SITUATION OF WAR-AFFECTED CHILDREN REMAINS ‘GRAVE AND UNACCEPTABLE’, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Third Committee

17^th & 18^th Meetings (AM & PM)

SITUATION OF WAR-AFFECTED CHILDREN REMAINS ‘GRAVE AND UNACCEPTABLE’,

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE

Despite major achievements in the international arena for the protection of the rights of the child, the situation of war-affected children remained grave and unacceptable, said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, today as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its review of the protection and promotion of children’s rights. 

He highlighted recent steps taken in the field of children’s rights, notably the deployment of child protection officers in peacekeeping operations, the establishment of the international research network on war-affected children and the new practice of naming and listing involved countries before the Security Council.  Unfortunately, children’s rights were still being violated with impunity during armed conflicts in many parts of the world, including in areas such as eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Indonesian province of Aceh, Iraq, Liberia, the occupied Arab territories and Uganda. 

The international community was before a huge chasm, he said.  On one hand, there were clear and strong standards for the protection of children with genuine advances on the international level.  On the other hand, atrocities continued largely unabated on the ground.  The key to addressing this chasm was a systematic campaign for the “era of application”.  The campaign for this era must focus on advocacy and dissemination, development of local civil society networks for advocacy and protection, mainstreaming of the issue into the programmes of key institutions, and monitoring and reporting leading to action. 

In a subsequent question-and-answer session, delegates asked questions about war-affected children and how to ensure their protection.  One delegate asked about the implementation of the “era of application” and how to deal with non-State actors in contravention of resolutions, not bound by United Nations resolutions.  Delegations also raised concerns about the low levels and unpredictability of resources available for the Special Representative’s Office and mandate, and stressed that if the United Nations was seriously concerned by the protection of children, resources must be provided. 

Some representatives highlighted the need to address the suffering of children living under occupation, in particular those who lived in the occupied Palestinian territories, noting the issue had not been addressed in previous reports.  Speakers also stressed that poverty was one of the reasons it was so easy to recruit children for armed conflict in poor countries. 

The physical and mental repercussions suffered by children who were recruited, abused and exploited in armed conflicts were also highlighted.  In this connection delegations said that United Nations funds and agencies must cooperate with each other, as well as with non-governmental organizations and civil society, in order to make a difference on the ground. 

During today’s general discussion speakers stressed the need to promote and protect children’s rights at all times, during armed conflicts and times of peace alike.  The representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) told the Committee that 246 million children still worked; 180 million were intolerably exploited; 8.4 million children were trapped in human trafficking, debt bondage and other illicit activities; and 73 million of them were less than 10 years old. 

Protection of children was also of special relevance at a time when so many children were left stranded and orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said, noting that there were an estimated 14 million children living as orphans and vulnerable children in Africa as a result of HIV/AIDS.

Other speakers highlighted the importance of education for children, not only in terms of schooling, but also as a key factor for sustainable development.  Speakers also noted the importance of the family -- an essential instrument in ensuring the best interests of children that helped them acquire positive values and social responsibility.  It was stressed that the international community must work together to spare millions of children from unnecessary suffering in a world that had the means to feed and care for all its citizens.

Also speaking today were representatives of the following countries: Ukraine, Japan, Sudan, Cuba, Qatar, Egypt, Uruguay (on behalf of MERCOSUR), Venezuela, Russian Federation, Myanmar, Algeria, Ecuador, Libya, Burkina Faso, Singapore, Andorra, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Malaysia. 

The Observer for the Holy See also addressed issues related to the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

The Committee will reconvene tomorrow, at 10 a.m., to continue its consideration of the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) continued the consideration of the promotion and protection of children’s rights. 

For further background information, please see Press Release GA/SHC/3746 of 17 October.

Statements

ROKSOLANA IVANCHENCKO (Ukraine) said the protection of children from poverty, disease, armed conflict, trafficking and sexual exploitation remained one of the major challenges of the twenty-first century.  Children were disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic; many were orphaned and disabled by armed conflict; and four out of ten children were born in extreme poverty.  Each year, 2 million children died from lack of access to safe water and sanitation, and more than 11 million others died from preventable diseases.

She said Ukraine, this year, had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution.  This instrument complemented Ukraine’s national legislation against trafficking in persons, which ensured full legal protection of children from violence.  Ukraine had also initiated national programmes aimed at ensuring legal and social protection aimed at creating conditions for their overall well-being.

The Ukraine Government was particularly concerned about the health of children as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear plant accident disaster.  Restoring the health of people affected by the disaster still presented a serious challenge for the Government.  Almost 2 million children were victims of the accident, she said, noting 60 per cent of thyroid cancer cases had been diagnosed among those children who lived in the affected areas.  Special attention was required to ensure these children received adequate treatment to ensure their full social and physical development.

