Childreach & Plan Participate In United Nations Special Session On Children

Childreach
Friday, 2 February 2001

Childreach and PLAN International had a highly visible presence at the U.N. Preparatory Committee Meeting throughout the week of 29 January - 2 February 2001. The meeting was held to prepare a draft outcome document on Children's Rights Issues for the Special Session to be held this September.

PLAN International Executive Director, John Greensmith, presented to delegates from nations and nongovernmental organizations around the world at the Invitation to Join the Global Movement. Mohan Thazhathu, PLAN's lead on the Child Rights initiative, spoke of the need for a focus on children at an Official Session. Various PLAN staff participated in caucuses and sessions throughout the week.

In the exhibit hall, PLAN featured children's perspectives on six topic areas: Birth Registration, Education, Media, HIV/AIDS, Youth Participation, and Early Childhood Care and Development.

Two of the highlights of the week were PLAN sponsored events. The first was a live chat between young people and delegates at the United Nations and PLAN children in Kenya. Two groups of children on two online computers communicated for an hour about children's rights issues. The children in Kenya wanted to make sure that the children at the U.N. were representing their issues. A Kenyan delegate even joined in on the conversation.

The second, more visible, piece was a video presentation by PLAN at the Rallying Call Invitation event on Friday. The video featured PLAN children in El Salvador and Togo asking their delegates to address specific issues that affect them in their homes. The children in El Salvador were particularly moving as they were clearly still affected by the recent earthquakes in their area.

The conclusion of the weeklong event was the announcement of the Rallying Call for the Global Movement for Children. The Rallying Call presents 10 statements to direct child-focused initiatives:

1. Leave No Child Out: Because every girl and boy is born free and equal in dignity and rights, all forms of discrimination and exclusion against children must end.

2. Put Children First: Governments must meet their obligations to children and young people. At the same time, everyone - including individuals, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, the private sector, and children and adolescents themselves - must recognize their responsibility to ensure that child rights are respected.

3. Care for every Child: All children must enjoy the highest attainable standard of health, especially through immunization, good nutrition and diet, clean water and adequate sanitation, proper housing and a safe and healthy environment.

4. Fight HIV/AIDS: Children and adolescents and their families must be protected from the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS.

5. Stop Harming and Exploiting Children: The violence and abuse that children suffer must be stopped now. And the sexual and economic exploitation of children must end.

6. Listen to Children: Everyone must respect the right of children and young people to express themselves and to participate in decisions that affect them, consistent with their evolving capabilities. And we must listen and act.

7. Educate Every Child: All girls and boys must receive a compulsory, free primary education of good quality.

8. Protect Children from War: Children must be protected from the horrors of armed conflict.

9. Protect the Earth for Children: There must be urgent steps by every one of us including governments, civil society and the private sector to assure the well-being and security of future generations by safeguarding the environment at all levels.

10. Fight Poverty: Invest in Children: Because children suffer the most from poverty, the fight against it must begin with them. This includes investing in social services that benefit the poorest children and their families, such as basic health care and primary education. At the same time, the well-being of children must be a priority objective of debt relief programs, development assistance and government spending.

At the next Prepcom in June, these 10 points will supply the major themes for discussion. PLAN will also focus its presentations - exhibits, brochures, and speeches on these ten topics.

For more information, or to contact Childreach, see their website at: www.childreach.org