Imploring States to Uproot Violence, Exploitation, Online Predators, Speakers Tell Third Committee Children Deserve Childhoods
Violence against society’s most vulnerable, in all its forms, needed to be uprooted and eradicated in order to pave a sure path towards sustainable development, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it continued its debate on the rights of children, and concluded its consideration of the advancement of women.
On the eve of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, many of the more than 50 delegates said that although the instrument had been signed by all United Nations Member States, children still faced violence every day. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that each year between 500 million and 1.5 billion children experienced violence, including all forms of physical or mental violence, one speaker told the Committee.
With an opportunity to reflect on progress achieved and challenges remaining in protecting children, many speakers drew attention to ending violence against children as a major challenge. Action was needed, many speakers implored, in conflict-affected areas, online, and on local to global levels.
Several delegates underlined a grim reality of the increasing use and targeting of children in conflict situations. In recent years, 3 million children had been killed in armed conflicts and the recruitment of child soldiers persisted, said the Permanent Observer of Mission of the Holy See.
Expressing support for the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign, some speakers were concerned about the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts, as it was prevalent in many parts of the world. Emphasizing the importance of the matter, Malaysia’s delegate said children and armed conflict would be a priority area for his country, as Malaysia was elected yesterday as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the next two years.
Calling on the international community to address the problem of child labour and exploitation in the labour market in the post-2015 era, some delegates stressed that children must be able to enjoy fundamental freedoms. Some stated the obvious, that children deserved a childhood. Summing up a view heard during the day-long meeting, Ecuador’s delegate said “when we invest in early childhood, we invest in breaking the cycle of poverty”.
A number of speakers raised concerns about emerging online threats coming from online media, and specifically social media. A speaker from the Philippines said cyber pornography was a new form of child sexual exploitation. There was a need to create a safe information and communications technology environment for children, she urged. China’s speakers agreed, saying that to combat that scourge, a combination of national efforts and international cooperation was needed.
Some States had already taken steps to address those and other Internet-related crimes against children, delegates were told. Given the rapidly rising nature of those online threats around the world, Sri Lanka’s representative said his Government had established a Cyber Watch Unit to identify sex offenders and potential perpetrators.
Some speakers outlined steps their governments had taken to implement the Convention, including reforming laws, providing tailored programmes and ensuring that children had access to education, health care and other essential services. Poland’s representative said even though challenges remained in fully implementing the Convention, the instrument had had a positive impact. He said child delegates to parliaments and the United Nations, student governments, debate teams and young bloggers, writers and journalists were proof of the increasing voice of the youth, awareness of their rights and their involvement in decision-making processes.
Concluding its discussions on the advancement of women, delegates said without their empowerment, no development was possible. Among other topics raised, delegates discussed domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage, gender gaps in education, maternal health, access to sanitation and the role of advancement of women in sustainable development.
Delegates participating in the debate on the advancement of women were speakers representing Armenia, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Djibouti, Monaco and Tonga, as well as the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Labour Organization, and the Food and Agricultural Organization also delivered statements.
Delivering statements on the rights of children were representatives of Haiti, Kuwait, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Iceland, Oman, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Algeria, Panama, Namibia, Iran, Lebanon, Lesotho, Yemen, Kenya, Turkey, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Congo, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Korea, Uruguay, Rwanda, Egypt, Bulgaria, Niger, Viet Nam, Maldives, Georgia, Liberia, Sudan, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Botswana, Bahrain, Albania, Ukraine, Togo, Azerbaijan, South Sudan, Burundi, Tunisia, Monaco, Montenegro, Angola, Zambia, Tonga, Guatemala, and Nigeria, as well as the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine and the Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Order of Malta. A representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross also delivered a statement.
In exercise of the right of reply, a representative of the Russian Federation spoke.
The Third Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Monday, 20 October to conclude its discussion on the rights of children and take up its agenda item on the rights of indigenous people.
Background
The Third Committee met this morning to continue its consideration of the advancement of women and the rights of children. For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/4104.
Debate on Advancement of Women
ZOHRAB MNATSAKANYAN (Armenia) said executive and legislative acts had been adopted to deal with ensuring women’s rights, including even more vulnerable groups, such as those with disabilities, refugee women, those facing poverty and victims of trafficking. A strategy had also been adopted, he added, to address issues stemming from the consequences of population ageing and the social protection of the elderly, including women. On the issues of female refugees and internally displaced persons resulting from the war in the late 1980s, he said that they received increased access to housing, social and health services, education, and employment.
MAHMADAMIN MAHMADAMINOV (Tajikistan) said his country supported the central role of the United Nations in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which promoted gender equality and strengthened the role of women in all spheres of life. Noting the positive dynamic in the advancement of legislation on gender equality in Tajikistan, he underlined that his country was working in cooperation with international organizations and civil society to implement the adopted legislation effectively. Concluding, he said, Tajikistan had paid special attention to improving health services in order to increase awareness of population issues, including reproductive health, family planning, hygiene and HIV/AIDS.
ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh) said “within a woman is the power to create, nurture and transform”. Therefore, without the advancement of women, no development was possible. In the public sector, a 10 per cent quota was maintained for women to enhance their access to employment. Educating girls free of cost was the best step towards women’s empowerment and against violence against women, child marriage and extremist mind sets, he added. By ensuring women’s access to credit, facilitating their education and extending health care, and also developing gender-sensitive budget allocation, Bangladesh had been able to make significant progress in the empowerment of women, he concluded.
MADINA KARABAEVA (Kyrgyzstan) said it was impossible to build a democratic society without gender empowerment. Her country was strongly committed to the Beijing Declaration and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and other international instruments. Women played a key role in ensuring food security and improving the well-being of their families, yet they continually faced discrimination and stereotyping. In 2012, her country adopted a national strategy to achieve gender equality by 2020, focusing on women in the economy, and education for girls. The presence of women in political decision-making positions, including in the Ministry of Finance and the justice system, had improved tremendously. Further, laws had been strengthened to combat violence, including programmes for women suffering from violence that provided free confidential psychological aid.
