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Summary: The goal of the Kingston Consensus
is to call on States parties to focus
on what can be done from the year
2000 to accelerate progress towards
the full implementation of World
Summit Goals and to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child and the
Lima Accord and developing a future
agenda. THE KINGSTON CONSENSUS FIFTH MINISTERIAL MEETING ON
CHILDREN AND SOCIAL POLICY IN THE AMERICAS KINGSTON
Jamaica October 9-13 2000
PREAMBLE The Ministers and Representatives of Governments
participating in the Fifth Ministerial Meeting on Children and Social
Policy in the Americas held in Kingston, Jamaica on 9-13 October,
2000 present the results of the deliberations and
recommendations endorsed by consensus:
CONSIDERING THAT:
1. These Ministerial Meetings are an effective mechanism for
monitoring and evaluation, including the analysis of obstacles as
well as sharing experiences on the progress in the
implementation of the World Summit Children goals, as well as for
defining policy directives and strategic orientations. As such, they
are also an important mechanism for advocacy to keep children
and adolescents high on the political and social agenda of the
region and of each country. The goal of the Kingston Consensus
is to call on States parties to focus on what can be done from the
year 2000 to accelerate progress towards the full implementation
of World Summit Goals and to the Convention on the Rights of
the Child and the Lima Accord and developing a future agenda.
2. Since 1990, change, planned and unplanned, has proceeded at
a fast rate and interpretations of the social processes behind the
change are likewise evolving. Social, economic and political
conditions affecting children and adolescents and paradigms
created to explain them are, at the end of the decade, quite
different. The region recognizes the urgent need to resolve key
survival issues while it continues the change from a central focus
on survival to one oriented towards protection, promotion and
the assurance of their rights to participation and integral
development.
3. The States of the region have recognized the value of human
rights through the ratification of Conventions and the
endorsement of plans of action and recommendations emanating
from different global and regional conferences. However, the
complete fulfillment of human rights continues to be challenged
both within the region and within countries.
4. In certain countries, due to the implementation of particular
developmental strategies, programmes of structural adjustment ,
the process of globalisation and unresolved issues regarding
inequitable market access, social and cultural variables have
been underemphasized thus deepening inequities and exclusion
in favour of economic growth. Consequently, social investment,
although increasing, remains insufficient. Similarly, the reduction
of Official Development Assistance has negatively impacted on
economic and social development in some countries of the region.
5. Reaffirm Paragraph 10 of the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action which identifies the importance of the Right
to development, affirms the human person as the central subject
of development and emphasizes the connection to the maximum
survival and development of the child.
6. Children and adolescents are often excluded from participating
in economic, political, and social processes, which thereby hinders
their own development and deprives society of their insights,
commitment, and energy.
7. The situation of children, adolescents and women of the region
has improved in remarkable ways since 1990, as indicated by,
among others, the following accomplishments:
A. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
have been ratified by the overwhelming majority of countries in
the Americas;
B. Infant and under five mortality rates have been reduced by
over 20% in most countries;
C. Vaccination rates are over 90% for the major immunizable
diseases.
D. Poliomyelitis has been eradicated and mortality due to measles
has been significantly reduced.
E. Net primary school enrolment is over 90%.
F. Sanitation coverage has increased considerably, particularly in
rural areas.
G. All countries have made progress in salt iodization and most
have improved the fortification of foods with iron and vitamin A. H.
Improvements in protein and caloric intake has resulted in a
marked reduction in childhood malnutrition.
I. Some progress was made towards gender equity and equality
for women. However, their political and economic participation
remains too low.
8. In spite of such progress, all countries in the Americas are
concerned with the following issues:
a) The unmet goals of the World Summit for Children;
(b) sustaining advances that were made;
(c) reducing inequalities; and
(d) addressing emerging challenges, inter alia
(I)absence of indicators to assess the fulfillment of child rights;
(II) lack of access to quality health services and health
information;
(III) child exploitation in all forms; and
(IV) the need to integrate children in decision making processes.
9. Children and adolescents face barriers to their full
participation, protection, development and survival, and the full
enjoyment of their rights. These barriers contravene the principle
of non-discrimination, which calls for ensuring rights irrespective
of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, color,
sex, age, language, culture, religion, political or other opinion,
national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other
status. Further, that the progress that has been made can be
stalled or reversed by armed conflicts, natural and other
disasters, new and resurgent diseases, unequal income and
power distribution and other threats.
10. In spite of significant progress in implementing social policies
and programs in favour of children and adolescents, there are still
weaknesses in areas related to support for families, community
organizations, the administration of juvenile justice, health and
family life education, cultural expressions, and recreation, among
others. Further that weaknesses in these policies, if not
corrected, increases the risk for millions of children and
adolescents to suffer exclusion, violence, impoverishment and
despair. Are Determined To:
1. Make every necessary effort so that children and adolescents
have opportunities to fully develop their physical, mental,
spiritual, moral, and social capacities and to guarantee and
promote respect for human rights.
2. Develop and implement integrated policies and actions aimed
at breaking the inter-generational cycles of poverty, and
eradicating exclusion, discrimination and lack of respect for
human rights.
3. Promote actions and mechanisms to maximize the participation
of children and adolescents in decision-making in all matters that
directly and indirectly affect them.
