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Summary: We note the significant progress
made by the East Asia and Pacific
countries in achieving the goals of
the World Summit for Children. The
challenges and opportunities offered
by the 21st century necessitate a
new global agenda for children which
should build upon the achievements
and lessons learned from the last
decade.
Beijing Declaration on Commitments for Children in the East Asia
and Pacific Region for 2001-2010
Fifth East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation 14-16 May 2001
Beijing, China
Introduction
1. The delegations of Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of
Cambodia, Peopleās Republic of China, Democratic Peopleās
Republic of Korea, Republic of Indonesia, Japan, Republic of
Kiribati, Lao Peopleās Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia,
Union of Myanmar, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic
of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Thailand, Vanuatu and the Socialist
Republic of Viet Nam met at the 5th Ministerial Consultation in
Beijing, China on 14-16 May 2001. We note the significant
progress made by the East Asia and Pacific countries in achieving
the goals of the World Summit for Children. The challenges and
opportunities offered by the 21st century necessitate a new
global agenda for children which should build upon the
achievements and lessons learned from the last decade.
2. In doing so, we emphasize that todayās children are
tomorrowās future generation, who must be enabled and
equipped to achieve their full human potential and enjoy the full
range of human rights in a globalizing world.
3. We urge the Special Session for Children of the United Nations
General Assembly, taking place in September 2001 in New York,
to take into account our concerns and views and those
expressed by the children of this region. We, meanwhile, will
continue to contribute to the strengthening of the on-going
Global Movement for Children.
4. We are guided by the spirit and principles of the Convention on
the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the ILO Convention No.
182 on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of
the Worst Forms of Child Labour, commitments of the review of
the World Summit for Social Development and the Millennium
Summit, United Nationsā core goals on peace, sustainable
development and human rights, and the principles of the draft
outcome document of the Special Session for Children of the
United Nations General Assembly, āA World Fit for Childrenā.
Lessons Learned and Progress Review
5. We view with concern that although universal ratification of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child in the region has focused
attention and commitment to put all children first, policies have to
be strengthened in some countries and resources are still
insufficient to ensure the comprehensive realization of the rights
of the child.
6. We note with great satisfaction that the well-being of children
of the region has considerably improved. Efforts to achieve the
goals of the World Summit for Children have resulted, inter alia, in
dramatic decreases in infant and under-five mortality. This is due
largely to high and sustained coverage of immunization and
treatment of diarrhoea with oral rehydration therapy. Polio has
been eradicated in all but four countries. The majority of families
regularly consume iodized salt and the majority of children under
five receive two doses of vitamin A each year. Primary school
enrollment is almost universal and 86 per cent of adults are
literate. There is also increased protection for children.
7. Further achievements were hampered by recent economic
crises, natural calamities and, inter alia, the HIV/AIDS pandemic
which pose serious threats to the well-being of children in this
region.
Unfinished Mission
8. We recognise that there are other goals that have yet to be
achieved. Millions of children still does not have access to good
quality health, education and other basic services. Infant and
maternal mortality remain serious problems. Some countries in
the region have malnutrition rates amongst the highest in the
world and most countries have seen only modest improvements
in the last decade. Although access to clean water and
sanitation has improved, about one quarter of the population is
still without safe drinking water and one half do not have access
to decent sanitation. Primary school drop-out rates remain
unacceptably high in some countries, especially among girls.
Quality and relevance of basic education remain major
challenges. There is a need for greater participation of children in
decision making.
9. Despite some notable achievements for improved child
protection, the overall number of children requiring special
protection has increased. Children in need of special protection
include girls in many situations; child labourers; children who are
trafficked; victims of other crimes; sexually exploited and
stateless children; those who are affected by armed conflict,
HIV/AIDS or other major diseases or are in conflict with the law;
disabled, poor and street children; those suffering drug and
sexual abuse; refugee children; displaced children; children of
ethnic minorities and children of migrants.
10. Even within the areas where there has been relative
progress, major disparities affecting children remain both
between and within countries arising from gender discrimination,
socio-economic and ethnic inequities, geographic considerations
and proliferating conflict. Despite positive signs of recovery, the
impact of the economic crisis continues to have serious
implications for children and development.
11. We undertake to sustain the progress already made and to
address all these unfinished tasks in this decade.