KADRA AHMED HASSAN (Djibouti) stressed the importance of regional and international instruments in dealing with the advancement of women. The question of gender equality was a core issue for her Government. Legal reform included setting 18 as the minimum age of marriage in the family code. Further, Djibouti had established a ministry for advancement of women and family planning. A national gender policy aimed at instituting behavioural and structural changes. The representation of women in the political sphere, which had been non-existent in the 1980s, had improved greatly, with women participating in local and national elections. In addition, there was no longer a gap between girls and boys at the primary school level because of incentives, such as grants and food distribution given to counter stereotypes about girl’s education.
BENJAMIN VALLI (Monaco) said while there had been some progress made in the advancement of the status of women, there were still too many girls subjected to domestic and sexual violence and forced into marriage. Noting that 2015 would mark the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, it would be the right time for the implementation of commitments of the advancement of women. Congratulating Malala Yousafzai, the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, he said gender equality was the foundation for poverty eradication and sustainable economic development. Concluding, he said Monaco would continue to invest in women through national policies, job creation, international cooperation and other initiatives, including maternal health services and micro-financing.
MAHE’ULI’ULI SANDHURST TUPOUNIUA (Tonga) said his country was determined to advance the goals of equality, development and peace for all women. Recognizing that violence against women inhibited the process of social and economic development, he said gender equality and women’s empowerment had a transformative effect on sustainable development, and were drivers of economic growth in small island developing States. Welcoming the important work of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in emphasizing women’s human rights and empowerment, he called for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls, and the integration of a gender perspective in priority areas for sustainable development.
ANNE CHRISTENSEN, of the Permanent Observer Mission of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said that the Millennium Development Goals had resulted in significant progress for women and girls, yet a number of critical gaps remained, such as maternal health and access to sanitation. In particular, she said, discrimination and violence against women had significantly hampered progress in achieving the Millennium Goals. Despite challenges in responding to the humanitarian needs, global initiatives, such as the United Nations Secretary General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign and the Call to Action on Violence against Women and Girls in Emergencies, were essential in addressing the issue.
“Crises come not only in the form of conflict and natural disasters, but also in the form of health emergencies, such as the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa,” she continued, adding that women had been affected by that outbreak as victims, healthcare workers and caregivers. In that regard, it was crucial that women were equally equipped with the knowledge and skills to contain the outbreak, care for those affected and to dispel fears. Concluding, she called upon all stakeholders to accelerate their delivery of better prevention and better care.
MARIE-LOUISE TOUGAS, of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said women were not “inherently vulnerable” during armed conflicts, but often suffered “devastating effects” despite the general protections afforded civilians and specific protections given to them. Conflict hampered women’s access to health care, food, and water, and studies were needed to better understand and respond to women’s needs at such times. Despite the “grave and dehumanizing” consequences of using sexual violence as a “deliberate tactic of war”, its prevalence and consequences had been vastly underrated because of cultural taboos, feelings of shame or fears of retaliation. Urging States and humanitarian organizations to assume that sexual violence was occurring during conflicts and to respond accordingly, she said medical, mental health and psychosocial care was “absolutely essential for victims”. The ICRC could help communities establish methods to minimize violations, like digging wells close to villages to shorten distances women and girls had to travel for water. States bore primary responsibility, however, and should integrate international humanitarian law in their legal systems. Victims had to be informed about support available, and be able to report allegations safely, “without fear of reprisal, stigma, or unnecessary lengthy procedures”.
ASAD GADDI, of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said that violence against women harmed families and communities across generations. Further, over half of new HIV infections worldwide were occurring among young people between the ages of 15 and 24, and more than 60 per cent of the HIV-positive youth were female. The Order of Malta had played an important role in deepening the campaign to end violence against women. Since 1996, the Order had been active in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it supported numerous projects including health, educational, agricultural and social programmes. The Order of Malta was active in more than 30 African countries, and had been fighting the AIDS epidemic in Nairobi for the last decade. In South Sudan, it had helped to build a secondary school for young girls. The international community must continue to fight for maternal health and the empowerment of women, he concluded.
KEVIN CASSIDY, of the International Labour Organization (ILO), said gender-based violence was exceptionally dehumanizing, pervasive, and oppressive, and was a clear violation of basic human rights. In sectors where the workforce was highly feminized, women were particularly exposed to violence, such as sexual harassment, verbal or psychological abuse, intimidation, mobbing and bullying. “This severely discriminatory behaviour should not be tolerated, trivialized or brushed-off,” he said, adding that it was a significant barrier to women’s access to equal treatment and opportunities in the labour market. A newly adopted protocol to the Forced Labour Convention created specific obligations to protect its victims and to provide access to remedies. Additionally, he said, the ILO had launched a fair recruitment initiative in collaboration with partner organizations and governments to address regulatory and enforcement gaps, and to ensure the implementation of recruitment practices based on international standards.
LAUREN FLEJZOR, of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), said the State of Food Insecurity in the World 2014 report noted that 13.5 per cent of the overall population remained underfed. In rural areas, where women had less access to household resources, women and girls were at greater risks of malnutrition. It was vital to give women greater access to productive resources. Gender disparities were very evident with regard to land ownership. It was time to work towards women’s right to land, she said, emphasizing that rural women were agents of change and without them, the international community would not achieve the successful completion of the post-2015 agenda.
Debate of Rights of Children
MARIE FRANÇOISE BERNADEL (Haiti) said that her country continued to face significant challenges that had had profound repercussions on the situation of children. The devastating earthquake of 2010 had compromised the country’s progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. For its part, the Haitian Government was working with various partners, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to address a range of issues and to protect the rights of the child. In closing, she called on the international community for “a new wave of support” to help the country continue its progress in the field of human rights.