KAY FUSANO (Japan) said it was extremely sad that so many children were being affected by armed conflict, for example in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Child trafficking was one of the worst forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially in South-East Asia, where several thousand children were being trafficked every year.  Since this was a complex and cross-border issue, and its causes ranged from poverty and the socio-economic gap between the countries concerned to the difference in their legal systems, it was difficult to find ideal solutions.  The international community must nevertheless try, she said, and told the Committee about the International Symposium on Trafficking of children held in Japan jointly with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) this February. 

Japan was also tackling the elimination of harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation.  These practices had been left unsolved under the cloak of tradition, and the pain and tears of girls had been ignored.  Such practices must not be regarded as traditions that should be passed on, she said.  Through the human rights dialogue between the Governments of Japan and Sudan, an agreement had been made to have human rights cooperation on that issue.  To that end, Sudan had held a regional Symposium on the Abolition of Female Genital Mutilation to Ensure Safe Motherhood, jointly with Japan and UNICEF in August of this year.  This symposium had awakened the Sudanese public and had created momentum against the practice.

Mr. OKASHA (Sudan) said his Government had initiated efforts to meet children’s needs within the family, to provide adequate education to children and to ensure the promotion of children’s rights.  Continued financial support was needed at the international level, and States must renew their international and national political will to continue working to realize commitments to promote children’s rights.

He said it was important to benefit from globalization, which threatened developing countries with marginalization, along with the burdens of debt, malnutrition and diseases, including AIDS.  Children were the core of society, and his Government had set up a national programme to provide health services to them.  His country had conquered polio and was working to combat malaria and other diseases.

Sudan was especially concerned about child labour, which adversely affected the health of children, as well as their access to education, he said.  Also, children’s exploitation in prostitution was dangerous, and the international community must do its utmost to combat this.  Sudan was especially concerned about the negative impact of armed conflict on children, and his Government was hopeful that the peace emerging in Sudan would provide prosperity and a better future for its children.

LUIS ALBERTO AMORÓS NÚÑEZ (Cuba) said that, despite legal instruments, most children were living in increasingly difficult circumstances.  Millions of children died every year from curable diseases and malnutrition affected 150 million children.  The international order only guaranteed well-being for the 20 per cent of privileged children in the world, not children in developing countries.  Official development assistance must be increased; agricultural subsidies must be done away with; and external debt payments must be cancelled.

It was also necessary to protect children in armed conflict and create an international ambiance of peace, he said.  Conflict prevention and tackling the main causes of conflict was also essential.  Cuba appreciated the efforts made by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, which had highlighted the impact of armed conflict on children.  He expressed concern that no action had been recommended by the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council on children in armed conflict.

Trafficking in human beings, including in children, stemmed from the industrial world, he said.  It was necessary to look at the demand for trafficked children in the industrial world.  Cuba did not have many economic resources due to the four-decade-long blockade, he said.  However, despite such obstacles, Cuba had been internationally recognized for its treatment of children, in terms of health and education.

ALYA AHMED BINT SAIF AL-THANI (Qatar) said questions related to children were the focus of the attention of policy makers and planners in Qatar.  That attention stemmed from the profound belief in the right of every human being to live a decent and peaceful life.  Article 22 of the Constitution was an embodiment of this attention, as it affirmed the responsibility of the State for the welfare and protection of the young from exploitation and neglect. 

Qatar believed in the importance of coordination and cooperation on the regional level among organizations concerned with children and women, she said.  Recently, the Supreme Council for Family Affairs had convened the first meeting of experts in councils and organizations concerned with the family, women and children in the State members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

Qatar had taken many steps aimed at protecting women and children from violence and abuse at home, at work and in the society.  A special office had been established to provide assistance to children victims of abuse, violence and exploitation.  She added that the outcome Document of the special session on children affirmed in its declaration the need to spare children the horrors of armed conflict and foreign occupation.  This underlined the need to put an end to the tragic acts of violence that claimed the lives of thousands of children every day in various parts of the world. 

MAI KHALIL (Egypt) said her Government was very grateful for the activities of UNICEF to promote child development and the protection of children’s rights.  Her Government also hoped the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict would continue to protect children living under occupation, especially those living in the occupied territories.

She noted Egypt’s ratification of the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that addressed the sexual and economic exploitation of children.  Her Government regarded education as the main tool to promote the development of children, especially the bridging of the gap in education for girls.  Workshops had been held to address the reasons for girls being deprived of education, and the Government had expanded free education for girls and was working to refine educational tools for them.  Egypt was also working to build many schools, and a great deal of funds had been earmarked for this project.

She said her Government had implemented programmes that aimed to eliminate female genital mutilation by 2010.  These programmes included media training initiatives to increase public awareness of the harmful effects of this phenomenon.

