Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: The statement was signed by International Save the Children Alliance, World Organisation Against Torture, The International Federation of Social Workers, Women’s World Summit Foundation, Defence for Children International, International Catholic Child Bureau, World Vision International, SOS-Kinderdorf International, The World Movement of Mothers and Plan International.
Thank-you Mr. Facilitator, The Human Rights Council is at a crucial stage of institution-building where it has unique opportunity to place the rights of the child high on the political agenda. In this context, we are pleased that the rights of the child are included in the draft annual programme of work that you have distributed. We do fear however, that the time allotted will be insufficient. The annual programme of work should devote at least two days to the rights of the child, with one day devoted to general discussions and one day devoted to a special theme related to key events and issues at that time. This is absolutely necessary to guarantee the adequate visibility around the rights of the child at the Council. We also ask that the Council keep the flexibility needed to address certain issues as they arise and thus suggest that the item 10 – “other issues” – of your draft Agenda, be kept. We believe it to be equally necessary that this Working Group set up a mechanism for the meaningful mainstreaming of the rights of the child in the work of the Council that is not only dependent on goodwill. Allow us to point out that children constitute over a third of the world’s population and are impacted by all the human rights violations of all groups. It is presently understood that the rights of the child will figure under the subitem entitled “Rights of peoples and specific groups and individuals”. While we appreciate this first step towards the inclusion of the rights of the child in the work of the Council, we believe it must go beyond discussing the rights of the child from the angle of protection of a specific or vulnerable group. Finally, we encourage the Council to see children as resourceful individuals who are capable of participation in decisions affecting them according to their level of development and also as individuals who have a right to that participation. ---------------------------- Supporting NGOs without consultative status: Child Rights Information Network and Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children.