of the Child and general comment No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the
Convention (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6),
Welcoming the increase in the membership of the Committee on the Rights of the
Child from 10 to 18 and aware of the need to continue to address the working methods of the
Committee with the view to enabling it to deal efficiently with its important and increasing
workload,
Welcoming also the start of the Secretary-General’s study on the question of violence
against children, as well as the establishment of a secretariat, and recalling the 2002 report of
the World Health Organization entitled World Report on Violence and Health,
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, tuberculosis, natural disasters, armed conflicts, displacement,
exploitation, illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, discrimination, gender inequality, discrimination
on the basis of disability and inadequate legal protection, and convinced that urgent and
effective national and international action is called for,
Recognizing that environmental damage has potentially negative effects on children
and their enjoyment of their life, health and a satisfactory standard of living,
Underlining the need for mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and
programmes relating to children,
Concerned that, in conflict situations, children continue to be victims and deliberate
targets of attacks with consequences that are often irreversible for their physical and
emotional integrity,
Taking note with appreciation of the reports of the Secretary-General on the status of
the Convention on the Rights of the Child (E/CN.4/2004/67), of the Special Rapporteur on the
right to education (E/CN.4/2004/45 and Add.1-2), of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography (E/CN.4/2004/9 and Add.1-2), and taking
note of the reports of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and
armed conflict to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session (see A/58/328 and Corr.1)
and to the Commission at its sixtieth session (E/CN.4/2004/70), the report of the
Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (A/58/546-S/2003/1053 and Corr.1 and 2),
the progress report of the Secretary-General on the study on the question of violence against
children (E/CN.4/2004/68) and the Secretary-General’s bulletin on special measures for
protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13),
Welcoming the entry into force on 25 December 2003 of the Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing
the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,
Concerned at the number of illegal adoptions, of children growing up without parents
and of child victims of different forms of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect within and
outside the family,
Recognizing that the family is the basic unit of society and as such should be
strengthened; that it is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support; that the
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