She stressed that continued political will and commitment from the international community was necessary to protect children in armed conflict.  Egypt hoped the report of the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict would contain follow-up addressing the suffering of children who lived under occupation, especially those who lived in Occupied territories -- an issue which had not been addressed in previous reports.

FELIPE H. PAOLILLO (Uruguay), speaking on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), said promoting and protecting the rights of the child was at the core of the social commitment of MERCOSUR and associated countries.  In the Charter of Buenos Aires, those countries had decided to promote the effective application of the guiding principles aimed at ensuring the full protection of children and youth and at encouraging the elaboration of specific policies on their behalf, taking into account their needs within the family and community.  Concrete measures had also been taken to satisfy the special needs of boys, girls and youth in situations of violence and sexual abuse, in particular problems such as teenage pregnancy, drug use and criminal behaviour.

Recognizing that democratic societies and social equity were achieved by educating boys and girls and by training them for insertion into the labour market in a productive manner, the MERCOSUR countries were working to improve the quality of education through teacher training, promotion of civic values in schools and through the use of information technologies.  In this respect, he said it was important to point out that countries in the region were also seeking to include the large number of indigenous children and afro-descendants present in most countries of the region.

Another key issue for MERCOSUR related to health care and health services, he said.  Particularly challenging was the need to provide care for youth affected by HIV/AIDS.  Another area of concern was the number of cases involving children from the subregion who had been abducted or kept in the custody of one of their parents residing outside the continent.  This concern must be viewed in the broader context of human rights and the right to maintain regular contact with both parents and to be heard by the competent courts.

ADRIANA PULIDO SANTANA (Venezuela) said her country was fully committed to ensuring the rights of the child.  National legislation on this issue was based on principles outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its protocols.  Gender equality was enshrined in Venezuela’s constitution, and laws to protect children aimed to promote the full enjoyment of rights by children, who were recognized as subjects with full rights.

The law and military conscription stipulated that the minimum age for joining the army was 18, as was the minimum age for involvement in armed conflict, she said.  Such stipulations were part of the Government’s efforts to develop a national culture that respected the rights of young people in situations of war.

She said her Government had also adopted a comprehensive approach to care for abandoned children.  In addition, efforts were being made to promote young people’s right to free expression of their views in order to encourage their involvement in matters of public interest.

DMITRY V. KNYAZHINSKIY (Russian Federation) said children were endowed with special rights contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Periodic reporting to the Committee on the Rights of the Child was of crucial importance to the Convention’s effective implementation.

He added that the outcome document of the special session for children served as a road map for the Russian Government in dealing with issues related to children.  Also, the work of the United Nations special committee working on a comprehensive Convention on disability had inspired the Russian Federation to improve its legislation on disabilities of children.  Further actions had been undertaken to address homelessness, poverty and street children.

It was important to remember that the way the children of today were treated would determine how the adults of tomorrow would treat others, he said.  There was no nobler mission than sparing children from suffering and despair.

U LINN MYAING (Myanmar) said the roots of many problems facing children lay in poverty, and therefore States needed to increase cooperation with the relevant organs of the United Nations to address the protection of children.  Myanmar was fully committed to the cause of children and had acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  His Government had initiated a national action plan to address the survival, development, protection and participation of children.

He noted that with the cooperation of non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies, tangible outcomes had been achieved in dropping infant mortality rates and increasing accessibility to safe drinking water.  There was also a special focus on minimizing urban-rural difference in education programmes and health service delivery, and in giving priority to the more inaccessible border areas.  Myanmar viewed the right to education as one of the basic human rights of children and had always accorded priority to the development of education.  A 30-year national education promotion programme was under way to ensure that all school-aged children had the opportunity to go to school.

The issue of children in armed conflict was also of particular concern, as Myanmar still confronted the problem of armed insurgency, which was a long-standing legacy of colonial rule.  Terrorist groups and drug traffickers had alleged that the Government’s armed forces used child soldiers.  He pointed out that although Myanmar was not yet a State party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, its law prohibited recruitment into the armed forces of anyone under the age of 18.  To demonstrate to the international community that Myanmar had nothing to hide regarding this issue, it had invited the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict to visit Myanmar.  He was scheduled to visit at a mutually convenient date at the end of the year. 

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) said if there was any proof in the interest and importance the international community attached to children, it was the almost universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  While one must be gratified at the outcome document of the special session on children, one could not ignore that the situation of children remained precarious in many parts of the world. 

Children were the most vulnerable to poverty, diseases and conflict, and millions of them were victims of various types of exploitation, robbing their innocence, he said.  The situation in Africa was particularly worrisome; however, there was hope in the newly adopted African charters as well as in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).  He stressed the need to assist Africa in this context.

Algeria had focused on children in its economic, social and cultural policies, he said.  Considerable efforts had been made to promote the fundamental rights of children, including integrated, coordinated action to provide healthcare and education and to decrease the mortality rates of children under five. 

