Profoundly concerned that the situation of girls and boys in many parts of the world remains critical as a result of the persistence of poverty, social inequality, inadequate social and economic conditions in an increasingly globalized world economy, pandemics, in particular human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, natural disasters, armed conflict, displacement, exploitation, illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, discrimination and inadequate legal protection, and convinced that urgent and effective national and international action is called for,