ALI AL-BAKHAYTT (Kuwait) said that the United Nations and international partners must work to put an end to conflicts that were affecting the rights of children. Kuwait’s constitution protected their rights, and the country had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. Kuwait had stipulated that the family was the basis of society, and the State must protect all young people. In the area of health, the constitution emphasized the State’s responsibility to prevent disease and epidemics. Achievements included that infant mortality had been reduced to 1 per 1,000, and that free education was available up to university level.
SAHEBZADA AHMED KHAN (Pakistan) said despite commendable achievements mentioned in the Secretary General’s reports, 57 million children remained out of school, and 685 million children lived in extreme poverty. Infections from HIV and polio had yet to be completely eradicated, he said, adding that undernutrition remained among the major challenges causing disease and deaths among children in developing countries. There was an urgent need for a determined push to overcome remaining gaps and challenges as the international community was approaching the last year of the Millennium Goals. Further, child education and polio eradication were at the forefront of his Government’s priorities and policies. Pakistan was firmly committed to full realization of the universally-recognized rights of children.
FREDERICK MUSIIWA MAKAMURE SHAVA (Zimbabwe) said the world had made significant progress in advancing the rights of children. Zimbabwe had, for its part, undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that children received the nurturing they deserved, and that their rights were fully protected. Underlining the key role of family, he said the Government had implemented social protection programmes for vulnerable children. His country had also paid special attention to the situation of orphans and vulnerable children, whose numbers had increased since the advent of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Recognizing the importance of social protection for that vulnerable group, they had established a social protection mechanism as part of the National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
MOHD SHAHAFEEZ SHAHARIS (Malaysia) said that “the colours of our country’s future, which we hope will be bright, will be painted by our children”. At the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, almost all Member States had acceded to the instrument, a testament to the will of the world in promoting the rights of the children. For its part, his Government had approved its Child Act, as well as two policies on children, to deal with various issues related to protection from violence, and including them in development. Violence against children was unjustifiable, he said, adding that Malaysia had established a hotline and a nationwide alert system to deal with children at risk and missing children. As Malaysia was elected yesterday as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, he said the subject of children and armed conflict would be a priority area for his country during its two-year term.
PALITHA KOHONA (Sri Lanka) said the constitution guaranteed equality for all citizens, and allowed for special affirmative action in the case of vulnerable groups. Being fully committed to the protection and empowerment of children, the Government had partnered with UNICEF to provide resources to improve the efficiency of the judicial process for child abuse victims. Since the end of internal conflict in 2009, the Government had launched massive development programmes to develop former conflict zones and uplift the lives of affected women and children. Despite significant achievements, child nutrition was still a concern in Sri Lanka, where 17 per cent of children under age five suffered from malnutrition. Also, he continued, the abuse of children through social media had become a recent challenge, rapidly rising not just in his own country but around the world. In that regard, the Government had established a Cyber Watch Unit to identify sex offenders and potential sex offenders. In conclusion, he cited Buddha, who had said “what is done to children is done to society”.
BOGUSŁAW WINID (Poland) said his country initiated the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and appreciated the international community’s efforts to promote the rights of children. Child delegates to parliaments and the United Nations, student governments, debate teams and young bloggers, writers, and journalists were proof of the increasing voice of the youth, awareness of their rights, and their involvement in decision-making processes. With UNICEF reporting that each year between 500 million and 1.5 billion children experience violence, including all forms of physical or mental violence, he called on the United Nations to create mandates for special rapporteurs and other representatives for children’s issues. Concluding, he invited all Member states to an exhibition entitled “Poland and the Convention on the Rights of the Child — the legacy of Janusz Korczak” that his delegation would be organizing on November 20.
IRINA VELICHKO (Belarus) said despite significant achievements and progress that had been made in the field of the rights of the child, the world was far from ensuring their protection and providing a happy childhood for all children. Belarus has taken a number of steps, she said. Initiatives were also being implemented in cooperation with UNICEF. Combatting violence against women and children and supporting the rights of children were two main priorities for her Government. Concluding, she said Belarus hoped to increase its potential partnership with UNICEF and other United Nations agencies and Member States, in the pursuit of protecting the rights of the child.
THORVARDUR ATLI THÓRSSON (Iceland) said that the Convention on the Rights of the child was one of the most internationally recognized treaties on the planet, and provided a solid foundation for tackling new and emerging challenges to children’s rights. Iceland was particularly concerned that the births of nearly 230 million children under the age of five worldwide had never been officially recorded. That was particularly true in countries dealing with armed conflict or civil war. The suffering of children was further compounded by the fact that nearly half of the world’s forcibly displaced people were children. Children from Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia had been forced to flee from their homes, and Palestinian children were still living under occupation. Therefore, Iceland firmly supported draft goal 16 on rule of law in the sustainable development agenda.
ZWEENA ALOFIA (Oman) said that children’s rights were social rights that guaranteed the survival of society. For its part, Oman had adhered to many conventions and protocols, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Her country had also attributed a great deal of importance to creating institutions that catered to the development of the child. In order to promote education for children, her Government had created institutions that supported that notion. In closing, she said Oman also had established a body whose mandate was to follow through on the Convention and to promote its implementation.
FAHAD AL-KHATARIN (Qatar) said that the phenomenon of violence against children had not diminished, with women and girls suffering the most. Political will and concerted efforts at all levels of society and governments were necessary to improve the current state of children’s rights. Qatar had ratified the Convention and had made it an integral part of its laws. Various governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were working together to implement those laws. Education and rehabilitating children with special needs were priority areas for Qatar. Violations against educational institutions in armed conflicts and recruitment of child soldiers exposed children to danger, he said. Children must be able to enjoy fundamental freedoms. It was necessary to collect data at a global level in order to create better policies, he concluded.
