Children’s Lives Are Still Threatened by Violence, Discrimination, Conflicts, Third Committee Emphasizes as It Discusses Their Rights
Delegates Also Highlight Structural Inequalities Blocking Women’s Participation in Decision-Making, Labour Market
Coinciding with the tenth International Day of the Girl Child, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its debate on the rights of children today, with delegates highlighting the special vulnerability of girls to violence, discrimination and harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage.
Globally, children’s rights remain unfulfilled, as their access to health care, nutrition and education continues to be hampered amid global challenges, exaggerating existing inequalities between developing and developed countries, speakers noted. Armed conflicts and terrorism constitute additional, significant threats to children’s development and enjoyment of their human rights.
The representative of Eritrea underscored challenges children face in accessing healthcare, nutrition and education. Pointing to the pandemic’s impact, she described the lack of access to digital technologies for most children in developing States as a “poignant symbol of existing inequalities between children in developing and developed countries”. Addressing the digital divide will be critical in bridging wealth gaps between rich and poor nations, she said. Highlighting domestic measures and initiatives for protecting children’s rights in her country, she said community groups have contributed to combating practices such as female genital mutilation and underage marriages.
“Girls are especially affected by crises when they occur, as they are vulnerable to violence, early and forced marriage, and dropping out of school,” Lebanon’s delegate said. Stressing that children in her country are bearing the brunt of one of the world’s worst economic crises in recent times, she emphasized the need to provide boys and girls with quality education.
The representative of Iraq said the presence of Da’esh in his country has made children their first targets and victimized them. “For years, we had to overcome these great crises and enshrine the rights of the child in various legislative measures and activities,” he added, listing a series of tools to safeguard the rights of children, including the most vulnerable.
Similarly, Hungary’s delegate said actions must be taken to protect children in an increasingly complicated context of global crises, climate change and armed conflict. She stressed the need to eradicate children’s recruitment into armed groups, trafficking and forced adoption, highlighting her country’s initiative to foster education, support vulnerable families and protect the rights of minorities.
Also today, the Committee concluded its debate on the advancement of women, with delegates pointing to structural inequalities that block women’s participation in decision-making and the labour market. They also spotlighted gender-based violence, gender stereotypes, sexual harassment and abuse as other scourges they face.
Albania’s representative underscored the discrepancy between goals on paper and results achieved, pointing to women’s continued underrepresentation and marginalization in decision-making processes. Stressing that the COVID-19 pandemic has widened the gender poverty gap, he said economic insecurity has also increased women’s vulnerability to violence.
Greece’s delegate pointed to his country’s National Action Plan for Gender Equality 2021-2025, which includes initiatives to combat and prevent domestic violence, encourage women’s participation in decision-making, as well as the job market and bolster gender mainstreaming. He highlighted his Government’s support to the #MeToo movement through a website providing information and supportive material on sexual harassment and abuse.
Also speaking were the representatives of Morocco, El Salvador, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Costa Rica and Cyprus. The youth delegate of Iceland also spoke.
The Third Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 12 October, to hold a general discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples.
Statements
Ms. PETURSDOTTIS, youth delegate of Iceland, said children are at a higher risk of trafficking and abuse in times of increased instability, civil conflicts and territorial wars. Noting that children and youth are currently experiencing more natural disasters, she stressed that armed conflict and climate crises highly threaten their human rights. Pointing to her country’s measures to safeguard the socialization of children in pre-schools and primary schools, she cited studies showing that youth impacted by lockdowns are more exposed to domestic violence, calling on States to provide resources to mitigate their suffering. She detailed her country’s engagement in preventing and answering to child abuse, as well as partnerships with United Nations agencies to empower girls and end child marriage and female genital mutilation.
AMINE CHABI (Morocco) stressed that the emphasis on children’s rights is more important now than ever, as they suffer globally from economic crises, armed conflict and the consequences of the pandemic. Morocco operates according to its Strategic Roadmap, which includes provisions for an observatory to gather data. The framework for all actions relating to children is defined in the country’s Constitution, which protects child’s rights without discrimination, he said. Further, it stresses the importance of the family as a unit of society. As part of a larger human development plan focusing on young children, the Government is building new schools in addition to the 5,000 already existing ones.
MAYRA LISSETH SORTO ROSALES (El Salvador) reiterated the commitment of her country to provide children with equal opportunities and a future without violence. To this end, the Government has strengthened institutions in charge of child protection and established early childhood centres and a national council for early childhood. She pointed to the recently launched educational reform “my new school” that contributes to transforming education, and provides technological tools and infrastructure, enabling universal access to quality training and education. Moreover, the “be born with love” law was introduced to guarantee sensitive care for new-borns and mothers, while other initiatives aim to promote breastfeeding and the link between children and their mothers. The detention of child migrants is never in the best interest of the child, she underscored, pointing to a comprehensive care plan to guarantee protection and full recovery of rights of children and adolescent migrants.
HAIDER MAHMOOD (Iraq) stressed that his country has suffered from terrorist acts and various crises but is aware that investing in the rights of the child is an investment in the future. “The presence of Da’esh in Iraq has made children the first targets and victimized them”, he said, adding that “for years, we had to overcome these great crises and enshrine the rights of the child in various legislative measures and activities, particularly focusing on the most vulnerable”. These include a law that has been submitted to Parliament to ensure a safe environment for children; specific provisions in the country’s Constitution that define the State’s responsibility for protecting children; adaptation of the criminal code to comply with the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which aims at ensuring justice for all children, he said. He also detailed a national strategy for early child development for the period 2022 to 2025 and collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in this regard.
