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M2 PRESSWIRE-12 December 2007-United Nations: Part Two of Two - Governments Must Renew Political Will To Offset Gaps In Child Well-Being, Says General Assembly President As He Opens HighLevel Commemorative Session; United Nations, National Officials Underscore Importance Of Fulfilling Collective Promise To Create World Fit For Children(C)1994-2007 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
RDATE:11122007
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JOSEFINA TOPALLI COBA, Speaker of the Parliament of Albania, said human rights and human development issues had become key aspects of international relations. Attention to those two related issues could change the lives of a country's most vulnerable citizens. In Albania, one third of the population was under 18 years old, and the protection of the rights of children had been one of the most important policy developments since 1992. The National Plan of Action for Children of June 2005 represented a commitment towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, six of which related directly to children.
She said parliamentarians and members of legislatures were key to the implementation of the present Plan of Action. Within that framework, she presented some significant achievements of the last years. In education, for instance, funds had increased from 3.1 per cent to 4 per cent of gross domestic product, and 92 per cent of primary age school children were attending school. The majority of women over the age of 15 were literate. Albania also had an obligatory vaccine scheme against major childhood diseases. All types of contraceptives were distributed free of charge in every public health institution, and special attention was being paid to children with limited abilities.
ANDRE ROUVOET, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Youth and Families of the Netherlands, said that, according to a UNICEF report, Dutch children were the happiest of 21 wealthy Western nations. Indeed, 85 per cent of the children in the Netherlands were doing well, but 10 per cent of the children were at risk, and 5 per cent had problems.
He said it was time that the family was fully recognized as the basic unit of society and, as such, was strengthened by the Government. A safe and healthy family life was of crucial importance for the well-being of children and society as a whole. In other words, "when the family flourishes, society will flourish". He, therefore, wanted to set up easily accessible youth and family centres in every Dutch town. Of course, the Government ought to be reluctant to interfere in parenting matters. But when the physical, psychosocial or cognitive development of the child was endangered, the Government had not only the right, but the duty to intervene.
In international forums as well, children's right were a Dutch priority, he said. His Government would continue to lobby for such rights, especially the right to a proper education and the right to grow up in a safe environment, free from violence. The Netherlands would organize an international conference on combating violence against children, particularly girls, in 2009, in order to promote international action to stop violence against girls. There would be a special focus on harmful traditional practices, such as genital mutilation, child marriages and honour crimes.
SOMSAVAT LENGSAVAD, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, President of the Lao National Commission for Mothers and Children, said that although some considerable achievements had been registered over the past five years, slow progress and challenges continued to persist.
One of the main challenges faced by least developed countries was the lack of financing, in practical terms. Even though more aid pledges had been made by developed countries, the actual release of funds remained limited and far from satisfying of the needs, especially for public health and education. Those two sectors were of great importance for developing countries, as they were directly linked to the protection and development of children.
His country had been vigorously implementing the Action Plan, and had gained gradual achievements in every area, he continued. The Government's various measures and programmes included mothers' and children's health care activities and introduction of immunization, supplementation and de-worming programmes, as well as efforts to eliminate measles by 2012.
The latter campaign had been held on 9 November with the participation of the Head of State and other high-ranking officials. The Government had also set regulations on water quality control. In 2005, 67 per cent of households had had access to clean water. The country was also promoting reproductive health, breast-feeding, antenatal care and mobilization of male participation in reproductive health activities. The National Assembly had adopted a law on the protection of the rights and interests of children and amended the law on education. The implementation of the education strategy by 2020 and the National...
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