Sommaire: October 11, 2002: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union, on The Rights of children. Fifty-Seventh session of the General Assembly, Third Committee: Item 105 (New York)
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Associated Countries - Cyprus and Turkey align themselves with this statement.
Twelve years ago, at the World Summit for Children, we made a joint commitment and issued a universal appeal to give every child a better future. In May this year, we met again for the Special Session on Children and reaffirmed our obligations and assumed new commitments. In this regard, we have to make sure that we create and foster opportunities for children's voices to be heard.
The outcome document 'A world fit for children' is focused, action oriented and builds on the achievements of the past decade.
We must ensure that the outcome document does not remain words alone but that it is fully implemented. It is of utmost importance that the international community continues to develop new measures, including policies and legislative measures, to help children and to protect and to promote their rights. The best interest of the child must be the primary consideration in all our actions concerning children. The specific situation of the girl child should be highlighted.
The European Union would like to highlight certain priorities in this connection:
Concerning the Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the human rights treaty ratified by the highest number of countries in history, guarantees to children a comprehensive set of rights for participation, education, protection and care; together with its optional Protocols the Convention constitutes the normative framework for all our actions in relation to children, including implementation of the Special Session outcome document. We are committed to a child rights-based approach founded on the best
interests of the child, their survival and development, non-discrimination and participation.
The Convention applies to all children, but the rights of many are not realised. We must do more to ensure that all children are reached, particularly children belonging to the most marginalized or disadvantaged groups, such as disabled children. The rights of indigenous children or children belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities deserve special attention.
At the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, children told us that they want to see implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They are impatient and for a good reason: An enormous gap exists between the good intentions of international treaties and the real-life conditions of poverty, neglect, involvement in armed conflict and exploitation that millions of children world wide are forced to endure. In spite of progress in some areas, much remains to be
done.
Concerning sexual and reproductive health care and services
The EU underlines the importance it attaches to ensuring that children live healthy lives, including with regard to reproductive health and reiterates that reproductive health services are crucial elements in the fight against poverty.
The Development Ministers of the European Union in May of this year reconfirmed their strong conviction of the importance of improving reproductive health for development. They furthermore underlined that reproductive sexual and health care, services and education are crucial elements in the fight against poverty and hence essential elements in reaching the goals and targets set by international conferences and summits, including the MDG's. The EU attaches great importance to the activities of
the United Nations Population Fund as a major contribution to reproductive health and rights Issues. UNFPA gets our strong support and deserves the support of all governments to pursue its activities - thereby contributing to reaching the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those related to HIV/AIDS, and maternal and child mortality.
The European Union is pleased that the Special Session on Children reconfirmed the consensus reached at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 and its five year review in 1999. We encourage all countries to follow up on the commitments made by the international community giving high priority to reproductive health.
Concerning death penalty
At the Special Session, the European Union made a special appeal to those countries, including those which are Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which retain the death penalty for juvenile offenders who were under 18 at the time the crime was committed of crime. It is important to bear in mind that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has almost universal adherence, unreservedly prohibits the application of capital punishment for offences committed by persons
below 18 years of age. It remains a key priority of the European Union to work towards the abolition of the death penalty.
Mr. Chairman,
While the European Union believes that much progress has been made at the Special Session, there is still much to be done in order to get past the stage of intentions. First and foremost, the European Union considers it of paramount importance that the countries which have committed themselves to the Convention on the Rights of the Child actually implement its provisions and that those who have not yet ratified it do so. The European Union is concerned by the extent of the reservations tabled
with regard to this instrument. It will continue to oppose impermissible reservations and to urge their withdrawal. The European Union also calls on States to sign, ratify and implement the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In this context the adoption and implementation of National Plans of action, the establishment and strengthening of monitoring structures and of institutions such as ombudspersons for children and adolescents will be essential for a systematic implementation both of the outcome document and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The European Union wishes to welcome the great work accomplished by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and calls upon all Parties to co-operate fully with the Committee. The Committee seeks new means to enhance awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention and in this respect the Committee's decision to devote periodically one day for a general discussion on a specific article of the Convention or on a child rights theme is welcomed. The European Union strongly encourages
States, which have not yet done so to give their consent to the amendment to Article 43(2) of the Convention, enabling enlargement of the Committee from ten to eighteen experts.
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me to highlight three subjects of particular importance to the EU; poverty, armed conflict and violence.
Poverty is the root cause of most infringements of children's rights. Bearing in mind that the realisation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children is of crucial importance for their development, poverty eradication must remain at the forefront of our efforts. The European Union appeals to States to continue to devote special attention to the needs of children when implementing the Millennium Declaration.
The EU calls on the international community to strengthen efforts to combat poverty. Education is both a human right and a key factor to reducing poverty. Girl's education especially is essential to ensure the eradication of poverty as well as the advancement of woman's human rights.
Mr. Chairman,
The European Union takes note with great satisfaction that the calls made by the Secretary-General in his report on children and armed conflict submitted last year have been reflected in Security Council Resolution 1379/2001. The resolution is a valuable example of how the mobilisation of the international community may advance the rights of children.
The entering into force of the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict constitutes a remarkable step in furthering the rights of the child. The European Union urges those States, which have not yet done so to ratify and implement both this Optional Protocol and the Statute of the International Criminal Court, which classifies the enlistment of children as war crimes conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 years old into national armed forces or using
them to participate actively in hostilities.
The European Union wishes to express its support for the work of the Special Representative, in particular in raising worldwide awareness and mobilizing official and public opinion for the protection of children affected by armed conflict. The EU will particularly aim at reinforcing international action concerning children in armed conflict in all appropriate fora focusing in particular on early warning as regards child rights violations, support for ongoing monitoring and rehabilitation
activities within the UN, awareness for the special protection needs of girls in armed conflict and the importance of the fight against impunity.
Mr. Chairman,
Children have the right to be protected against all forms of violence and exploitation as well as traditional and customary practices ruining their physical or psychological well-being. The European Union reiterates the total rejection of all these forms of violence against children.
Children continue to be victims of many forms of sexual exploitation, such as prostitution, pornography, trafficking, acts of paedophilia and sexual abuse. In EU Member States a number of measures, both national and international, including through meetings of ministers in charge of children, have been introduced to combat the sexual exploitation of children. The European Union continues to fight this problem, for instance, through the STOP and DAPHNE programmes.
The European Union welcomes the entering into force of the Optional Protocol concerning the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The EU urges states, which have not already done so to ratify and implement this Optional Protocol. The Yokohama Global Commitment confirms the agreement to protect children from commercial sexual exploitation and underlines the implementation of the Stockholm Plan of Action and Declaration.
Unfortunately, other forms of exploitation are also widespread. Child labour, one form of exploitation, is another important issue and strongly related with poverty. Free, accessible and good quality education is a key tool in combating child labour. The European Union calls on those States, which have not yet done so to ratify ILO Convention 138 and 182, and calls on the States that are parties to the two Conventions to honour their commitments.
The European Union looks forward to the findings of the Secretary-General's study on violence against children, which is likely to be as thorough and influential as his report on the impact of armed conflict on children.
The European Union remains committed to working together with other Member States and the United Nations system in finding the most effective ways of strengthening the support of children's rights. In doing so, the European Union emphasizes the achievements and the work carried out by UNICEF, ILO and UNFPA for children's rights.
At the Special Session children and adolescents all over the world pledged their own commitment for 'an equal partnership in this fight for children's rights'. They declared 'their readiness for a united struggle to make the world fit for children, because this would be a world fit for everyone'. The EU is committed to take up its share of this global responsibility.
Thank you.
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