KAIRAT ABDRAKHMANOV (Kazakhstan) said the Convention was one of the first international documents that had been guiding Kazakhstan, after its independence, towards improving the quality of life of children and their full and harmonious development. Fully supporting the measures undertaken by UNICEF, good progress had been made in implementing Millennium Goals at the national level, including achieving goals on universal primary education and gender equality in primary and secondary education. Further, he said, the Council of NGOs had been established within the Committee on the Protection of Children of the Ministry of Education and Science, to ensure full interaction between governmental and non-governmental agencies dealing with children’s issues. Despite all the progress achieved, he said, the situation required continued detailed assessments, awareness raising and responses.
MARCELO SCAPPINI (Paraguay) said children and adolescents made up 36 per cent of his country. With 2.5 million people under age 18, it brought with it both challenges and opportunities. Young people defined the future of the country, he said. Yet the principal problems for Paraguay included the mistreatment of children and violence against them, child trafficking and incidents reported on vulnerable groups, including boys and girls in rural areas and indigenous communities. Those and other challenges were exacerbated by poverty, which was too often an obstacle to their development. In that regard, Paraguay considered that it was significantly important for the Government to include poverty eradication and inclusive social development in its short- to long-term national plans.
XAVIER LASSO MENDOZA (Ecuador) said that his country wished to guarantee children the full exercise of all rights. While that was an inexhaustible task, his country had achieved historic progress in education. One of the harmful effects of neoliberalism was the spreading of child labour, he said. The Ecuadorian Government had eradicated child labour through a comprehensive campaign. With regard to migrant children, Ecuador had also made a firm and respectful request to countries of destination to guarantee the rights of all children, whether migrants or not. Ecuador’s public policies aimed at strengthening early childhood development and were coordinated in an inter-sectorial way. “When we invest in early childhood,” he said, “we invest in breaking the cycle of poverty.”
BAKHTA SELMA MANSOURI (Algeria) said that her country was concerned about the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, which was prevalent in many parts of the world. Expressing support for the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign, she added that children in the occupied Palestinian territories continued to suffer. Algeria called for the accountability for the crimes committed by Israel. Despite efforts to end violence against children, progress was too slow to make a genuine breakthrough. For its part, Algeria had introduced several provisions in its national laws to protect the rights of the child, and was leading a tireless fight against child labour.
BERNARDITO CLEOPAS AUZA, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said that every outbreak of an epidemic and every natural disaster had the potential to roll back progress in reducing child mortality and improving access to nutrition, safe water and education. But it was even more tragic when such rollbacks were caused by human–perpetrated tragedies. In recent years, 3 million children had been killed in armed conflicts, and the recruitment of child soldiers persisted, with the phenomenon spreading to new regions. Further, prenatal selection eliminated babies suspected of having disabilities and female children, he said, emphasizing his concern that too many children lacked housing, food and medicines. Calling on governments and civil society to encourage all initiatives aimed at the protection of the rights of the child, he concluded by emphasizing the Catholic Church’s services to children, through its more than 300,000 social and educational institutions around the world.
PAULINA FRANCESCHI (Panama) said that genuine national wealth was found in people, beginning with children and youth. Despite good economic and development indicators, inequality in Panama continued to affect the population, particularly those in rural areas and indigenous communities. A total of 18.9 per cent of the population was experiencing extreme poverty and its attendant problems. A national secretariat worked to enhance policies geared towards adolescents and the family, and had launched several programmes, including “Sure Step”, which gave personalized care to children in social risk situations, and “Make Your Mark”, which concentrated on rebuilding family relations for children who had been abandoned. Efforts were also in place to eradicate child labour and exploitation in the labour market, she said, adding that Panama had worked with the United Nations and UNICEF to build a comprehensive plan for early childhood and youth.
WILFRIED EMVULA (Namibia) said that his country had adopted the Convention and the first two protocols in 1990, and had enacted specific legislation that translated its articles into national laws. In 2008, the African Child Policy Forum ranked Namibia as the second most child-friendly country on the continent. The current national development plan contained important provisions for children, including an emphasis on early childhood development, as well as a specific focus on orphans and other vulnerable groups. Many children in Namibia were robbed of “the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents”, because children found themselves carrying out the huge responsibility of heading households and caring for other children due to consequences of HIV/AIDS and migration. Therefore, Namibia sought to establish policies that strengthened and supported families.
REN XIAOXIA (China) said assuring the rights of children was faced with a myriad of challenges ranging from war to poverty to diseases. Those challenges were especially affecting children with disabilities and those from ethnic minorities. Economic discrimination made it impossible for children to enjoy their rights to participate fully, she added. Poverty endangered children’s survival, she continued, and had serious implications on a psychological level. The rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) had changed the lives of millions of people, including children, who benefitted from access to online resources. However, she noted that the Internet had brought new challenges, including cyber-pornography. To combat that scourge, a combination of national efforts and international cooperation was needed, she concluded.
MOHAMMAD GHAEBI (Iran) spoke of the country’s commitment to ensure the rights of children, to protect them from negligence and exploitation. At the national level, legislation had been developed to promote and protect their rights. Turning to the justice system, he noted that court sessions involving children were always held behind closed doors and in the presence of their parents or legal guardian, he said, adding that children under 18 were not sent to prison. Despite progress made at the national and international levels, he said it was regrettable that armed conflicts had the greatest impact on children, separating them from their parents and making them vulnerable to exploitation, killing and maiming. He called for the post-2015 development agenda to address the needs of children and to protect their rights.