LUIS GALLEGOS (Ecuador) said children were the present and the future of the world, and it was critical to protect them to ensure their security and future. Children suffered as a result of gender discrimination, lack of housing, environmental degradation, hunger and malnutrition, lack of education and a host of other problems.  Governments must renew their commitment to promote the well-being of children everywhere.

He said Ecuador was fully committed to realizing its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and his Government had implemented policies to protect the rights and needs of children.  However, the country was in the midst of a serious economic crisis, and its heavy external debt burden meant it had limited resources.

A new social and legal framework had been established to enable children to enjoy their full rights, he said.  This year a new code had entered into force to promote children’s rights, which had been adopted by the Parliament. It reflected Ecuador’s deep commitment at the national level to give priority attention to ensuring adequate health and education services for children, and it provided support to those suffering from abuse.  There were also provisions for rehabilitation support for young offenders.

Ms. MEKASHBER (Libya) said it was important to remember that those directly concerned with the item on children did not have their voices heard in this forum.  Achievements regarding the protection and promotion of children fell short of the commitments made by States.  Children were far more vulnerable than adults and were particularly vulnerable to pandemics, poverty and armed conflict.  The international community must, therefore, do something about the situation of children in the occupied Arab territories, where children were suffering under foreign occupation. 

In Libya, the Government had undertaken several initiatives, notably within the health sector through the eradication of polio, she said.  Her country had signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and had established a Supreme Committee for Childhood in Libya.  Libya had also been the first country to sign the African Child Charter. 

She highlighted the suffering of Libyan children as a result of the long-lasting sanctions imposed upon her country.  The international community must cooperate to eradicate poverty, malnutrition and the spread of HIV/AIDS, she said, stressing that 40 per cent of the children not attending schools and 90 per cent of AIDS orphans were African.  Africa must therefore be given priority attention by the international community. 

BERNADETTE BONKOU NGOU (Burkina Faso) said poverty had made the children in her country particularly vulnerable.  Living conditions for children were very disturbing and were marked by lack of education, inadequate healthcare and high mortality rates among infants and children.  Poverty cancelled out much of the Government’s efforts directed at improving conditions for children.

Her Government was especially concerned about children who had been affected by armed conflict in Côte d’Ivoire.  Many of them lacked basic health and education services.  The Government was also greatly concerned about trafficking in children, and labour and sexual exploitation of children.  A pilot project had been set up to try to identify girl victims, and monitoring committees had been established in areas most affected by such trafficking.

She said Burkina Faso sought to protect children’s rights by involving children in discussion regarding policies affecting them.  Also, her country had recently hosted an African workshop on the rights of the child, which brought together 150 participants from 22 African countries to discuss new strategies to address issues related to children.

NG YUIN-LYN (Singapore) said her Government placed great importance on children.  As a small country where people were the only resource, Singapore believed in developing, to the fullest, the potential of the children of today –- who were the future of tomorrow.  This year, 2.1 per cent of the GDP, or 1.8 billion US dollars, was being spent on programmes for children.

This year, the Government had introduced the Compulsory Education Act, which ensured a child’s right to education for six years, she said.  This law reached out to the small minority who were not in school and aimed to give all children a common core of knowledge that would provide a strong foundation for their lives.  In cases where children needed special protection or rehabilitation, Singapore took a coordinated inter-agency approach to ensure that children’s interests were protected.

Singapore also placed strong emphasis on health services for the young, she said.  Earlier this year, the region was fighting the outbreak of SARS, and a prime focus of Singapore’s policies had been directed at the containment of this disease in schools.  She stressed that support from family was an essential ingredient to ensure the best interests of the child.  Families played an important role in helping children to acquire positive values and a sense of social responsibility.

CELESTINO MIGLIORE, Observer for the Holy See, said the situation of children around the world was not always how it should be.  Everyday, countless children were exposed to dangers and abuse that stunted their growth and development.  They suffered immensely as casualties of war and violence, and as victims of neglect, cruelty, racial discrimination, sexual and other forms of exploitation, and as refugees and displaced children.  They were often marginalized because they were indigenous, disabled, orphans or street children.  In several countries, they were also victims of the scourge of drugs and of natural and man-made disasters.  And if all those factors were not enough, millions of children had also become victims of HIV/AIDS, either through mother-to-child viral transmission or by being orphaned due to the AIDS-related premature death of their parents.

Those were challenges that the international community must meet, especially within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals, he said.  Improving child health and nutrition was a priority.  The international community must work for optimal growth and development in children, with measures to eradicate hunger, malnutrition and famine, and thus spare millions of children from unnecessary suffering in a world that had the means to feed and care for all its citizens.

