A/RES/65/197 Profoundly concerned that the situation of children in many parts of the world has been negatively impacted by the world financial and economic crisis, and reaffirming that eradicating poverty continues to be the greatest global challenge facing the world today, recognizing its impact beyond the socio-economic context, Profoundly concerned also that the situation of children in many parts of the world remains critical, in an increasingly globalized environment, as a result of the persistence of poverty, social inequality, inadequate social and economic conditions, pandemics, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, environmental damage, natural disasters, armed conflict, foreign occupation, displacement, violence, terrorism, abuse, trafficking in children and their organs, all forms of exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation of children, child prostitution, child pornography and child sex tourism, neglect, illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, gender inequality, disability and inadequate legal protection, and convinced that urgent and effective national and international action is called for, Deeply concerned that, globally, 8.1 million children under five years of age died from preventable causes in 2009, and that in developing countries more than a third of the children under five years of age suffer from stunting and a quarter suffer from underweight and severe malnutrition before they enter primary school, with, in some cases, irreparable damage to their cognitive development and long-term impacts on their physical health and development, Taking note of the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, launched by the Secretary-General on 22 September 2010, Gravely concerned about the devastating impact of some of the recent natural disasters, including on children, reaffirming the importance of providing speedy, sustainable and adequate humanitarian assistance in support of relief, early recovery, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development efforts of the affected countries, and reaffirming also the importance of ensuring that human rights in general, and child rights in particular, are mainstreamed into these efforts, Recalling its resolution 64/290 of 9 July 2010 on the right to education in emergency situations, Welcoming the adoption of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, 21 stressing the need for its full and effective implementation, and expressing the view that it will, inter alia, contribute to the promotion and protection of the rights of children, enhance cooperation and better coordination of efforts in fighting trafficking in persons and promote increased ratification and full implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 22 and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 23 _______________ 21 Resolution 64/293. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2225, No. 39574. 23 Ibid., vol. 2237, No. 39574. 22 3

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