REEM JULIA MANSOUR, of the Permanent Observer Mission for the State of Palestine, drew attention to the impact of recent Israeli attacks in Palestine and the impact that and the occupation and oppression had on children, who “had borne the brunt”. Over 50 days, 500 children were killed and 3,100 wounded — 1,000 of those so seriously that they would suffer permanent disability. A total of 373,000 remained in urgent need of psychosocial support, with many orphaned, made homeless or missing the start of the new school year. They also suffered from the illegally imposed blockade imposed by the occupying Power, which she called a “gross form of collective punishment”. Israel should uphold international law and give children the chance to lead normal lives, while the international community should protect Palestinians until the occupation ended. Israel claimed to be the region’s only democracy, she said, but it was also the only State that systematically prosecuted children in military courts, often arresting and detaining children without trial. In detention, they were subject to abuse, torture and trauma. Condemning all violence against all children, “Palestinian or Israeli”, she said Palestine had worked within the constraints imposed on it to protect children, and had acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
MAYA DAGHER (Lebanon) said her country’s constitution had guaranteed equality for all members of society, including children. Legal agreements, laws and decrees in the area of education, employment, social security, health and justice had been developed and adopted. “Education is the ideal means to empower children,” she said, adding that education protected them from becoming victims of exploitation and violence. She said that mandatory education was a way to protect children, especially girls, as it prepared them to become citizens. Despite the progress made to decrease school drop-out rates and increase enrolment, the humanitarian crisis posed a threat to those developments. The 1.5 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees, mostly children and women, who were in Lebanon, had been creating a serious crisis for the country. She then called on for additional efforts from the international community to support Lebanon.
KELEBONE MAOPE (Lesotho) said his country was aware that poverty eradication had become a chronic challenge. “No country can do it alone,” he said, calling for international cooperation for achieving this. HIV/AIDS remained a big challenge for Lesotho as the epidemic had hindered child and maternal health, and affected educational outcomes of orphaned and vulnerable children. Therefore, Lesotho had adopted a policy in 2006 to prevent, control and manage the spread of those diseases.
INTISAR NASSER MOHAMMED ABDULLAH (Yemen) said her country had taken steps in promoting the rights of the child through international instruments and national initiatives. After being born, every child had the right to a name, nationality and services, she said, and the State had to take care of children who had lost their families. Children could not be made to work, and the State must protect them against all forms of discrimination, sexual exploitation and family violence. They should not participate in armed conflicts or be recruited if they were younger than 18, she said. To address those and related concerns, the Government had established certain institutions that dealt with the rights of the child, including a special ministry on human rights and a national committee for children. Despite its modest capabilities, Yemen had achieved great success in promoting the rights of children, especially in relation to health. However, the problem of poverty and malnutrition remained, she said in conclusion.
ANDREW KIHURANI (Kenya), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, and the African Group, said he was proud to have been co-Chair of the Open Working Group on the sustainable development goals, which had addressed concerns about children in eight of the 17 proposed goals. Humanitarian crises, like the Ebola outbreak, threatened to roll back years of hard-won successes for children. Kenya had received an influx of refugees fleeing conflict and humanitarian crises, nearly half of whom were children. Nonetheless, Kenya’s commitment to ensuring the rights and welfare of children remained. Cultural barriers to girls’ education had been whittled down, with differences in enrolment declining. Further, his Government had collaborated with the Global Fund and civil society to reduce HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and was one of 22 countries involved in the Global Plan for the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015.
YIĞIT CANAY (Turkey) said programmes had been developed to address the issues of child protection and reform of the juvenile justice system, among others. Monitoring centres had also been established to provide a rapid response to child abuse. Special emphasis had been placed on the girl child, especially on guaranteeing and encouraging her education. Noting that inequality, poverty and a lack of health and education services had prevented children from fully enjoying their rights, he called on the international community to remove those barriers. Responding to allegations made by one delegation, he quoted a United Nations report, which called Turkey’s emergency response to the influx of Syrian refugees “exemplary”, as it had provided protection for more than 1.5 million Syrians living in Turkey.
ALI DEME (Burkina Faso) said 53 per cent of his country’s population was below 18 years of age, making the promotion and protection of their rights a priority. Guaranteeing a healthy environment remained a concern high on the Government’s agenda. Progress had been made, especially in the area of education, as the rate of enrolment had improved to 83.2 per cent. However, challenges persisted, especially due to a lack of financial resources and poor coordination. He expressed concern over the difficult situation faced by children due to conflict, abuse through information and communication technologies, and human trafficking, calling on States to allocate the necessary resources to protect them.
YULIANA BAHAR (Indonesia), associating himself with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said action for children should not be based on charity. Rather, children must be empowered to ensure they climbed “the ladder of life”. In Indonesia, children were protected by the constitution, and progress had been shared with the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Institutions had been strengthened, with an expanded mandate for the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, and a Child Protection Commission that independently monitored children’s rights violations. Health care was being improved through grassroots approaches, and free education was granted on the basis of equal opportunity. A presidential decree had been issued on Holistic and Integrated Early Childhood Development. She noted a national action plan to combat violence against children, and a law to tackle sexual violence specifically. A new law on juvenile justice emphasized diversion and restorative justice, while female genital mutilation had been outlawed.
RAYMOND SERGE BALÉ (Congo) said the situation of children in his country had seen progress, and the adoption of various laws on the subject showed his Government’s political will to provide a legal corpus dedicated to their protection. Positive results had been achieved with regard to children’s enrolment in education. However, many young girls, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, continued to be deprived of the right to education. He described several initiatives undertaken by his Government, such as training for those involved in children’s protection, and urgent relief measures to reduce both infant mortality and the transmission of HIV from mothers to children. The Government continued its support for all children, particularly for the vulnerable and those with disabilities, to prepare them for a better future.
JOSEPHINE LYENGI (United Republic of Tanzania), aligning with the African Group and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said the Law of the Child Act and the Children’s Act for Zanzibar had strengthened fundamental rights, ensuring justice for child offenders, witnesses and victims. Government policies had helped achieve almost 100 per cent gender equality in primary school enrolment, while health interventions were reducing child mortality. A national study on violence against children had revealed “troubling” statistics, but it also “provided an opportunity for breaking the silence” around that issue. Among efforts to combat such abuse, a child helpline had been set-up, and the Education Act would soon be repealed or amended, in order to end corporal punishment in schools. In addition, a national task force on street children had been launched, while an action plan to protect the most vulnerable would aim to reach 2.5 million children needing household care, education and health. He supported the “Children, Not Soldiers” report and called for an end to the targeting of children in conflicts.