RUNE SKINNEBACH, representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the promotion and protection of children was of special relevance at a time when so many children were left stranded and orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and when so many were victimized by poverty.  One of the Federation’s priorities was to support its network in Africa, where there were an estimated 14 million children living as orphans and vulnerable as a result of HIV/AIDS.  It was estimated that this number would grow to 25 million by 2010.

TheFederation believed that the most effective first step in addressing the plight of children was to work towards preserving the right of children to be reared by their own parents and relatives.  It urged all Governments and international organizations concerned about the welfare of children to maintain y unity and provide communities with resources to care for and protect children.

Furthermore, the Federation believed the participation of children in the search for solutions to problems involving them was critical.  Governments must, therefore, encourage processes allowing for children to define their own problems and needs and to be involved in programme design and implementation.

ANA MARIA HERMOSO, Programme Officer, International Labour Organization (ILO), said that in 1996 the ILO had published its global estimate of 250 million children workers.  The number drew international attention to the magnitude and scope of the problem, and this helped mobilize many governments and civil society groups into action.  The ILO’s New Global Estimates on Child Labour, published in 2002, revealed that 246 million children still worked; 180 million were intolerably exploited, 8.4 million children were trapped in human trafficking, debt bondage and other illicit activities, and 73 million were less than 10 years old.  Each year, 22,000 children died from work-related accidents.

Awareness raising and advocacy activities were designed to change social attitudes and encourage respect for the rights of the child, she said.  In 2002, the ILO had initiated the “Red Card to Child Labour” campaign that took place during international soccer competitions.  This campaign was intended to raise public awareness of the scourge of child labour and mobilize support for its elimination.  The problem of child labour must be addressed in the context of national economic and social development initiatives.  A comprehensive approach to sustainable development must include action and policies to curb both the supply of and demand for child labourers.

OLARA OTUNNU, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, presented his report and said this month marked the beginning of the next three years of the mandate on war-affected children.  In his report, he had therefore stressed progress and constraints encountered to date and proposed an agenda for action for the next three years.

During the last five years of the mandate, important and tangible strides had been made, he said.  There had been a significant increase in the public awareness of war-affected children, and the scope of the protection of war-affected children had expanded.  Most regional organizations had now placed war-affected children’s issues on their agenda.  A major movement for advocacy and monitoring had also emerged among non-governmental organizations.  Some major innovations had been developed, notably the deployment of child protection officers in peacekeeping operations, the establishment of the international research network on war-affected children, and the new practice of naming and listing involved countries before the Security Council.

Yet, in spite of those advances the situation for children remained grave and unacceptable on the ground, he said.  Parties to conflicts continued to violate children’s rights with impunity in areas such as the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Indonesian province of Aceh, Iraq, Liberia, the occupied Arab territories and Uganda.  The ending of conflicts in Angola, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka represented an end of the immediate suffering of children; however, rehabilitation and reintegration still remained.

The international community had a huge chasm before it, he said.  On the one hand, there were clear and strong standards for protection with some genuine advances on the international level.  On the other hand, atrocities continued largely unabated on the ground.  The key to overcome this chasm was a systematic campaign for the “era of application”.  No enterprise was more important or urgent than this, he said.  The campaign for the era of application must focus on advocacy and dissemination, developing local civil society networks for advocacy and protection, mainstreaming of the issue into the programmes of key institutions, and monitoring and reporting leading to action.

Addressing those priorities further, he said that in order to transform the present base of consciousness into a critical mass of awareness of the abominations committed against children, local involvement and civil society were important.  Local ownership was the only way to ensure long-term sustainability.  It was necessary to ensure that reporting and monitoring took place according to the standards set out in his report, and egregious violations against children must take priority in that reporting, including recruiting and the use of children as child soldiers and the killing, maiming, raping and abducting of children.

A network of actors must be involved in the monitoring and reporting teams, including United Nations workers, he said.  To ensure the effective transmission of information, it was vital to establish a communications mechanism.  Reports were only useful if they served as triggers for action.  In order to end impunity, consistent violations must lead to action.

The activities under this mandate had been funded solely by voluntary contributions, he said.  This was not an effective manner to fund ongoing General Assembly functions.  Resource uncertainty had affected the work on this matter and could threaten its direction and credibility.  If the issue of children in armed conflict was important to the General Assembly, and if the mandate had delivered results, he hoped that, as a matter of fairness and commitment and to ensure transparency and collective ownership, the Assembly would address the funding question.

Interactive Dialogue

A representative of Italy, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Union considered children of armed conflict a priority concern and would like Mr. Otunnu to suggest ways for the international community to most effectively address armed groups and make them abide by international standards regarding the use of child soldiers.

On the systematic reporting of child rights violations, who should be responsible for the assessment of reported violations on national, regional and international levels?  Furthermore, the European Union would like to know what progress had been made towards mainstreaming children and armed conflict issues across the United Nations system.

