UN: Follow-up meeting to a 'World Fit For Children'

Summary: This event will take place in New York next week to evaluate the progress made in fulfilling the goals set out in the UN’s 'World Fit for Children' plan of action.

NEW: Read our report from the Children's Forum here

What is the event? / What will happen at the event? / The High-Level Plenary Meeting / The Children's Forum / Side Events / Launch of Reports / Further Information

What is the event?

An event will take place in New York next week to evaluate the progress made in fulfilling the goals set out in the UN’s ‘World Fit For Children’ plan of action.

The plan was made as a result of the UN Special Session on Children, which took place in New York in 2002. It is a commitment by world leaders from more than 180 countries to protect and promote children's rights.

The aim of the Special Session was to review progress made for children since 1990 (when the Convention on the Rights of the Child was born), and in particular the goals of the World Summit for Children. Organisers also wanted to make a renewed commitment to children by developing a new global agenda for the coming decade.

The event has been officially called the ‘commemorative high level plenary meeting of the General Assembly and Roundtable discussions,’ and it will take place from 11 to 12 December.

UNICEF, in collaboration with Save the Children and other members of the Global Movement for Children partnership, has organised a two-day Children’s Forum to be held on 9 and 10 December in New York.

What will happen at the event?

CRIN will be attending the General Assembly meeting and the Children’s Forum, and we will produce updates, including a special CRINMAIL, on the discussions.

NEWS: Children's preparation forum - 10 December 2007

The High-Level Plenary Meeting

  • The high-level plenary meeting will comprise plenary meetings and two thematic interactive round tables;
  • The President of the General Assembly has proposed the following themes for the round tables: 1) Promoting healthy lives and combating HIV/AIDS
    2) Providing universal quality education as key to achieving the MDGs and as the first line of protection against abuse, exploitation and violence against children. Delegations have been invited to focus their discussion during the round tables, on one or more of the cross-cutting themes from “A World Fit for Children”: ensuring child participation, mobilising resources, gender equality and sustainability.
  • The President of the GA has held consultations with all Member States to select a list of three speakers for the closing plenary meeting and a list of 20 children and 20 representatives of NGOs who will participate in the two round tables (ten children and ten representatives each);
  • All Member States and Observers will be encouraged to address the GA at the meeting;
  • A girl and a boy selected through a process led by UNICEF, and a representative of an NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC, will address the closing plenary meeting;
  • Member States have been encouraged to include children and young people in their delegations;
  • An outcome document will be adopted as a brief declaration reaffirming the commitment to the full implementation of the Declaration and the Plan of Action contained in the document ‘A World Fit For Children’.

 

The Children’s Forum

UNICEF drew up a list of 20 children and 20 representatives of non-governmental organisations following consultations. The 20 children selected to attend the General Assembly as well as all the children and young people who are part of the delegations from Member States and observers have been invited to participate in the Children’s Forum.

The idea of the Children’s Forum is to prepare children for active and effective participation in the commemorative plenary meeting.

At this Forum, key issues related to the two thematic interactive round tables will be discussed, and participating children will choose one boy and one girl to speak at the closing session of the plenary. In order to generate an interactive discussion, children will also prepare their perspectives and issues to be raised at the round-tables.

Side Events

UNICEF has organised one major “Town Hall”- type of omnibus side event at UNICEF House on 10 December. This event is expected to generate a debate and discussion around facts, figures and analysis contained in the forthcoming “Progress for Children” report.

NGOs have organised additional side events.

Launch of reports

  • the launch of the Secretary-General’s report on progress towards the goals of “A World Fit for children” on 11 and 12 December 2007;
  • the General Assembly 3rd Committee report on “Follow-up to the special session of the General Assembly on children (A/62/259)”;


Further information

pdf: http://www.unicef.org/worldfitforchildren/index.html

Web: 
http://www.crin.org/UN/Special_Session.asp

Countries

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.