

Joint statement to the forty-seventh session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Item 24: Status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Statement signed by the following non-governmental organizations in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Bahá'í­ International Community, International Council of Jewish Women, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, International League for Human Rights, International Movement for Fraternal Union among Races and Peoples, International Movement ATD Fourth World, La Leche League International, World Association for World Federation, World Federation of Methodist Women, World Federation of Trade Unions, and Zonta International

Geneva, Switzerland
February 1991

Since the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1959, the international community has explicitly recognized the special relevance of human rights to children. The Declaration clearly reflects the vulnerability of children and their need for special protection. Now, some thirty years later, the unanimous adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and the fact that it was signed by sixty-one countries on the first day it was open for signature, 26 January 1990, are significant indicators of the general recognition of the importance of children's rights. We believe that the convention, if we remain faithful to the principles it enshrines, will serve as a crucial instrument for the realization and safeguarding of the rights of the child throughout the world. Future generations will be better able to govern the affairs of humankind and guarantee that the rights of all are respected if the rights of today's children are protected and their full development assured. It is, therefore, imperative that beyond the symbolic significance of the Convention, its objectives be realized and its terms be implemented by states parties. The inclusion of this agenda item for the consideration of the Commission on Human Rights is welcomed by many NGO's welcomed by the NGO community, which wholeheartedly pledge their support to the long-term enterprise of fully realizing the rights of the child.

The establishment of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, pursuant to the Convention, is an important component of the monitoring process. Through the submission of regular reports, the states parties will provide information on their initiatives and their progress in promoting children's rights. A non-adversarial approach is the most appropriate way for achieving the objectives of the Convention, that is sharing information and ideas about how to effect genuine solutions to the problems of children. Many NGO's hope that in establishing its rules of procedure pursuant to article 43 (8) of the Convention, the Committee, like other human rights bodies and specialized agencies of the United Nations, will provide a wide range of NGO's direct access to the committee's consultative process. This collaborative approach will ensure that the insight and expertise of NGO's with competence in addressing the needs of children will be made available to governments and United Nations affiliated bodies and thus facilitate overall coordination of efforts on behalf of children.

The long-term commitment which is required for the progressive realization of the rights of the child cannot be overemphasized. In particular, the allocation of resources for education should be viewed as a central component of the implementation, promotion and enhancement of the Convention and of the "development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential" as stipulated in article 29(1)(a) of the Convention. Moreover, the education of children is essential for the progress of every nation. In the words of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children adopted at the World Summit for Children in September 1990, "besides its intrinsic value for human development and improving the quality of life, progress in education in literacy can contribute significantly to improvement in maternal and child health, in protection of the environment and in sustainable development. Therefore, investment in basic education must be accorded a high priority in national action as well as international cooperation."

NGO's representing many constituencies, as well as the overwhelming majority of governments, have already undertaken a commitment in this respect at the World Conference on Education for All at Jomtien, Thailand. They have pledged to increase significantly educational opportunity for over 100 million children and nearly 1 billion adults-two thirds of them girls and women-who have no access to basic education at present. In order to realize this commitment, several steps need to be taken. Measures must be adopted to expand early childhood development activities and provide universal access to basic education. All educational channels, including modern and traditional communication media, must be used to disseminate knowledge, skills and values that will improve the quality of life of children and families. The role of the mass media should be emphasized in this context. Article 17 of the Convention recognizes "the important function performed by the mass media" and further obligates states parties to "ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources. Of paramount importance are those sources aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health." It should be noted that NGO's were instrumental in the inclusion of this article during the drafting of the Convention and that they can play an advocacy role in its realization.

In view of the mounting evidence of extreme hardship and abuse suffered by children of the world, it is imperative that the Convention on the Rights of the Child lead to concrete action. We propose that it become a rallying point for the intensification of activities and the expansion of resources directed at realizing a better world for the succeeding generations. With a renewed sense of commitment and a recognition of the challenges that lie ahead, NGO's look forward to steady progress toward full realization of the rights of the child.

BIC Document #91-0224
UN Document #E/CN.4/1991/SR.45