A representative of Syria said Palestinian children were in dire need of defence of their rights, and her delegation hoped Mr. Otunnu would be able to report to the Third Committee on the latest developments regarding children living under occupation.  On the monitoring of actions and initiatives in areas he hadn’t visited, how did he do that without visiting those places?

In addition, she noted that the plan outlined in the report, which was to be in effect for the next three years, did not include children under foreign occupation, and was therefore incomplete.  What were the measures the United Nations would take to help reverse the negative effects of current activities in the occupied territories?

A representative of the Sudan asked Mr. Otunu how he could promote the agenda of children in armed conflict in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.  She said her delegation was concerned about information in his report that referred to the low level of resources devoted to his office.  Since his office was receiving resources from voluntary contributions that he noted were not sufficient to carry out his mandate, what suggestions might he have on how to raise additional funds to finance his office’s activities?  Sudan hoped it would have the opportunity to exchange views on his proposals on monitoring and reporting of violations.

A representative of Uganda said the conditions for children in the eastern part of Uganda was one of the most atrocious situations in the world.  Was any systematic action being taken by his Office to make visits to other areas not yet visited?  Did his proposals on monitoring include plans for specific and actual visits in the remaining three years before the next mandate expired?

Mr. OTUNNU responded that his Office, in efforts to bring non-State actors to apply standards to realities on the ground, did not distinguish between different parties in conflict as long as their actions negatively affected children.  He engaged with all parties in conflict -- insurgency groups and government armed forces alike -- and sought commitments from them to bring them into compliance.

He said his report had noted no party in conflict was ever an island unto itself.  Any party, rebel or government, relied on linkages to the outside world to achieve political objectives, including the supply of arms.  The outside world, therefore, provided levers of influence for both rebel groups and government-armed forces.

On who should do the monitoring and reporting, he said his report laid out very clearly how this should be done.  There was a very well defined set of standards.  He noted that clearly, children were subjected to many kinds of abuses, and it was not possible to monitor all of them.  The report identified several areas that should receive priority attention.  Monitoring was done by civil society, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and others, and it was critical to coordinate information and channel it into reports.  He urged the Committee to discuss who should serve as key actors and how to organize a more systematic and stronger reporting system.

On the mainstreaming of the issue of children in armed conflict, he said his report gave very specific examples of mainstreaming efforts and identified areas within the United Nations where more mainstreaming was needed.  He pointed out that despite the considerable mainstreaming that had been done by a number of United Nations bodies, mainstreaming of children in conflict had not yet been embedded enough.  There was a need, therefore, to engage systematically to ensure initiatives would become institutionalized, and it was critical to discuss specific actions taken and programmes initiated to mainstream this issue.

Responding to Syria, he said one of the worst situations to which children were exposed was indeed the situation of armed conflict in the occupied territories.  While it was not possible to visit all places plagued by armed conflict, this did not mean there were no means of gathering information from those places.

United Nations country teams and non-governmental organizations on the ground were critical sources of information for abuses suffered by children.  He stressed that whereas his Office ideally would like to witness a situation directly, there were other channels for his Office to remain engaged.  And this was another reason it was so critical to link up all efforts.

He added that if the General Assembly truly believed this mandate was important then the General Assembly itself must assume its responsibility and address the issue.  It should not be left to his Office to improvise, he said.  His Office operated with full transparency and was ready to provide all the necessary information regarding its work plans.

He said the protection of children affected by conflict was the concern of everybody -- the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council -- because much relating to this issue happened in the context of the breakdown of security.  It therefore required the concerted effort of all United Nations bodies, non-governmental organizations, and regional groups to act on the issues mentioned in his report.

He appealed to the Committee to ensure that the proposals he put forward regarding monitoring and reporting would not be shelved until next General Assembly.  If the issue was to move towards action on the ground, he said the way to go was to embark on a systematic era of application.  There was a need for more concerted efforts.  It was time to move from talking the talk to walking the walk.

During another set of questions, the Observer for Palestine asked why the Special Representative had postponed his visit to the occupied territories, and what could be done to ensure that attention was paid to the suffering of Palestinian children in the meantime. 

A representative of Cuba said that despite the fact that the report said that the international community was in an era of application, there were no recommendations for the General Assembly to consider.  Some specific ideas could be put forward for the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council to address. 

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories had been pushed aside for the last 10 years, said the representative of Egypt.  In the absence of a visit, how would reporting and monitoring be applied in this area? 

The representative of Libya expressed concern that no attention had been paid to the situation of Palestinian children.  He also asked about the physical and mental rehabilitation of war-affected children and the obstacles that stood in the way. 

Mr. OTUNNU responded that there was a division of labour.  His colleagues, such as those at UNICEF and non-governmental organizations, carried out the reintegrating of children with their families.  His Office highlighted the issues and made parties to conflicts agree not to recruit children under the age of 18 for armed conflict. 