HAHN CHOONGHEE (Republic of Korea) said many older Koreans had used stationery provided by UNICEF when they studied in primary schools, adding that education had empowered them and brought economic growth and social development. In 2013, the Government had contributed to the Fund as a testament of its will to repay the international community, especially with regard to children’s education and well-being. In addition, he said that at the national level, a special law had been enacted for children with disabilities, providing them with medial subsidies, care services and family welfare support services.
JORGE DOTTA (Uruguay) said his Government attached the highest priority to children’s rights in both internal and external policies, having formulated policies that took into account the Convention’s recommendations. As a country which previously had seen more than 60 per cent of its people under the age of 18 living in poverty, Uruguay was now an example that tackling children’s issues in a cross-cutting manner could benefit society as a whole. He noted with concern the increase in violence and exploitation, saying that regulations had been developed to tackle those issues. He then expressed concern over the presence of children in armed conflicts, calling for a comprehensive study on that issue.
JEANNE D’ARC BYAJE (Rwanda) said the Convention had received more ratifications than any other human rights instrument, but despite such progress, the implementation of legal provisions on the ground remained elusive. Her country had taken steps to improve the legal and institutional framework for the protection of the rights of the child, and regularly submitted reports on the implementation of the Convention and its two additional protocols. The National Commission for Children had been established mainly to protect children suffering from abuse, violence and exploitation. Rwanda had also empowered families and communities as centres for the protection and full development of children, hence the decision to close orphanages and integrate orphans into family-based care. Measures had been taken to break barriers to education, including building local schools for children to prevent absenteeism due to long travelling distances.
IRENE SUSAN BARREIRO NATIVIDAD (Philippines) said “the most precious human capital are our children”, which was why her country had put in place a social development programme that addressed their educational, nutritional and health needs. A conditional cash transfer programme provided monthly cash grants to families, premised on them sending their children to school, bringing them to a health centre for check-ups and attending family development sessions. The goal of the programme was for children to finish high school so they could have a greater chance of getting employed, thus breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. Her country had also provided for a universal health care programme and passed a reproductive health law to address child and maternal deaths. Cyber pornography was a new form of child sexual exploitation, she said, highlighting the need to create a safe ICT environment for children.
OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), endorsing the statement made on behalf of the Africa Group, and renewing the invitation for the Special Rapporteur on child prostitution to visit his country, said that children must be at the core of the post-2015 agenda, with a view of realizing their fundamental right to education. Wider and more coherent partnerships at all levels were needed to operationalize national action plans. Welcoming recent cooperation agreements on children and armed conflict, he condemned all involvement of children in such conflicts as well as attacks on schools in Gaza, urging an end to impunity for those acts. His country, he stated, was on track to meeting the Millennium Goals on education, child mortality and maternal health, with programmes being implemented in strong partnership with UNICEF. There were national programmes to aid street children and to end all forms of violence against all children. He looked forward for more resources to bolster the fight against female genital mutilation, which, he added, persisted in many countries in Africa.
STEPHAN TAFROV (Bulgaria) said tailored children-centred policies and strategies had been developed and implemented, especially through the promotion of good parenting, the provision of high-quality services for children and families and ensuring access to quality education and health care for all children. Efforts had been made to provide effective support to families at risk, in order to prevent the separation of children from their families. In shaping the post-2015 development framework, he continued, Bulgaria advocated for the inclusion of children and young adolescents in the discussions, believing that children’s rights should be at the heart of it.
AMINA LOUALI (Niger) said it was the international community’s duty to follow up and act on the conventions that protected the rights of the child. Niger had prioritized education with free schools and the enrolment of girls. Many girls, particularly the most disadvantaged, still did not finish their schooling due to security or cultural or economic reasons. When they did go to school, obstacles, such as early marriages, prevented them from reaching their potential. She concluded by calling on the international community to accelerate progress in promoting and protecting the rights of all children.
DO HUNG VIET (Viet Nam) said that children should be at the heart of discussions on the new development agenda. Hundreds of millions of children were living in extreme poverty and in every region of the world, children faced risks of violence. The international community must recommit to protecting the rights of each and every child. The peaceful settlement of disputes, poverty eradication and giving all boys and girls equal access to quality education were crucial steps for a better future. Viet Nam was the second country in the world to ratify the Convention and had integrated it into the country’s national policies. Having achieved universal primary education, his country was moving towards universal secondary education, and was working towards eliminating gender inequality in education.
JEFFREY SALIM WAHEED (Maldives) said in his country the greatest threat to children and their future was climate change. Children accounted for 44 per cent of the population, and the promotion and protection of their rights was a high priority. Maldives had ratified the Convention in 1991, soon after it was opened for signature, and was among the first signatories of its Third Optional Protocol on communications. Highlighting various efforts to strengthen the system for enforcing children’s rights, he said numerous challenges remained, such as a high divorce rate and severe housing conditions, which exposed children to physical abuse. The Government was committed to delivering youth-oriented policies and was investing heavily in education, he concluded.
TAMTA KUPRADZE (Georgia), aligning his delegation with the statement delivered by the European Union, noted that domestic violence had been criminalized. An action plan to combat domestic violence and to protect its victims had three main goals: improving legislative mechanisms for prevention, protection, and assistance to victims; rehabilitation of victims; and preventive measures and awareness-raising. She described several other plans seeking to harmonize national policy with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and pointed also to efforts made to help displaced children. She set out “grave concerns” over serious violations of the rights of children in occupied parts of Georgia. They were deprived of internationally recognized rights to education in their mother tongue and health care. Barriers on the occupation line had prevented free movement, even in the case of medical emergency, and Georgian children had been subjected to ethnically targeted violence in occupied regions.
