments and various regions, and now attendance of many heads of State and Government to the special session had been confirmed.  She was also pleased to see so many children and young people as part of government and non-governmental delegations.  Their participation was crucial to the success of the special session, and it was important to allow them to make a meaningful contribution to the work before the Preparatory Committee.  Also, an unprecedented number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had been involved in the preparatory process.

Turning to the deliberations for the coming week, she said that many countries had enjoyed considerable progress over the last decade, with growing enrolment of children in school; successful immunization campaigns; polio on the verge of eradication; millions of children no longer at risk for iodine deficiency; and countries enacting and enforcing laws on protecting the rights of children.  However, new challenges and the “unfinished business” of the World Summit warranted a new commitment from the world leaders.  Among the challenges were trafficking of children for sexual exploitation; their deliberate targeting and recruitment for the purposes of armed conflict; and deaths from preventable diseases and malnutrition.

She went on to say that this week the Preparatory Committee had two basic tasks:  the finalization of organizational arrangements for the special session, and the conclusion of the draft outcome document “A World Fit for Children”.  The delegates would also consider the report of the Secretary-General, “We the Children”.  Countries had a collective obligation to finalize the outcome document in advance of the special session, so that the event could become a true celebration of the goals before it.

Deputy Secretary-General LOUISE FRÉCHETTE, introducing the report of the Secretary-General entitled "We the Children", said that the time had come to examine to what extent the international community had lived up to the commitments made at the 1990 World Summit for Children.  It was also time to identify measures to achieve the specific and time-bound objectives that world leaders had set at the Millennium Summit last September to meet the needs and rights of all children, including the most vulnerable.

An extensive review process had taken place at national and regional levels to assess progress and setbacks, the result of which was the Secretary-General's report, she said.  The picture that emerged was one of mixed results.  There had been real and significant progress in a number of areas.  However, there had also been setbacks, and, in some cases, the setbacks had been serious enough to threaten earlier gains. 

The special session, she said, must aim at regenerating political will and commitment to address the remaining challenges and emerging issues affecting the well-being of children.  "We must recommit ourselves to make the needs and rights of children a priority in all development efforts.  We must ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life; that every child receives a quality basic education; and that adolescents have every opportunity to develop their capacities and participate meaningfully in society."

As the report rightly stressed, she said, compared to what was spent on armaments and luxury consumer items, the resources needed to provide for the basic needs of children were modest and affordable.  What was required was a decisive shift in national investments to favour the well-being of children.  Leaders at every level of government and civil society must exert the political will necessary to bring about that shift.  The special session was the time when they must show that they were doing so. 

She went on to say that four priorities were being proposed for the new decade:  promoting healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting children from abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS and the risks it posed to children.  Those were indeed the most urgent priorities in addressing the needs of children.  Improving the well-being of children also meant a significant leap in human development as a whole.  It was children who would shape the world's future, and it was through them that entrenched cycles of poverty, exclusion, intolerance and discrimination could be broken for succeeding generations.

The Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), CAROL BELAMY, said that the Secretary-General’s report was filled with important information, and it deserved the serious attention of those present.  The interest in the Preparatory Committee testified to the importance of its work and the seriousness that governments attached to the upcoming special session.  The goal before the special session was no less than to reshape the world, making sure that all children could grow up in peace, dignity and health.

She went on to say that the 1991 World Summit for Children had agreed on feasible objectives, trying to put the best interests of children first and to work in the framework of international cooperation, within available resources.  The well-being of children required political action at the highest level, and many countries had taken such action, the results of which were documented in the Secretary-General’s report.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child now enjoyed an unprecedented level of support, and many measures had been taken at the global and national level.  There were changes in national laws and policies the world over, including the optional protocols on children in armed conflict and trafficking in children, the ban on landmines, and the approval of the statute of the International Criminal Court, which would address many issues of relevance to children. 

Such progress had been literally unimaginable half a century ago, she continued.  It would not have been possible without participation of players at all levels, including governments, civil society and NGOs.  The World Summit for Children was now the most followed up and monitored instrument.  The future of international efforts was in the hands of those present, who could draft a bold programme of action for the future.  Much was at stake this week, and she hoped the work of the Preparatory Committee would result in a consensus.