If the malaise of war-affected children was detected early, it was possible to turn things around.  However, if a conflict had been going on for years or decades, the situation was totally different.  It was clear that the capacities on the ground were not commensurate with the problems children faced, he said.  Increased resources were needed to respond to the needs of war-affected children. 

Regarding the occupied Palestinian territories, he said any visit must involve the collaboration of warring parties and the authorities.  That had not been the case in this situation; however, he would continue the monitoring and reporting from people and United Nations agencies on the ground. 

Concerning recommendations in the report, he said they were addressed to Member States and therefore to the General Assembly.  There must be a division of labour.  The General Assembly could play a role in monitoring and request information as well as take action to denounce the current treatment of children in armed conflict. 

A representative of Switzerland asked about efforts to coordinate United Nations bodies and whether difficulties had been encountered.  How would Mr. Otunnu envisage further cooperation with the Committee on the Rights of the Child?

A representative of Slovenia, welcoming a standards- and benchmarks-based approach, said it would be useful to have an overall assessment of the United Nations’ achievements and constraints in dealing with the rights of war-affected children.

Most of the children in armed conflicts came from poor families, said a representative of Benin.  For those poor families, child soldiers were a source of income, she said.  Could one establish areas where children were not allowed to be recruited, or create tribunals in order to deal with war-affected children? 

A representative of Mexico stressed the need for United Nations organizations to cooperate with each other.  When encountering parties to conflict, had the Special Representative faced difficulties? 

The inadequacy and instability of funding for the mandate threatened the work of the Special Representative, said a representative of Pakistan.  She also asked about how to deal with non-State actors in contravention of resolutions, beyond monitoring and reporting, who were not bound by United Nations resolutions.

Responding, Mr. OTUNNU said that there was no forced cooperation between the various United Nations bodies on war-affected children.  His effort at mainstreaming was to consolidate work on war-affected children where it had started and make sure that over the next couple of years mainstreaming became ongoing and routine.

He hoped that an overall assessment of the United Nations role in the protection of children in armed conflict would give strategic orientation for his mandate and other United Nations bodies.  In the meantime, work in terms of the mandate had to continue, and a work plan for the next few years was being developed. 

He added that he had worked very closely with the Committee on the Rights of the Child.  The Committee itself had asked national human rights bodies to collaborate with his mandate on war-affected children. 

Responding to Slovenia, he said the United Nations alone could not respond to war-affected children –- it would require action on the part of national governments, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society.

There was no doubt that one must not only deal with the symptoms but invest in addressing the root causes to this kind of exploitation and abuse, such as poverty.  If this was not done, there was always a chance that conflict might occur or reoccur.  He believed that the response must be for the United Nations and Member States to embark upon the era of application. 

The issue of impartiality was very important, he said to the representative of Mexico addressing difficulties encountered in dealing with parties to conflict.  All entities had been engaged openly and transparently, and he had asked for the same commitments from both sides.  Perhaps it was too simplistic to divide parties along the lines of non-government and government actors.  In today’s day and age, all parties were political actors he said, and they were therefore vulnerable to pressure.  There were means, if parties were approached in practical terms rather on legalistic terms. 

Finally, responding to the delegate of Pakistan, he said that the General Assembly must make up its mind about the mandate and support its decision with funds. 

A representative of Azerbaijan said her country’s children continued to suffer the consequences of armed aggression, and her delegation was interested in finding out more about the process of information gathering and the sources of information regarding violators.  How could they most effectively be brought to justice?

A representative of Canada asked, regarding the monitoring and reporting, whether Mr. Otunnu had any specific measures to recommend to States to better address violations in the field.

A representative of Lebanon asked, regarding the impossibility of a visit to the occupied territories and the availability of information from other sources, why there was not further elaboration in his report beyond a passing remark about the impossibility of such a visit.  Secondly, what were the future steps in monitoring and engagement, and how would they be embodied in future reports, especially with regard to the occupied territories?

A representative of Mali said despite the instruments to eradicate the scourge of child soldiers, the international community had not put an end to children’s involvement in armed conflict.  What actions could he suggest?

Responding, Mr. OTUNNU said it was critical to articulate who should be taking action.  The Security Council could take action.  The International Criminal Court should make it a priority to prosecute alleged war criminals responsible for war crimes against children.  That would end impunity and would serve as a deterrent.

He said the Human Rights Special Rapporteurs could also highlight this issue.  At regional levels, actors such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should prioritize the issue of children in armed conflict.  The concerted efforts of those various actors could do much to turn the tide on the ground.  That was the crux of his message, he said, stressing the need for Committee members to share their ideas on implementing action.

Regarding Lebanon’s question, he had hoped to visit the occupied territories.  He got information from non-governmental organizations and relied on United Nations country team in the occupied territories as a vital source of information.  He assured the Committee that the report on violators would be an official United Nations document and would be available to the Committee.