MARJON KAMARA (Liberia) recalled that for years, his country had been too dangerous a place for children to play. It had made “incredible” progress on children’s rights, having become in 2011 one of the first countries to enact comprehensive legislation with the National Children’s Act. Recent statistics had shown that 23.4 per cent of survivors of gender-based violence were between the ages of 6 and 12, most having suffered statutory rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sodomy and trafficking. Last year, Liberia signed an agreement with UNICEF for the 2013-2017 period, enhancing Government efforts to protect children. Through education and advocacy, among other efforts, practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation were gradually being eliminated.
MOHAMED IBRAHIM MOHAMED ELBAHI (Sudan) said the rights of the child had priority on his Government’s agenda, which was proven by the ratification of all conventions on children. At the national level, initiatives undertaken in conjunction with UNICEF to improve the situation of children had made an impact. He underlined the need to assist conflict-affected States in bringing about dialogue with opposing groups. Referring to the Secretary-General’s reports, he said information contained therein should be verified and correct. He was concerned that some rebels were wearing uniforms similar to a national army, which he said was a way to trick other parties. He therefore asked that the Government of Sudan could be permitted to clarify any information before it was included in reports. He also asked that data and numbers were shared with Government and the capital, and not only with accredited missions.
ELSA HAILE (Eritrea) said the traditional maxim “testisbuqu n’qu’ol’u”, meaning “all the good things for children”, described concisely how her society viewed them both as vulnerable and as an asset for the future. Ensuring their rights and well-being through development was her Government’s top priority. As a result of its policies, Eritrea had achieved health-related Millennium Development Goals. Moreover, polio had been eradicated and vaccinations against different diseases had been regularly and widely conducted. She also said that educational centres had been built in previously disadvantaged areas, and mobile schools had been effective in providing nomadic communities with access to education.
Ms. KARABAEVA (Kyrgyzstan) said that the country’s new constitution guaranteed the rights of the child, including those in vulnerable situations, such as those with disabilities. In order to achieve progress, comprehensive measures backed up by the appropriate resources were necessary. Her country had put in place a strong system of education, which supported those studying in primary and secondary schools, in order to protect the right to education for all children. There was also a national system for sexual health protection. Kyrgyzstan was also one of the first post-Soviet States to adopt World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for live births, and had achieved the appropriate level of birth registration. For its part, Kyrgyzstan was now working to strengthen and support the family, she said.
MPHO MOGOBE (Botswana) said great efforts had been made to ensure access to — and the quality of — education in the country, as it was recognised as a pre-requisite for a decent life. Improvements had been made to the health infrastructure, in particular, in immunisation and supplementary feeding to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Concerns were related to child labour, the lack of facilities for children with disabilities, and the lack of children’s courts, mainly due to inadequate financial resources and skilled human capital. She called on the United Nations and development partners for continued support.
AMINA MOHAMMED (Bahrain) said national legislation aimed to safeguard children’s rights, and especially, to protect them from abuse. Turning to the judicial system, she cited initiatives to protect children from torture during investigations and provide them with legal protection, as well as efforts to raise awareness about the need to protect children. A hotline had been established to address issues of bodily torture and psychological restraint. Actions had been taken in close cooperation with civil society and international partners, in order to avoid overlap and find solutions.
ERVIN NINA (Albania), associating himself with the European Union, said the Convention reflected a new view of the child — neither the property of parents nor helpless subjects of charity. Children had rights in their own interest. Yet, they still bore the burden of violence and war. Twenty-five years after the adoption of the Convention, child rights were being violated every day. In Albania, education for Roma children was a major challenge. The Government’s new strategy outlined that every Roma child would be enrolled in kindergarten with or without birth certificates. The Government would not wait for Roma mothers to knock on the doors of the school; it was now the responsibility of educators to ensure that children were registered. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention was an opportunity to enhance the focus on the rights of the child.
VIKTORIA SHVYDCHENKO (Ukraine), associating herself with the European Union, said that protection of children’s rights was high on her Government’s agenda, “especially now that our people, including the little ones, are suffering from the Russian Federation’s open aggression against the country”. Urging the Russian Federation to cease its blatant violations of international law, she said Russian-sponsored terrorist groups in eastern Ukraine were abducting children, including from orphanages and medical facilities. More than half the children in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions had no access to education on the territory controlled by armed groups. Ukraine was stepping up efforts to render psychological assistance to children affected by the atmosphere of intimidation and fear.
EDEM KOMI AMOUDOKPO (Togo) said the more educated a child was, the less vulnerable he or she would be to poverty, conflict and violence. He stressed his country’s investment in the education sector, which was aimed at building schools and training teachers. Free pre-school and primary education was provided, as were meals, grants and school supplies for the most disadvantaged. In addition, regular awareness and communication campaigns had been organized to change the behaviour of communities towards the most vulnerable groups, including girls, while a hotline to denounce abuses also had been established. Despite significant progress, challenges persisted, especially in the retention of female students and children in rural areas.
FAKHRI ALIYEV (Azerbaijan) said the protection of children’s rights had always been among the priorities of his Government. As a country suffering from the grave consequences of aggression, Azerbaijan strongly condemned all violations of international humanitarian law committed against children in situations of armed conflict. Underlining the progress achieved in recent years, he stressed the importance of supporting the reintegration of thousands of children, released from armed forces or groups, into society. Urging that the root causes of armed conflicts be addressed, he reiterated his country’s commitment to continue contributing to the effective protection of children’s rights.
AGOK ANYAR MADUT (South Sudan), aligning himself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, said his country was an autonomous region where 51 per cent of the population was under the age of 18. The majority of South Sudanese were young and rural-based. In order to meet their needs, the Education Bill of 2012 had made primary school compulsory. The ratio of girls to boys in school was improving, and could be attributed to his Government’s political will to improve gender equality and to empower the girl child. Years of conflict had prevented South Sudan from achieving the Millennium Development Goals as they related to children. Indeed, civil war had prevented many children from attending school. Today, South Sudan was mobilizing and reintegrating children who had been part of the armed conflict. The international community must not turn a blind eye to the blatant recruitment of children by rebel groups.