She said that the September session could become an important event, but the real work would not be completed there, but rather in the years and decades to come.  For that reason, the vision of the Preparatory Committee would be essential.  Recent regional meetings in Berlin, Cairo, Beijing, Kathmandu and Kingston had demonstrated the importance attached to the cause of children in various parts of the world.  Half a billion children had also spoken through recent youth polls.  The UNCIEF had started a “Say Yes to Children” campaign, and she hoped that many would pledge their support for its principles in support of the children’s causes.  Now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the world dared not let the opportunity presented by the special session slip by.

Princess LALLA MERYEM, Personal Representative of the King of Morocco, expressed her appreciation of the efforts invested in the mission before the Preparatory Committee:  to evaluate the international efforts made in relation to the causes of the child since the 1991 Summit and examine the recommendations and proposals to be submitted to the forthcoming special session of the General Assembly.  The session should become a turning point in the struggle for the fulfilment of all the rights and better future for the children around the world.

The Secretary-General’s report highlighted the crucial importance of the economic issues, she continued, which needed to be addressed in order to improve the conditions of the children.  That was particularly true in the developing world, where children were among the first social categories to suffer from poverty, debt and low incomes.  Touching upon the problems confronting the children in poor countries, the report also underlined the conclusions and recommendations reached during recent meetings held in Morocco.  Among the issues raised during the discussions there were children in armed conflict; economic embargo; degradation of health; unfavourable economic conditions; bad treatment and exploitation of the child.

The King of Morocco had undertaken an initiative to establish a strategy with the participation of all actors of civil society, the government sector and children, as well as the actors in the field of human rights, to implement substantial programmes at the national, regional and continental levels.  In addition to numerous national gatherings, Morocco had hosted a meeting of the Arab Forum of civil society and NGOs on the child, attended by more than 200 experts.  That meeting had made recommendations responding to different problems related to children in the region.

She said that Morocco had also hosted the summit of African First ladies, devoted to the girl child in Africa.  In coordination with UNICEF, Morocco had also organized an Arab-African ministerial conference on finance in favour of children.  The event was attended by economic experts, international financial organizations and civil society actors.  Those meetings had revealed the crucial importance of national institutions in evaluating national policies concerning children and following up on them.

In conclusion, she reiterated her conviction that the children had the right to live their childhood with dignity and without discrimination.  The world was obliged to face the tragic situations in which they lived as a result of embargoes and armed conflicts, such as those facing Palestinian and Iraqi children.  Such situations constituted a continuous threat to children’s fundamental right to live.  Global action was needed to demonstrate the international community’s commitment to children.  It was necessary to consider the world’s responsibilities in improving the conditions of the children and ensuring their rights.  What was of importance was not the nature of the world to be left to children, but rather the children that would be left to this world.

MOSHIRA KHATTAB, Personal Representative of the Head of State of Egypt,  said that, from the Secretary-General's report, it appeared that there were contradictions between progress achieved in some countries and the factors hampering progress in others.  She outlined some of the conclusions of the Pan-African Forum on the Future of Children, which was held in Cairo and organized in cooperation with UNICEF and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).  African leaders proved to be transparent, objective and self-critical in their evaluations of the situation of children in Africa.  The Conference's outcome document strongly stated that the special needs of the African child had yet to be adequately reflected in international deliberations and plans of action.  The concerns of children and youth in Africa should be at the centre of deliberations at the upcoming special session.

The document, she continued, also set the basis for future action in the African countries.  It called for African governments to transform their commitments to the rights of the child from promises into reality.  Also, it stressed the importance of the family as the basic unit of society.  On the key role of education, the Forum stressed that education was not only about the transmission of knowledge but also about the social and spiritual development of children.  The epidemic of HIV/AIDS had also featured prominently in discussions at the Forum.

The world could not afford to neglect Africa's children, she added.  The international community should come to acknowledge that improving the conditions of African children would contribute to overall development.  The Forum was confident that the necessary resources could be found.  What was needed was a compact between the international community and African countries.  As the Secretary-General's report stated, Africa's children were the most needy, and as such, they required special attention.

ATTIYA INAYATULLAH, Minister for Women's Development, Social Welfare and Special Education of Pakistan, agreed with the Secretary-General's report that progress for children had been significant but not enough.  Pakistan, for its part, had followed up on the World Summit by preparing a National Plan of Action of its own.  The Plan was subsequently embedded in the Social Action Programme, which had remained the thrust of national planning over the last decade.  Pakistan was convinced that the future would judge nations by the well-being of their children and women.

