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Summary: UNITED NATIONS (AP) 9 May 2002 --
There will be more speeches and
panel discussions, and a final
document to iron out, but the
presidents, sheiks and kings at the
U.N. children's summit have already
gotten a dressing down from the
world's young people.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- There will be more speeches and panel
discussions, and a final document to iron out, but the presidents,
sheiks and kings at the U.N. children's summit have already
gotten a dressing down from the world's young people.
``We are children whose voices are not being heard: It is time
we are taken into account!'' Gabriela Azurudy Arrieta, a 13-year-
old from Bolivia, told the General Assembly at the opening of the
conference on Wednesday.
``We want a world fit for children, because a world fit for us is a
world fit for everyone,'' she said, reading from a statement
adopted by a forum of nearly 400 youngsters from around the
world earlier this week.
Arrieta and 17-year-old Audrey Cheynut of Monaco joined U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan in criticizing grown-ups for creating
a world where too many young people face poverty, war and
disease.
Cheynut called for greater protection of child refugees, free
quality education, free HIV testing, environmental conservation
and cancellation of poor countries' debts -- whose payment
diverts money from children's programs.
The girls' 10-minute appearance was the only opportunity for
children to directly address the general assembly during a three-
day conference called in their name -- and they made it count.
``We are the victims of exploitation and abuse. We are the
street children. We are the children of war. We are the victims
and orphans of HIV/AIDS. We are denied good quality education
and health care,'' said Arrieta, whose face could barely be seen
over the podium.
Annan agreed.
``We, the grown-ups, have failed you deplorably,'' he said,
noting that 33 percent of youngsters suffer from malnutrition
before the age of five, 25 percent are not immunized, nearly 20
percent don't attend school and far too many ``have seen
violence that no child should ever see.''
The gathering, which ends Friday, will review the successes and
failures in meeting 27 goals set by the 1990 World Summit for
Children, and set new priorities and goals for the next 15 years.
More than 50 leaders addressed the plenary session
Wednesday, focusing on a wide variety of issues.
Representatives of more than 60 countries are scheduled to
speak on Thursday, including Peru's President Alejandro Toledo
and Mexican President Vicente Fox.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni brought a dozen girls to the
podium to underline the importance of girls' education, saying
``this is my delegation.'' Egyptian first lady Suzanne Mubarak
stressed the need to help Palestinian children. Croatian President
Stipe Mesic said the world must eliminate terrorism if it is to
improve children's lives. Equatorial Guinea's Prime Minister
Candido Rivas warned against giving children liberties ``that go
against morals.''
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson
underlined President Bush's policy of promoting sexual
abstinence for young people.
``Recently, the United States has begun promoting healthy
behaviors and right choices for young people. Our efforts include
strengthening close parent-child relationships, encouraging the
delay of sexual activity, and supporting abstinence education
programs,'' he said.
The United States was at odds with other nations over language
in the summit's final document on family planning, children's
rights, and ``reproductive health,'' which some conservatives
interpret as advocating abortion.
``The U.S. position is holding up agreement on the issue of
reproductive health,'' said Carol Bellamy, executive director of the
United Nations Children's Fund.
A U.S. official said all delegates have agreed privately that
``health services'' doesn't mean abortion, but the United States
wants this said in a footnote to the document.
Mike Denis, a State Department legal adviser, told a news
conference that the United States has proposed adding
abstinence to the final document. He insisted the U.S. position
``strongly reflects the values'' of the American people, and
expressed disappointment in the final document for not taking a
tougher position against child soldiers, child trafficking and child
prostitution and pornography.
Improving access to education, especially for girls, was one of the
focuses of the conference's first day.
Arshela Amir Ali, a 14-year-old Pakistani girl, said she was
shocked when she heard a Nepalese expression that says that
educating a girl is like watering a neighbor's plants.
``It's seen as useless,'' she said. ``But they should think that it
is like watering your own garden.''
Association: Associated Press