ANESIE NDAYISHIMIYE (Burundi), associating herself with the African Group, said children were “the world of tomorrow” and they deserved to inherit a world without conflict. A party to the Convention since 1990, Burundi had enshrined the rights of the child in its national laws. Free education was provided for all children, as was free health care for pregnant women and children under five years old. Much remained to be done, as the country still suffered the effects of past conflict, poverty and HIV/AIDS. Burundi was demobilizing child soldiers with support from UNICEF, and she commended the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign. A significant number of children continued to be vulnerable to poverty, and she commended those who put their lives at risk in order to bring about a better world for children.
KARIMA BARDAOUI (Tunisia) expressed concern over the challenges that children continued to face, stressing that the success of the promotion and protection of children’s rights depended on collective commitment and effort. Underlining the role of education in the new constitution, she said the Government was working to enhance children’s rights. Calling the protection of infants a moral responsibility, she urged the international community to ensure their rights, as well as those of adolescents.
ISABELLE PICCO (Monaco), welcoming the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention, said children must live with dignity and respect. Children were the future and the present, she said, reiterating Monaco’s support for the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign. Further, a lack of access to education and health care was a major challenge, and she called for international cooperation in the protection of children’s rights, which were essential for sustainable development.
MILORAD ŠĆEPANOVIĆ (Montenegro), calling the wellbeing of families “crucial” to the wellbeing of society, urged recognition of and support for the range of family “forms” within which children were being reared. Various initiatives had led to a 40 per cent increase in the number of children in non-kinship foster families, showing that fostering was a way to improve services for children who lacked adequate parental care. Turning to the juvenile system, he discussed the application of victim-offender mediation for juveniles, noting that work with at-risk families and on the rights of children participating in civil and administrative proceedings were areas that required further attention.
ISMAEL GASPAR MARTINS (Angola), associating himself with the African Group, SADC, and the Group of 77 and China, said his country’s constitution established several principles that guaranteed children’s rights. Further, the Government ensured free birth registration for children, and had created registry offices within municipal administrations to accomplish that task. The infant mortality rate had reduced considerably, while deaths due to malaria had dropped from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. Angola was working to address the remaining challenges, including the spread of HIV/AIDS and proliferation of counterfeit medicines.
JOHN ZULU (Zambia) said education was a human right essential for the exercise of all other human rights, ensuring the protection of all children in their life journey. Significant progress had been made at the primary education level. Recognizing that higher education and skills development were crucial for enhancing young peoples’ employability, the Government had begun building universities in each province. He noted the persistence of child, early and forced marriage as a hindrance to girls’ economic opportunities, as well as to national development. In addition, poverty remained a critical threat to the fulfilment of children’s rights.
Mr. TUPOUNIUA (Tonga) said that his country had maintained a special focus on the education of its children and youth. Their literacy rates were high, and primary education for both girls and boys was virtually universal, with an overwhelming majority of students continuing on to secondary education, regardless of gender. His Government’s spending on education consistently comprised 10 to 20 per cent of the national budget. Yet despite the attention afforded to children, they remained a vulnerable population, especially with regard to the adverse effects of climate change.
MARÍA SOLEDAD URRUELA ARENALES (Guatemala) said that her country knew first-hand how children suffered during an armed conflict. In addition to the risk of violence, resources that could be used for development and education had to be diverted. Many of the weapons in her country were remnants of the long internal conflict the country had undergone. No country could face such complex problems alone, she said. Therefore, Guatemala was in favour of mechanisms, such as the Arms Trade Treaty, that aimed at reducing armed conflict. Further, she said, the rapid development of digital technology presented great potential for education. However, it was essential to bridge the digital gap between the children of developed and developing countries, while also ensuring that children were protected from the hidden dangers.
AMINA SMAILA (Nigeria) said that her country had made considerable progress in children’s rights by adhering to relevant international instruments and by creating appropriate domestic policy frameworks. Highlights of the Child Rights Act included provisions of the child justice administration and prohibition of female genital mutilation and early marriage. The Act also established a committee to implement those rules and put in place specific programmes to advance child rights. It also had a monitoring role. Turning to armed conflict, she added that the Government of Nigeria was shocked by the deplorable acts of Boko Haram and, with the help of the United Nations and other partners, would put a stop to them. “The Government of Nigeria had no higher priority than defeating Boko Harm and bringing back the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls,” she stressed. The Government was putting in place a multi-faceted strategy, focusing on making schools safer, and working with local communities and efforts aimed at de-radicalization.
FIAMMA ARDITI DI CASTELVETERE MANZO, of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said nearly 7 million children under age 5 died every year — that was 12 children every minute. She mentioned several initiatives undertaken by the Order in the area of nutrition, neonatal care and safe birthing. Turning to Syria, she said that the organization was supporting a school, where 1,650 children attended class.
Ms. TOUGAS, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, focused on preventing and responding to sexual violence affecting children in situations of armed conflict. She drew attention to the absolute prohibition against rape and other forms of sexual violence by human rights law at all times, and by international humanitarian law during both international and non-international armed conflict. Domestic implementation was essential to ensure respect for the international humanitarian law and other bodies of international law. “Sexual violence — including that which affects children during armed conflict — is reprehensible, and its consequences are tragic. But it is preventable”, she said, urging States and the international community to make the extra effort needed to reach that common goal.
Right of Reply
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the representative of Russian Federation said his delegation was shocked by the statement made by the delegation of Ukraine. Underlining that thousands of lives had been affected because of Ukrainian aggression, including rocket attacks, he said that Ukraine did not understand the pointlessness of their speculation on the suffering of the population, including the children.