The forthcoming special session, she said, would provide the broadest possible forum for discussion on child concerns, which would, in turn, ensure a continued focus on children's issues.  In preparing for the session, her country would specifically like to see the issues of children in armed conflict, the girl child and chronic poverty addressed.  Children had been forced into wars, denied their rights and put in direct danger of death.  It was estimated that 1.5 million children were killed in armed conflicts in the last decade alone, while more than 20 million children had been displaced. 

She urged the donor community to meet all their commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, implement measures for debt relief, assess and monitor the impact of sanctions on children and ensure humanitarian exemptions that were child-focused to address the possible adverse effects of the sanctions.  She also urged UNICEF and development partners to reaffirm the need for structural adjustment with a human face, and trade and tariff arrangements for preferential access to the markets in developed countries.

THOMAS HAMMARBERG, Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Sweden, on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said that the meeting in Berlin, which had taken place in May, had highlighted the concerns of his region.  The Secretary-General’s report provided a key analysis of the issues concerning the rights of the child, and he welcomed the efforts to define actions for the future.  National reports would allow the special session to make a true assessment of the progress made.

The leaders in 1990 had made clear the relevance of the rights-based approach to the children’s issues, he continued, which were best reflected in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  It set universal legal standards against abuse, neglect and mistreatment of children.  The Convention was now ratified by almost all countries of the world, and two optional protocols had been agreed upon.  The message of the rights of the child had been incorporated into many international documents, and national action had been taken in various parts of the world, defining a more child-friendly attitude worldwide.

The outcome of the 1990 event had allowed for multifaceted and various actions in the interests of the child, he said, and the special session should be prepared to serve the same purpose, drawing from agreements reached in the last decade, and the results of many recent international events.  The emergency of civil society as an important actor had also contributed to the spread of an essential idea of partnership for children.  However, the goals had not been fully realized, and such a situation called for reflection and response.

He went on to say that tensions and conflicts had seriously undermined international efforts, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic posed a serious threat.  Too little had also been invested in the implementation of decisions as a result of an economic downturn in several regions.  A clear lesson was that the political will mattered, and the Secretary-General had stated that the world had fallen short not because the goals were too ambitious, but because insufficient investments had been made.  That pointed to an overriding challenge to bridge the gap between commitment and action. 

Every State needed to commit maximum resources and invest in children, giving priority to basic social services, he said.  New resources also needed to be mobilized.  The Convention stressed the need for international cooperation, improved conditions and debt relief for the developing countries.  The donor countries needed to review the level of their contributions and priorities.  The recent Brussels Conference on Least Developed Countries had led to important recommendations in that regard.  The problems would be further discussed in other international forums, including the forthcoming International Conference on Financing for Development.  Concerted follow-up to all agreed goals was of utmost importance, and that was when the political will of governments would be tested.  That was also when the international agencies should be ready for a constructive dialogue.

Crown Prince ALOIS VON UND ZU LIECHTENSTEIN, Personal Representative of the Head of State of Liechtenstein, highlighted some points he believed were essential to ensure a better world for children in the long term.  Besides the basic human rights, specific rights for children were necessary.  Therefore, he supported a rights-based approach to the special session.  Children should, thus, have the possibility to express themselves and to participate in decisions that affected them as early as possible.  That approach, far from conflicting with the rights and responsibilities of parents, was much rather complementary to them. 

Families remained the basic unit of societies in a globalized and post-industrialized world, he said.  The role of parents and families as the primary caretakers of children must be recognized, their capacities in offering guidance and protection strengthened.  It was essential for the special session to address the concerns of children from the earliest stages of life.  Free and quality education must be ensured for every child.  That was, in the long term, the best way to help promote healthy lives and to eradicate poverty.

As children were usually the ones who suffered most in armed conflicts, it was of critical importance that the United Nations did its utmost to prevent such conflicts, he added.  It would be helpful if the Organization could develop innovative approaches to the right of self-determination, as well as early warning and quick response mechanisms for related problems in an internationally agreed way, before those problems developed into crises and armed conflicts.

