Profoundly concerned that the situation of children in many parts of the world remains critical as a
result of poverty, inadequate social and economic conditions, natural disasters, armed conflicts, displacement,
economic and sexual exploitation, illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, disability and inadequate legal protection, and
convinced that urgent and effective national and international action is called for,
Recognizing that legislation alone is not enough to prevent violations of the rights of the child, that
stronger political commitment is needed and that Governments should implement their laws and complement
legislative measures with effective action, inter alia in the fields of law enforcement and in the administration of
justice, and in social, educational and public health programmes,
Recommending that, within their mandates, all relevant human rights mechanisms and all other relevant
organs and mechanisms of the United Nations system and the supervisory bodies of the specialized agencies pay
attention to particular situations in which children are in danger and where their rights are violated and that they
take into account the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child,
Underlining the need for mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes relating to
children,
Reaffirming, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, that the best interests of the child
should be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children,
I
Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
1.
Welcomes:
(a)
The nearly universal ratification of or accession by States to the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, their number, according to the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1998/99), having reached one
hundred and ninety-one, and urges those States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to the
Convention as a matter of priority;
(b)
The role of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in creating awareness of the principles
and provisions of the Convention and in providing recommendations to States parties on its implementation, and
takes note of the reports of the Committee on its fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth sessions (CRC/C/62,
CRC/C/66 and CRC/C/69);
(c)
The publication by the United Nations Children s Fund of the Implementation Handbook for
the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which constitutes an important advocacy tool to promote wider
understanding of the principles and provisions of the Convention;
2.
Calls upon States parties:
(a)
To implement the Convention fully, to cooperate closely with the Committee on the Rights of
the Child and to comply in a timely manner with their reporting obligations under the Convention, in accordance
with the guidelines elaborated by the Committee, as well as to take into account the recommendations made by
the Committee in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention;
(b)
To withdraw reservations incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention and to
consider reviewing other reservations;
(c)
To accept the amendment to paragraph 2 of article 43 of the Convention, adopted by the
Conference of States Parties to the Convention on 12 December 1995 and approved by the General Assembly in
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