UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 56th SESSION
Third Committee
Item 115: Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Children
Statement by Senator The Hon Rosemary Crowley for the Australian Delegation
26 October 2001
Mr Chairman
While much has been achieved, particularly in the development of an international infrastructure for the promotion and protection of the human rights of children, we are still a long way from the ultimate goal of a world fit for all children.
There are many fundamental challenges to the well being of children. Millions of children throughout the world live in poverty-stricken conditions, and experience daily the lack of adequate food, shelter and access to health and education facilities. The improvements we have seen in the lives of children over the past decade since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the World Summit on Children are overshadowed by the continued subjection of children to the worst forms of child labour, sexual and other physical abuse and exploitation and their use and abuse in armed conflict.
Mr Chairman
In order to secure the rights guaranteed to each and every child under the Convention on the Rights of the Child we must all take further concrete action. The willingness of the international community to set new standards for the protection of children in the critical areas of child labour, involvement in armed conflict and commercial sexual exploitation is encouraging in this respect, as is the work of UNICEF and other relevant agencies within the UN system and the wider community.
The development and implementation of further effective measures to improve the situation of children must take a central position on all of our agendas. As highlighted in the UNICEF Report on the State of the World's Children 2002, "investing in children is the wisest investment a country can make". As a strong supporter of the promotion and protection of the human rights of children, Australia has welcomed the convening of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children. The Special Session will provide a unique opportunity for us all not only to reaffirm and restate our commitment to improving the situation of children but to focus on practical means for achieving those objectives of the World Summit on Children that are yet to be met.
Mr Chairman
The Special Session as originally scheduled would have been the highlight of our efforts for children this year. Its postponement was the only appropriate course of action in the circumstances, but the preparatory work done so far will serve us well when we are able to hold the Special Session. Australia would like to take the opportunity to thank UNICEF in particular for their work in this respect.
Mr Chairman,
In recognition that children must not only be the focus of our goals under this Item, they must be our partners in achieving those goals, I would like to conclude by reading a message to the children of New York from two young Australians, Emily Simpson, aged 15, of Sydney and Tim Goodwin, aged 17, of Canberra. It reads:
"We were chosen to represent the children of Australia at the United Nations Special Session on Children. We were to fly to your exciting city two days after the terrorists' attack. Rest assured, children all over Australia are with you in spirit, feeling your grief, fear and confusion. You have all been in our hearts and minds and we pray that with time these terrible wounds will heal.
Destined to one day inherit the world's future, we as young people must prove the cruel acts of September 11th will not divide, but instead unite us. This unity must be for peace, not war; for love, not hate; for justice, not revenge; for tolerance, not divisiveness. The collective spirit of the world's children, of all faiths and backgrounds, will prove that together we can fight for the betterment of this world.
We must not let such senseless acts continue to affect children around the world. It is more important than ever that the meeting of the world's children not be stopped by the fear of terrorism. Instead we must be inspired to now, more than ever, work together to eradicate ourselves of the hopelessness so many of the world's children face. Above all we pray for world peace and understanding between all people."
Thank you, Mr Chairman