J. GABRIEL VALDES (Chile), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela), said that in order to fulfil its commitments undertaken at the World Summit, members of the Rio Group had taken as its basis and main framework for activities the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  In implementing the Convention, they had become more aware of the increasing importance of the protection of the human rights of children for the maintenance of democracy in the region.  Within that framework, they had elaborated national plans of action in favour of children and undertaken regional commitments, such as the Lima Accord of 27 November 1998. 

Highlighting progress made, he said that the region's infant mortality rate was the lowest in the developing world, and it was close to achieving the goal of universal primary education.  Despite its many successes, a series of rapid changes had taken place in the countries of the region during the past decade, which had affected the evolution of social progress and whose impact, where negative, had had even more severe consequences on the most vulnerable groups, such as children and adolescents.  Nearly half a million children under the age of five in the region died each year from diseases, many of which were preventable.  The rate of HIV/AIDS infection was rising, and children and adolescents were at particular risk due to lack of sex education and the fact that more than half of the infant population lived in conditions of poverty.

The apparent progress concealed serious problems that still affected the region, where poverty, the unequal distribution of income, social exclusion and domestic violence were the principal reasons why children and adolescents entered prematurely into the labour market, remained in the streets and were victims of economic and sexual exploitation.  Poverty had had a host of serious repercussions and constituted a real obstacle to satisfying the needs of children and adolescents.  At the same time, every effort should be made to ensure that the rights of children were exercised even under the most adverse conditions.  In order to develop and implement comprehensive policies and programmes to address the inter-generational cycles of poverty and to satisfy the needs of children, resources were needed, particularly in his region. 

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said that in its statement to the second session of the Preparatory Committee, his delegation had drawn attention to the fact that foreign occupation prevented the children in his country from enjoying their basic rights and freedoms under international and national instruments, including the rights to life, education and health.  He emphasized the need to stress that question in the relevant paragraphs of the draft outcome document.

He said the report of the Secretary-General referred to very important questions, but he deeply regretted that the sections on the protection of children and children in armed conflict did not refer to the question of children under foreign occupation.  There was no mention of what was happening in the occupied territories of Syrian Golan, southern Lebanon and Palestine.  That represented a great gap in the protection of children, and it was very important to rectify such a dangerous situation.  It was not possible to fully address the rights of children without putting an end to the Israeli occupation of those territories.  The children of today were the men and women of tomorrow, and he hoped that the special session would prove to be a landmark in reviewing the work done and establishing future actions in the interests of children.

V.S. RAO, Joint Secretary of the Department of Women and Child Development of India, said that the fresh and novel approach of the Secretary-General’s report, as well as its optimism, provided a good basis for future work.  There was no doubt that one of the most significant outcomes of the World Summit was putting children’s issues higher on the international agenda.  It was important to foster alliances at both the national and international levels, particularly with the Bretton Woods institutions.  Long-term investment would ensure progress in the future, especially in health and nutrition.  It was no exaggeration to say that the children were the source of development, and that economists must accord proper priority to their needs.  Studies abounded in almost all developing countries, which proved the value of accelerated investment in women and children.  Such a study in India showed that $1 invested in children saved $27 in future health and work-related expenses.  Ill health, malnutrition and illiteracy contributed to the problem of poverty, and she was gratified that it had been reflected in the report.

She added that India was committed to bringing about changes in favour of children, and there was already some progress in the indicators regarding women and children, particularly girls.  To some extent, the globalization had increased child trafficking and exploitation, and all nations needed to resolve to make a dent in that extreme form of child abuse.  The report also reminded the delegates of the need to contain the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  The issue of mother-to-child transmission needed further research, and codification of related instruments was needed.

She also addressed the need in developing countries to ease the hard lives of the rural population, especially women, and said that the grass-roots participation in the implementation of the outcome of international efforts for children needed to be emphasized.  The Declaration of 1990 had heralded a time of deepened commitment to children’s needs.  The right of children to participate and be heard had been established.  However, she cautioned against making children instruments in the hands of others.  It was also important to remember that childhood and adolescence prepared children for adulthood, and the responsibilities of the international community were formidable. 

She agreed with the priority areas drawn up by the report, adding that it was important to bring hope, joy and light to the children all over the world.

TORILD SKARD (Norway) said that it was clear that children's rights were best promoted within a broader framework of human rights, particularly where the rights of women, their status and well-being were emphasized and promoted.  In most societies, girl children needed special attention and support.  A gender perspective must, therefore, penetrate the approaches and measures to be adopted by the special session. 