MAGDOLNA PONGOR (Hungary), aligning with the European Union, said that actions must be taken to protect children in an increasingly complicated context of global crises, climate change and armed conflict, also stressing the need to eradicate recruitment into armed groups, trafficking and forced adoption. Assigning children a high priority, Hungary provides them with free education, a catering scheme, and full parental leave as well as parenting support to vulnerable families, she said. Further, to protect the rights of minorities, children may receive education in their mother tongue. Adding that values such as respect for equality, democracy, and diversity are instilled into all curricula, she said Hungary is invested in the wellbeing of children for the future of the nation.
AYA KAMAL IBRAHIM HASSAN (Egypt), aligning herself with the African Group, emphasized that her Government has prioritized the rights of the child in the context of its national strategy. Noting that schooling rates have considerably risen while child mortality rates have fallen, she drew attention to initiatives to empower girls, establish space for them to freely express themselves, and teach girls basic skills, including digital skills, to develop their full potential. Despite challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Egypt has striven to improve its educational system by providing training for teachers and implementing monitoring systems to ensure improvements in the education system. Moreover, the Government has undertaken initiatives to address the needs of refugee children by providing them with education and health services. She further spotlighted the national campaign to tackle bullying in schools.
JEANNE MRAD (Lebanon) noted that today’s discussions on the rights of the child coincide with the 10th International Day of the Girl Child. She stressed that girls are especially affected by crises when they occur, as they are vulnerable to violence, early and forced marriage and dropping out of school. Quality education is the best tool for children, she said, urging the international community to maintain momentum created by the Transforming Education Summit. In Lebanon, she said that “children are bearing the brunt of one of the world’s worst economic collapses in recent times, as described by the World Bank”. She pointed to an initiative her country is implementing with UNICEF and other stakeholders, which aims to place children at the centre of the response to complex ongoing crises.
ZEBIB GEBREKIDAN (Eritrea), aligning herself with the African Group, said that children continue to be hampered in accessing healthcare, nutrition and education, and increasingly fall victim to discrimination, abuse and violence. Adding that the impact of the pandemic has worsened progress in education, she said the lack of access to digital technologies for most children in developing countries is a “poignant symbol of existing inequalities between children in developing and developed countries”, adding that “addressing this gap will be critical to bridging the wealth gaps between rich and poor nations”. She pointed to domestic measures for protecting children’s rights, noting that a legal basis has been set up in her country’s civil and penal codes. Through social awareness campaigns, community groups have contributed to combating practises such as, anti-female genital mutilation and underage marriages, she said.
EMMANUEL FIEGOLO (Cote d’Ivoire) stressing that the role of women is vital in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, said his country has joined several multi-lateral initiatives such as the Generation Equality Forum. He added that gender-equality is a priority for the country’s president, who was one of the pioneers in the HeForShe campaign and also currently chairs the National Women’s Council. Turning to public health, he said the Government provides access to reproductive health services for women. He stressed that rights will only be guaranteed once ignorance and poverty are eradicated. To this end, the country raises awareness of rights through mandatory school and literacy campaigns, while providing financial support for women through several entrepreneurship funds. To consolidate gains, the government established a new National Agenda and an Observatory, he said.
ENIAN LAMCE (Albania), aligning himself with the European Union, voiced concern over the huge gap between what has been achieved on paper and implementation on the ground. Highlighting women’s continued underrepresentation and marginalization in decision-making processes, he observed that progress at the grassroots level is missing. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified gender-based inequalities and widened the gender poverty gap, pushing women into extreme poverty. Economic insecurity has increased women’s vulnerability to violence worldwide, he asserted, adding that women are targeted by record-high levels of political violence. The gender lens must be incorporated in all future reforms to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he stressed.
LETICIA MARÍA ZAMORA ZUMBADO (Costa Rica) pointed to the impact of global crises, especially the pandemic, on women, and called for actions to address “systemic and systematic violence” and “close the gaps that impede their full enjoyment of rights”. Urging gender mainstreaming across all agendas, she stressed that women’s rights are related to global issues such as climate change, inequality, peace and security. She noted that women must walk long distances to obtain clean water, are exposed to rape and abduction, and are 14 times more likely to die from natural disasters than men. She then pointed to her country’s efforts to prevent violence and establish safe spaces for women for their involvement in all spheres.
ANASTASIOS KEZAS (Greece), aligning with the European Union, said his country’s National Action Plan for Gender Equality 2021-2025 includes initiatives to combat and prevent domestic violence, encourage women’s participation in decision-making and the labour market and bolster gender mainstreaming. He noted that the Government supported the MeToo movement through a website providing information and supportive material on sexual harassment and abuse. Adding that Greece has signed many international and regional conventions on gender equality, he said the country is a penholder of the resolution on the safety for journalists, which condemns attacks on women journalists and media workers on and offline.
ANDREAS HADJICHRYSANTHOU (Cyprus), aligning himself with the European Union, expressed concern about the unprecedented challenges imposed on human rights and gender equality by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women’s leadership should be at the centre of recovery efforts, he underlined, adding that the advancement of women cannot be achieved in isolation. Noting that the effects of all crises, including climate change, continue to disproportionately affect women, he stressed the importance of tackling structural inequalities and gender stereotypes to ensure women’s full participation in all spheres of life. To eliminate gender-based violence and gender inequality, the Government has introduced comprehensive legislation criminalizing all forms of violence against women, including a law on combating online sexism.