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Summary: There was mixed reaction at the end of the first day of the follow-up meeting to the Special Session on Children, taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States, this week.
[11 December 2007] - There was mixed reaction at the end of the first day of the follow-up meeting to the Special Session on Children, taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States, this week. Children, NGO representatives and State delegates came together in different fora to discuss progress made in light of the 'World Fit for Children' report, produced following the Special Session on Children in 2002. In addition to the main plenary session, where States and children made presentations, NGO side events were also organised. Meanwhile two other meetings, a 'round-table discussion' on the subject of 'Promoting healthy lives and combatting HIV and AIDS' and an 'Informal Dialogue with Heads of Government delegations, Heads of UN agencies and the Chair of the CRC Committee' also took place. These latter meetings were billed as an opportunity for children, NGOs, UN agencies and Governments to all play their part in talks about the progress made since 2002. Skip to: Report on the round-table discussion | Report on the interactive discussion | Child's statement at the plenary session | Report on NGO side event on violence It was hoped the round-table discussion on 'Promoting healthy lives and combatting HIV and AIDS' would be an opportunity for State delegates to talk about the ways in which they had been focusing on the issue, and for children and NGO representatives to raise questions and add their voices. Representatives from countries including Vietnam, Egypt, Ecuador, Belgium, China, Haiti, Japan, the Ukraine, Cambodia, Italy, Senegal, Nigeria and Swaziland had the opportunity to speak. Some of the children's questions included: Sandra, a youth delegate from the Netherlands, said: “Only 25 per cent of young people have knowledge of HIV and AIDS. A good way to combat this problem is peer pressure, as it is children who know our problems best. Use us and involve us – if you listen to us you will realise that children under 18 do have sex, but we are not using condoms and HIV and AIDS services are often not available to under 18s.” A representative from NGO Comité de los Derechos del Niño, Uruguay, noted that National Plans of Action are not implemented for lack of resources. The plans are often enacted without the particpation of children. He said: “If we continue to deal with the HIV and AIDS situation among children in a fragmented manner we will continue to leave aside crucial questions. If we don't link the rights of the child with HIV and AIDS then neither the present nor the future will be a good one.” Disappointment However, many NGOs and children were disappointed with the session after the voices of States appeared to be given primacy over those of children and NGOs, despite assurances that participation would be inclusive. Particpants who had prepared statements and questions registered to speak at the beginning of the session, only to discover three hours later that provision for their interventions had not been made. In stark contrast, every State delegate was given the chance to speak. Sara Austin, of World Vision, said: “Today's event has made a mockery of NGO and child participation. “Some of the NGOs were consulted about the format of the session, and it was suggested that we would rotate, but protocol was simply not followed. “The General Assembly invited ten children and ten NGOs to participate, and many of us registered at the start of the session. “We waited for three hours and still could not speak. “What we witnessed today was not participation. “This is a step back from where we were in 2002 when children and NGOs had a good opportunity to have their voices heard. “We were told this would be an interactive dialogue, but the States just read out prepared statements.” Ms Austin said she and other disgruntled NGO representatives intended to file a complaint to the General Assembly. Lennart Reinius, of Plan Sweden, and chair of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, questioned the utility of the session. He said: “States spoke about what they had done in the past, but failed to answer the children's questions and say what they planned for the future. “Everyone of us has failures, including NGOs, so we should talk about those as well as successes. “It was also frustrating that the State delegations did not respond to the questions asked by some of the children, but simply talked about their successes.” Later, speaking in the plenary meeting, Norway's child representative said: “I would like to say that in the Children's Forum we asked many questions. But we did not get many answers today. I only hope that tomorrow will be better.” Child statement at the plenary session He said: “It was such a great experience and a great honour. “My main hope from this event is that the opinions of the children will be listened to, and their objectives met. “There are big problems in my country with poverty and HIV and AIDS, and a lot of people from other countries do not know about the problems in my country. “This event is a real great opportunity to share experiences and have children talk to each other about the challenges that they face.” The full statement Ninety-three young people, thirty-seven boys and fifty-six girls, aged eleven to eighteen and representing fifty-one countries, despite our twenty different languages, we are united for one cause, to create a "World Fit for Children". Five years ago, children like us spoke for the first time in this General Assembly and they presented a document called "A World Fit for Us". Since then, we young people have been taking actions to make that world a World Fit for Us. We have raised our voices and taken responsibility for those issues that directly impact us. We are becoming increasingly involved in children's forums and organisations, like Children's Parliaments which allow for a free environment for children to learn about their rights and express their opinion. We have fought for equality in all aspects of gender, age, ability, race and religion. we believe that our rights are universal, including boys and girls, minority groups, and indigenous people. We undertake projects in our home countries that benefit a wide variety of children. We take various actions to combat issues such as malnutrition, child trafficking and HIV and AIDS, including countries affected by disaster, conflict and war. We denounce all forms of child exploitation, violence and abuse against children. We need to establish and maintain those partnerships between young people and those who can ensure that rights are being enforced. Promises were made in 2002, and we are eager to hear from you as to what has been achieved, and what is still to be achieved. This meeting is a time for honesty, real action and meaningful change, to end poverty and discrimination, to educate our children and fight disease. This is the time for us to come together. This is the time to listen to our words not only with your ears, but also with your hearts. There are no better people to consult on children's rights than children themselves. Together we can continue building A World Fit For Us. Thank you.
Report on the roundtable discussion
Longeni Victorius Matsi, 14, of Namibia, read out a statement drafted by the Children's Forum at the morning plenary session. He presents a programme on a Childline radio show in Namibia which educates and provides advice.