During the last decade, she said, much more could have been achieved if developing countries had given higher priority to basic social services and donors had provided more support.  The international community must take more serious action to improve the economic conditions of poor countries, as poor countries themselves must improve their policies and use of resources.  Without a broad-based attack on poverty, many children would never experience the rights the Convention gave them.  The largest and most basic challenge in the coming decades was to obtain a serious shift in resource allocations, not only between but also within countries, in order to end poverty that affected children.

LENE RICHART, Norway's Youth Delegate, said that the rights of disabled children were often violated.  She was disabled and wanted to make delegations aware of some of the challenges the world was facing.  Societies often considered the disabled as a burden.  Like other people, they were also a resource, and could make positive contributions if given the chance.  People must acquire knowledge and a positive attitude to the disabled.  Society must support them and give priority to their rights.  The disabled had the same human value and dignity as others.  "Respect us for what we are!  No child has ever asked to live a life with a disability."

MARIAMA ARIBOT BRUCE, Minister for Social Affairs and the Promotion of Women and Children of Guinea, said the Secretary-General had taken into account the contributions of various actors in the elaboration of his report.  She appreciated the special mention made of African children in the report, which noted that important progress had been made on the continent even though it had been insufficient.  The drop in official development assistance (ODA), armed conflict, the debt burden and the HIV/AIDS epidemic were some of the issues affecting the well-being of children in Africa.

Guinea, she said, had been implementing a national plan of action in line with principles agreed at the World Summit for Children since 1992 and had submitted its national report on follow-up to the Summit.  In recognition of the primary responsibility of States to implement the Summit’s international commitments, Guinea had, despite all negative conditions, recorded average economic growth, which had made it possible to increase budgetary allocations for the social sector.  That showed the commitment of her Government to implement the 20/20 Initiative adopted at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995.

While recognizing that the development of the continent depended on its people, leaders and governments, the international community also had a responsibility to support Africa's development efforts and remove all obstacles to its development.  The destinies of children would only be achieved with the existence of peace.

HANNS SCHUMACHER (Germany), Vice-Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, highlighted the recent Berlin Conference, which had taken place within the framework of the regional preparatory process,  bringing together representatives of Europe and Central Asia.  It identified the areas where action was most urgently needed and specified forward-looking strategies.  Expert bodies had formulated concrete proposals, suitable for efficiently addressing the major problems facing children.  There was also a proposal by the delegation of Germany to examine prospects for an individual complaints procedure.

Continuing, he said that child delegates representing the youth event in Budapest had provided substantive input throughout the process.  Also important was the role of the private sector.  The Berlin Conference had demonstrated that children were fully qualified to take part in the process and that they could raise their voices, adding to the discussion.  He appealed to all delegates not to let an issue of children’s participation become a bone of contention in the Preparatory Committee’s discussions.  The outcome of the Berlin Conference would be published in the course of this session as an official United Nations document.

HUSEIN ZIVALJ (Bosnia and Herzegovina) said that the report of the Secretary-General represented a landmark in the analysis of the situation of all children.  It was a cornerstone document, because it was based on the facts and provided an analysis of national reports of 155 countries. 

The goals of the World Summit had been noble and ambitious, but the misery of the past decade could not have been predicted.  Children had been affected by wars, but they had also become victims of exploitation, discrimination and disease in peacetime.  It was important to put the children’s best interests at the top of the international agenda, which might prevent lands from being mined and stop wars from being fought.  There would be no displaced people or refugees, and the environment would not be degraded. 

Continuing, he said that his Government had been privileged to co-host the Berlin Conference in preparation for the special session.  There could be no change for the better without active partnership of the governments, private sector and the United Nations, as well as partnership with children and for children.  Participation of children and adolescents in the Berlin Conference had indeed been remarkable.  The Conference had also led to a commitment to open spaces and to build capacities for meaningful participation of young people at all levels of decision-making.  It recognized that children remained systematically excluded from decision-making that affected their lives, and yet their participation led to an improved quality of decision-making.  Therefore, in efforts to create a better world for every child, countries should listen to children when making commitments, providing leadership and vision for every child to grow up in peace and without fear.