Challenges and Tasks for 2001-2010
12. We recognize that the challenges and tasks for this decade,
for the realization of the rights of the children of the East Asia
and Pacific region, should include:
13. Ensuring the active and full participation of children and youth
in decisions affecting them;
14. Ensuring continued parallel implementation and monitoring of
the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, in
recognition of the inextricable link between the rights of children
and women, through a National Plan of Action;
15. Undertaking specific efforts to ensure peace and reduce
poverty in order to guarantee full respect for the rights of all
children;
16. Striving to achieve the unmet goals of the World Summit, in
particular the goals to reduce maternal mortality and malnutrition
and achieve universal access to basic social services, safe water
and sanitation. This will entail recognizing the full range of macro-
economic, social and environmental factors that affect such
problems and the achievement of these and other goals;
17. Reducing disparities, discrimination and inequities by reaching
out to all children, in particular those we have yet to reach, those
in need of special protection and those in the most
disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized situations;
18. Recognizing the imminent threat of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
that is rapidly affecting East Asia and the Pacific, instituting broad-
based strategies and programmes, within and across borders, to
halt its spread and provide care for its victims;
19. Ensuring the protection of all children, girls and boys, from all
forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, strengthening juvenile
justice systems and care services for those in need, and helping
children to protect themselves, in accordance with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Principles and Strategies
20. In addressing the above challenges and tasks, we will be
guided by the following principles and strategies:
21. Support a global movement for children and a child friendly
society through expanded community mobilization, including
children and youth, in cooperation with government, civil society
and the private sector;
22. Monitor and evaluate achievements in terms of the fulfillment
of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
23. Mainstream childrenās well-being at the centre of the national
agenda, as the most important indicator of national economic and
social progress, and allocate sufficient resources for investing in
children;
24. Promote and protect the best interests of all children by
focusing on critical stages in the life of a child when interventions
will have the greatest and most lasting effect. As such we will
ensure that all children have:
a. The best start to life through optimal early childhood care and
development, universal birth registration and the right to acquire
a nationality;
b. A basic education of high quality;
c. The opportunity to develop fully their individual capacities and
to participate in and contribute to their societies, especially
during adolescence;
25. Encourage the formulation and subsequent implementation of
national plans of action for this decade with inputs from children,
parents and communities, consistent with the goals and targets
of the forthcoming Special Session for Children of the United
Nations General Assembly;
26. Strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national
institutions to implement integrated national plans of action,
within a decentralized system;
27. Expand the strategic alliances and partnerships for children at
all levels for the implementation of integrated, multisectoral and
multidisciplinary programmes for children;
28. Prevent and minimize the negative impact of man-made and
natural disasters through better preparation and strengthened
social services including the provision of safety nets for those
affected;
29. Strengthen mechanisms for the empowerment of children and
adolescents in the consideration of their concerns and in the
formulation, implementation and evaluation of appropriate
actions to address those concerns;
30. Recognise and support parents and families as the primary
caretakers of children and strengthen their capacity to provide
the optimum care, nurturing and protection;
31. Strengthen the capacities of social services providers and
other care givers for the greater development, protection and
care of children;
32. Welcome the sharing of the responsibility to ensure the well-
being of children with communities; local governments; social,
cultural, religious, business, local peopleās and childrenās
organizations; and civil society, including the media. Within this,
support the empowerment of other organizations to play a
greater role in contributing to the best interests of children;
33. Give priority to developing sustainable solutions and systems
for improving the situation for children by fully involving children
and their communities;
34. Recognise that although globalization has facilitated economic
growth and development in many instances, it has also
marginalized many poor countries. Consequentially, it is
necessary to review trade policies and commitments which may
have adverse effects on children and provide social safety nets
and national protection mechanisms to protect children and their
families from the negative effects of globalization;
35. Harness the opportunities offered by the global information
and communication revolution and use, in the most effective way
possible, new technologies that can benefit children and women.
At the same time protect children from their harmful effects;
36. Ensure the best interest of the child in all programmes and at
all levels and sectors by ensuring good governance and
transparency;
37. Build upon lessons learned and develop a better
understanding of the success factors that improve the efficacy
and efficiency of interventions and responses;
38. Develop a strong disaggregated information base to help
assess problems, develop solutions, target interventions and
monitor and evaluate results. Recognise the value of measurable
indicators and targets as benchmarks of success or failure and;
39. Develop indicators and systems, with inputs from children and
those concerned, for monitoring the situation and progress of
poor and vulnerable groups, down to the lowest administrative
level.
Commitments: from Beijing and Beyond
40. We unanimously adopt the Beijing Declaration on
Commitments for Children in the East Asia and Pacific Region for
2001-2010.
41. We pledge to work with regional and international bodies
such as ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth,
APEC, ASEM, UN agencies, ADB and other international financial
institutions, peopleās organizations, non-governmental
organizations and the private sector in realizing our commitments
for children, in order to enhance regional and international
cooperation for the survival, development, protection and
participation of children.
42. We will endeavour to provide practical support to the
recommendations of the Regional Children and Young Peopleās
Forum ā 1, held in Jomtien, Thailand in April 2001.
43. We urge all sectors of government and society, including non-
government organizations, community based organizations,
regional bodies, international agencies, the private sector,
academic institutions, the media, parents and children and youth
themselves to support this Declaration and work together for
children.
44. We pledge to work towards ensuring that our budgetary
allocations for basic social services constitute at least twenty per
cent of all national, regional and local budgets in the spirit of the
20/20 initiative and appeal to donor countries to strive to fulfill
their commitments to provide 0.7 per cent of Gross National
Product for Official Development Assistance and to allocate at
least 20 per cent thereof to support us and our partners in
meeting the commitments for children embodied in this
Declaration.
45. We look forward to the forthcoming Special Session for
Children of the United Nations General Assembly and pledge our
best efforts to ensure the inclusion of the principles of this
Declaration in the deliberations and outcomes of the Special
Session.
Conclusions:
46. We thank the Peopleās Republic of China and UNICEF for
organizing this Fifth Ministerial Consultation at the dawn of this
New Decade for Children, and for the excellent meeting
arrangements.
47. We pledge to give this Declaration the widest possible
publicity. We look forward to meeting at the Sixth Ministerial
Consultation to again review the situation and achievements for
children.