A/HRC/RES/55/29
Reaffirming that the general principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
including the best interests of the child, non-discrimination, participation, survival and
development, provide the framework for all actions concerning children,
Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that all children
have the right to social security and are entitled to special care and assistance,
Welcoming the attention paid to the issue of inclusive social protection by the
Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, including in relevant general comments,
Welcoming also the attention paid by the subsidiary mechanisms of the Human Rights
Council, including the special procedures, and by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights and the treaty bodies, to the rights of the child and inclusive
social protection in the context of their respective mandates, as well as the contribution of
children to the Office’s reports, and taking note of relevant guidance and recommendations
on human rights-based approaches to inclusive social protection,
Recalling with appreciation the report of the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral on Violence against Children,1 which addressed investment in children and inclusive
social protection,
Recalling that the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of the
child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations, as
recognized by law, without unlawful interference, and noting that a lack of legal identity,
adequate birth registration or nationality and identity documentation can bar children from
inclusive social protection,
Recalling also the multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at universal inclusive social
protection, including the International Labour Organization Global Flagship Programme on
Building Social Protection Floors for All (2016–2030), the 2016 Global Partnership for
Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2021
Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions,
Deeply concerned that inclusive social protection remains beyond the reach of more
than 1.77 billion children globally, with significant regional disparities, and that this lack of
access to inclusive social protection services may undermine the full enjoyment of a vast
range of the rights of the child, inter alia, the rights to life, to education, to the enjoyment of
the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including sexual and
reproductive health, to an adequate standard of living, including food, housing, clothing, safe
drinking water and sanitation, and rest and leisure, and to engage in play and recreational
activities,
Noting with serious concern that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic,
armed conflicts, economic downturns, humanitarian crises, food crises, the triple planetary
crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, and cost-of-living concerns have
exacerbated pre-existing forms of inequality and systemic discrimination faced by children,
especially girls, including racism, gender inequality, stigma, xenophobia and socioeconomic
inequalities, and have underlined the urgent need for resilient, inclusive and comprehensive
social protection systems anchored in the rights of the child, ensuring adequate coverage for
Indigenous Peoples and rural populations,
Taking note with appreciation of general comment No. 26 (2023) of the Committee
on the Rights of the Child on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on
climate change, including a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and noting with deep
concern that the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss has
put every child, especially girls and those from poor and developing countries, at severe risk,
and that the lack of climate action is jeopardizing every child’s right to the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental health, affordable and nutritious food, safe drinking water
and sanitation, education and protection from all forms of violence,
1
2
A/HRC/49/57.