DIARRA AFOUSSATOU THIERO, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family of Mali, said that her country had drawn up its own national plan of action and had submitted its initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 1997.  On 12 June 2000, Mali had organized a meeting with the participation of all stakeholders to further the protection of the rights of children in Africa.  Highlighting some of Mali's achievements, she said that it had formulated a 10-year plan for education and a national strategy for poverty eradication.  It also had a national programme to fight child labour, as well as one relating to children affected by war. 

With regard to trafficking in children, she continued, Mali was the first country in Africa to establish bilateral cooperation in that area.  As her country was aware of the problem of trans-border trafficking of children, it had undertaken several measures to fight that phenomenon, including the repatriation of 800,000 victims of trans-border trafficking.  She noted that while some progress had been achieved, much more remained to done.

CORAZON JULIANO SOLIMAN, Personal Representative of the President of the Philippines, said that in preparation for the special session, her country had participated in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting, held in Beijing, to set the region's goals for the next decade.  In the declaration adopted at the meeting, States had committed themselves to furthering the protection of the rights of children.  They had also identified children in need of special protection, such as child labourers, those affected by armed conflicts and HIV/AIDS and street children.  The frank analysis in the Secretary-General's report had led one to believe that the amount of resources spent on children were inadequate.

She supported an emphasis on recognition of the need for a stable and nurturing family life for the development of children, as well as more effective international and regional collaboration on issues, such as substance abuse and drug trafficking.  Also important were national, subregional and regional cooperation to address trafficking in women and children.  There was much that had yet to be achieved. In her region, many children still suffered from malnutrition, poverty and illiteracy.  It was crucial to intensify national, regional and international efforts to protect the rights of children. 

MARIA TERESA MOGIN, Director-General for Children, Ministry of Social Affairs of Spain, said that over the last decade, significant changes had taken place in recognition of the needs of the children in her country.  Changes had been introduced to incorporate the rights of the children into law.  The country now had a permanent organization to observe the real situation of children and adolescents and improve their quality of life.  The attitudes towards the children and the duties of the parents and members of society had changed. 

She highlighted the role of NGOs and said that a culture of participation in matters involving the children had emerged.  Also, over the last few years, young people’s participation in national life had increased.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child had led to change in the laws and customs of Spain. 

In implementation of the outcome of the 1990 World Summit, she said it was important to ensure provision of prompt information about children’s needs and increase coordination among all the actors.  It was also important to take measures to avoid discrimination.  Spain wanted to increase efforts for full development and protection of the child.  Technical and financial participation was important in that respect.  The country was paying particular attention to children’s health, providing education regarding the negative effects of the consumption of drugs, tobacco and alcohol.  Spain was also trying to optimize resources to help minors.

LEONARDO MORANO, Director of Social Division, Ministry of Planning of Chile, said that children’s issues had been incorporated into the national policy of his country.  After the Summit, the country had undertaken both public and private programmes in defence of the children’s rights.  A national plan of action for children had been elaborated, and he was satisfied with the results obtained so far.  The conditions and the quality of life of the children were very important, and the socio-economic policies of Chile took them into account. 

Much still to remained to be done for the realization of the children’s rights, however, he said.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child was an important means to improve the conditions from the judicial and legal points of view.  Duties of the family towards the child had been incorporated into the laws, and an awareness campaign had been started in that respect.  The country was providing special services to protect the rights of the threatened children and adolescents.  The Constitution contained special provisions relating to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  There was also a review of the old

attitudes towards children.  Boys, girls and adolescents were participants in society, and their rights needed to be protected. 

Ms. LANDON PEARSON, the Personal Representative of the head of Government of Canada, said that she endorsed the direction taken by the Secretary-General in his report.  It was encouraging to learn how many countries and agencies had submitted progress reports.  She was also gratified by the impact of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and pleased by the new standards established regarding child labour.  In addition, child and youth participation in the preparatory process and the upcoming session was a notable trend.  Progress during the last decade included improvements in good governance and reform in national legislation to bring laws into conformity with the provisions of the Convention. 

While real progress had been made in many areas, enormous challenges still lay ahead, as stated in the report.  Among the challenges were gender discrimination, the impact of armed conflict on children and the disparities between the rich and poor.  The task this week was to agree on a consensus text.  "Above all, if we remember on whose behalf and for whose benefit we are labouring, we cannot go wrong", she concluded.

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