Turning to measures needed to strengthen monitoring, he said there were actors in place who were monitoring and reporting.  There was a need to make actions systematic and to hold violators accountable.  That was not negotiable.

Regarding Azerbaijan’s question, his remarks in response to Lebanon were also applicable, he said.

Statements

JELENA PIA-COMELLA (Andorra) said it was clear from the resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Economic and Social Council that the situation of children in many countries and regions remained critical.  Children’s rights were human rights, and nothing could justify the exploitation of children for work, sexual exploitation of children or children being soldiers. 

It was hoped that the commitment made at various world summits would be acted upon to ensure an improvement in the protection and promotion of children’s rights, she said.  Andorra was committed to children’s rights and more than

90 per cent of its development programmes and assistance aimed towards the improvement of children’s lives. 

She added that education, particularly the education of girls, was essential to break the cycle of poverty.  By education, she was not only referring to schooling, but to a general awareness of a culture of peace.  She concluded by stressing that the rights of the child must be respected in areas needing humanitarian assistance and said that, in the case of Iraq, Andorra’s contributions targeted the welfare of children. 

MURAT SMAGULOV (Kazakhstan) said his country welcomed the enlargement of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and believed it was important to enhance coordination among United Nations agencies to promote the rights of children.  Under its Constitution caring for children was a basic responsibility of parents and family.  Laws had been adopted to provide special homes for orphan children.  At present there were five children’s villages and 14 youth homes.  Laws had also been adopted to eradicate child labour, and the criminal code was made tougher to punish the rape of women and girls.  The Government had provided crisis centres for women and girls victimized by violence.

He said Kazakhstan had received a grant from the Asian Development Bank to implement programmes to combat anemia and other iron-deficit diseases suffered by girls in certain areas of the country.  Birthing centres were supplied with equipment to reduce maternal and infant mortality, and measures had been taken to increase access to health care for pregnant women and children.  The Parliament was considering a bill on reproductive human rights. 

In schools, special programmes had been adopted to prevent violence.  Boys and girls must know from an early age that they had equal rights and opportunity, he said.  The country was implementing various programmes to teach healthcare workers and teachers about gender issues, and Kazakhstan was committed to continuing to cooperate on the international level to ensure the well-being of children.

KASHMALA TARIQ (Pakistan) said all children had inalienable rights, as elaborated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Regrettably, 10 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the situation of children all over the world was still grim and appalling.  Millions of them were victims of exploitation, abuse and violence.  An estimated 1.2 million children were trafficked worldwide, each year.  About one million -– mainly girls -– were exploited every year in the multi-billion dollar sex industry.  The world was regrettably still far from being fit for children.  The full realization of the rights of the child would remain a pipe dream unless poverty, deprivation and impoverishment of the underprivileged segments of the society were effectively addressed.

Within the National Perspective Plan for 2002 to 2012 there was a concentration on four areas, she said.  Those were:  affordable access to universal primary education, especially for girls; a focus on the reduction of the infant mortality rate; the elimination of child labour; and the endorsement of international instruments and their enforcement, including a review of legislation pertaining to children.   

JONG MYONG HAK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said children were the most vulnerable to various forms of abuse and violation.  The number of the extremely poor increased against the accumulation of global wealth, and children made up more than half of those afflicted by extreme poverty.  Children were also the most vulnerable in armed conflict and became the scapegoats of merciless and immoral acts committed under foreign occupation.  It was necessary to raise public awareness of the rights of children and give priority to the investment for guaranteeing the children’s right to survival, health care and education.  Military occupation and sanctions hindered the right to development of countries and surrounding regions, and affected the advancement of children.

The failure of occupying soldiers to feel even slightly guilty about their appalling acts, including crushing innocent schoolgirls to death with a tank, must be condemned and punished, he said.  In discussing sanctions, he stressed that prior consideration must be given to the possible impact on children, as well as preventive measures to help them.  Despite the difficulties and the strangling outside policies being imposed on his country by outside forces, various privileges and special benefits had been granted to the children of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

RONALD KIANDEE (Malaysia) said his country’s national action plan, spanning from 2001 to 2020, had been formulated to account for discussions held with children through consultations at various levels.  The plan emphasized better health and educational opportunities for children, as well as strengthening the role of parents and family.  Malaysia had also replaced its Juvenile Court with a Children’s Court, which enabled the participation of affected children in court deliberations.

He said his Government recognized that advancements in information and communications technologies would affect children’s mental development and social behaviour and had introduced measures in the action plan to guide and protect children from being adversely affected by the information and communications technologies revolution.

More needed to be done to ensure that children were given the maximum protection in armed conflict, and he urged States to take stronger action against any parties that were directly or indirectly involved in using or targeting children in armed conflicts, including children living under foreign occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

* *** *