4. Support the creation of mechanisms that facilitate the
participation of civil society in all matters that affect children and
adolescents.
5. Promote actions to eliminate discrimination and exclusion of
ethnic groups, religious groups, linguistic or other minorities or
indigenous peoples, and to strengthen their diverse cultural
identities.
6.Ensure the protection of children and adolescents from all forms
of abuse, including injury, violence, neglect, sexual abuse,
commercial exploitation, sale and traffic, forced labour, and from
forced or compulsory recruitment for armed conflicts. Further, to
ensure such protection through combined strategies of support,
including institutional and legal reform, information dissemination,
rights awareness promotion, formation of community support
groups and family life education, with special emphasis on the
role of the father.
7.Ensure the protection of children and adolescents from all forms
of discrimination and harm, and support policies, plans and
programmes to advance equality and respect for them.
8. Ensure that every child and adolescent in conflict with the law
has due process and is treated in accordance with the relevant
principles and provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child and other international and national legal instruments and
standards for child protection. Further, to take such steps as are
needed to provide training in human rights and in the
administration of justice for children and adolescents, to all those
involved with children and adolescents in conflict with the law.
9.Ensure the rights of children and adolescents with different
abilities, including those with disabilities, to appropriate services,
attention, and education adequate to their capacities. Similarly,
to create mechanisms to support their families and/or caregivers
and their full integration into the society.
10. Encourage the partnership between Governments and civil
society to assist children and adolescents to develop values that
promote human rights and equality, peace, tolerance, justice,
solidarity and equitable gender relations.
11. Continue progress towards universal access to
comprehensive health services, including effective prevention,
early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation strategies. Also,
increase knowledge of adolescents and children about sexual
and reproductive health, with special emphasis on HIV/AIDS and
other sexually transmitted infections.
12. Progress toward universal high quality early childhood and
primary education in an environment that promotes the full
development of children and adolescents, instills respect for
human rights, and prepares them for responsible life in society.
13. Increase resources, based on availability, for comprehensive
early childhood care and development to ensure better learning
outcomes, reduce inequalities, and ensure fulfillment of human
rights. Cooperate with civil society and families to support proper
health, nutrition, and education.
14. Develop and implement programmes geared to creating
opportunities for children, adolescents, and adults who have not
benefited from formal education or have dropped out of school.
Special attention should be given to disadvantaged children and
adolescents, such as those with disabilities, those living with and
affected by HIV/AIDS, adolescent mothers, and those in conflict
with the law.
15. Urge all countries to consider signing, ratifying and
implementing all international legal instruments relating to the
rights of children, in particular, (I) the Optional Protocol on the
Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict; and (II) the Optional
Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Pornography and Child
Prostitution, ILO Convention 182 concerning the Prohibition and
Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child
Labour, ILO Convention 138 concerning Minimum Age for
Admission to Employment and the Hague Convention on
Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-
Country Adoption. These legal instruments represent major
advances in the international effort to strengthen and enforce
legal norms and national plans of action for the protection of the
most vulnerable children.
16. Call on donor and creditor countries and international
financial institutions to consider accelerating the adoption of
concrete ways to relieve the public debt burden. This should
permit the adoption of actions to benefit children and adolescents.
17. Reaffirm the implementation of the 20/20 initiative, addressed
at Copenhagen +5 in July 2000, based on mutual agreement and
commitment between the donor and recipient countries to ensure
universal access to social services.
18. Increase horizontal technical cooperation between countries
in order to share positive experiences and strategies which can
help to accelerate the processes necessary for achieving the
agreed goals .
19.Institute and consolidate harmonized national and regional
information systems which provide disaggregated data on the
situation of children and adolescents in order to enhance decision-
making, define and evaluate policies, and inform the populace.
20. Encourage Governments to work towards the full
implementation of the commitments made at the World
Conference on Human Rights 1993, the International Conference
on Population and Development 1994, and ICPD +5, the World
Summit on Social Development 1995 and WSSD+5, The Fourth
World Conference on Women 1995 and Beijing+5, World
Conference on Education 1990 and World Education Forum 2000.
21.Recognize that equitable sustainable human development
could be facilitated if the rights and well-being of children are
promoted and protected. The individual development of children
is intrinsically connected to the development of the human
society, thus shaping the future of the world.
22.Respond to the unexpected challenges which will arise, that
this Consensus does not address. In all such cases, decisions will
be based on the principles of non-discrimination, best interests of
the child, maximum survival and development, and participation of
children and adolescents.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Request that the Host of the Fifth Ministerial Meeting on
Children and Social Policy submit the Kingston Consensus as a
regional contribution to the Preparatory Committee for the UN
Special Session on Children through its Secretariat, and to the
Preparatory Committee of the Third Summit of the Americas in
2001.
2. Express gratitude to the Countries of the Caribbean, and in
particular to the Government of Jamaica, for hosting this meeting,
and especially to the Right Honourable P. J. Patterson, Prime
Minister of Jamaica.
3. Express their thanks to the Government of Peru as the Pro-
Tempore Secretariat for its invaluable contributions to the
preparatory process for the Fifth Ministerial Meeting.
4. Express their gratitude to UNICEF, all other UN Agencies,
organizations of the Inter-American System and International
Cooperation agencies, and other members of the Interagency
Coordinating Committee, for their facilitation of the Fifth
Ministerial Meeting.