A/RES/59/261
Welcoming also the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in
examining the progress made by States parties to the Convention in implementing
the obligations undertaken in the Convention and in providing recommendations to
States parties on the implementation of the Convention and, in cooperation with the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in enhancing
awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention,
Profoundly concerned that the situation of children 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 economic
environment, pandemics, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis,
environmental damage, natural disasters, armed conflict, displacement, exploitation,
illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, discrimination, gender inequality, disability and
inadequate legal protection, and convinced that urgent and effective national and
international action is called for,
Underlining the need to mainstream a gender perspective in all policies and
programmes relating to children,
Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional
Protocols thereto on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the
sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
1.
Reaffirms that the general principles of, inter alia, the best interests of the
child, non-discrimination, participation and survival and development provide the
framework for all actions concerning children, including adolescents;
Urges States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to the
2.
Convention on the Rights of the Child2 as a matter of priority, and urges States
parties to implement it fully, while stressing that the implementation of the
Convention and the achievement of the goals of the World Summit for Children and
the special session of the General Assembly on children are mutually reinforcing;
Expresses its concern about the great number of reservations to the
3.
Convention, and urges States parties to withdraw reservations that are incompatible
with the object and purpose of the Convention and to consider reviewing other
reservations with a view to withdrawing them;
Urges States that have not yet done so to consider signing and ratifying
4.
or acceding to the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography,3 and urges States parties to implement them
fully;
5.
Urges States parties to take all appropriate measures for the
implementation of the rights recognized in the Convention by, inter alia, putting in
place effective national legislation, policies and action plans, by strengthening
relevant governmental structures for children and by ensuring adequate and
systematic training in the rights of the child for professional groups working with
and for children;
Encourages States to strengthen their national statistical capacities and to
6.
use statistics disaggregated, inter alia, by age, gender and other relevant factors that
may lead to disparities and other statistical indicators at the national, subregional,
regional and international levels to develop and assess social policies and
programmes so that economic and social resources are used efficiently and
effectively for the full realization of the rights of the child;
2