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Summary: The NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Subgroup on the Human Rights Council is calling on the Human Rights Council to act on four specific child rights issues: violence against children - sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography - children affected by armed conflict and displacement - children in conflict with the law.
Geneva, 28 April 2006 Subject: Call for action to the Human Rights Council by NGO subgroup on Human Rights Council of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child Your Excellency, We trust that the Human Rights Council will ensure meaningful and substantive participation of children’s rights NGOs and other independent human rights institutions for children’s rights in the work of the Council including consultations during the universal periodical review. We also look forward to the innovative creation of a specific space to allow children themselves to participate in the work of the HRC. We feel it is vital that the special procedures are maintained and strengthened and include the CRC and its Optional Protocols in their mandates. We urge all states to make pledges including an explicit commitment to children’s rights. Contact person in Geneva: Roberta Cecchetti ([email protected]) CALL FOR ACTION: Read the document in full NGO Members of the Subgroup on the Human Rights Council:
To: All country’s Permanent Representatives at the United Nations in Geneva
We the NGOs, members of subgroup, wholeheartedly welcome the establishment of the new Human Rights Council as an important step forward for the protection of victims of human rights violations. We look forward to working alongside the Council to strengthen human rights and child rights standards worldwide.
Whilst conscious of the need to mainstream children’s rights into the entire human rights system, we feel that children have specific needs and concerns that necessitate the adoption of an explicit children’s rights focus by the Council. The World Conference on Human Rights, in its 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, reiterated the principle of “first call for children” and stated that “the rights of the child should be a priority in the United Nations system-wide action on human rights” (A/CONF.157/23, paras. 21 and 45). Thus the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) should be highlighted in the work of the Council. We very much hope that the Council will assert its commitment to child rights in its first session by ensuring that the agenda includes a separate point dealing with child rights.
This letter is our call for action by the Council on four specific child rights issues. The areas of grave concern include 1) violence against children, 2) sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, 3) children affected by armed conflict and displacement and 4) children in conflict with the law. We strongly encourage the Council to implement the call for action by the subgroup on HRC.
We are following with great interest the current discussions and negotiations and trust that this letter and its content will be considered by you, Your Excellency, before and after the election to the HRC.
Yours respectfully,
Simone Ek
Save the Children Sweden
Convener of the Sub Group
[email protected]
Arigatou Foundation
Associated Country Women of the World
Association for the Protection of All Children – APPROACH
Child Rights Information Network
Defence for Children International
ECPAT International
International Alliance of Women
International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE)
International federation of Social Workers (IFSW)
International Save the Children Alliance
International Social Service
Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture
Plan International
Save the Children Lithuania/Human Rights Monitoring Institute
Save the Children Sweden
Save the Children UK
SOS-Kinderdorf International
Women’s World Summit Foundation
World Mouvement of Mothers
World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations
World Vision International