The girl child
A/RES/68/146
8.
Calls upon all States, the United Nations system and civil society to take
measures to address the obstacles that continue to affect the achievement of the
goals set forth in the Beijing Platform for Action, 14 as contained in paragraph 33 of
the further actions and initiatives, 25 including reviewing remaining laws that
discriminate against women and girls in order to modify or abolish them and, where
appropriate, strengthening national mechanisms to implement policies and
programmes for the girl child and, in some cases, to enhance coordination among
responsible institutions for the realization of the human rights of girls, and to
mobilize all necessary resources and support in order to achieve those goals;
9.
Urges States to strengthen efforts to urgently eradicate all forms of
discrimination against women and girls and, where applicable, to remain dedicated
to the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women and the Optional Protocol thereto; 26
10. Also urges States to improve the situation of girl children living in
poverty, in particular extreme poverty, deprived of nutrition, water and sanitation
facilities, with limited or no access to basic physical and mental health-care
services, shelter, education, participation and protection, taking into account that,
while a severe lack of goods and services hurts every human being, it is particularly
threatening and harmful to the girl child, leaving her unable to enjoy her rights, to
reach her full potential and to participate as a full member of society, with a
particular focus on children living in child-headed households, including the child
head of household;
11. Further urges States to ensure that the applicable requirements of the
International Labour Organization for the employment of girls and boys are
respected and effectively enforced and that girls who are employed have equal
access to decent work and equal payment and remuneration, are protected from
economic and sexual exploitation, discrimination, sexual harassment, violence and
abuse in the workplace, are aware of their rights and have access to formal and
non-formal education, skills development and vocational training, and also urges
States to develop gender-sensitive measures, including national action plans, where
appropriate, to eliminate the worst forms of child labour, commercial sexual
exploitation, hazardous forms of child labour, trafficking and slavery-like practices,
including forced and bonded labour, and to recognize that girls, including in childheaded households, face greater risks in this regard;
12. Calls upon States, with the support of relevant stakeholders, including
the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations and communitybased organizations, as appropriate, to take all measures necessary to ensure the
right of girls to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, including
sexual and reproductive health, and to develop sustainable health systems,
strengthen existing ones to ensure primary health care with an integrated HIV
response and make them more accessible to adolescent girls;
13. Urges all States to promote gender equality and equal access to basic
social services, such as education, nutrition, water and sanitation, birth registration,
health care, vaccinations and protection from diseases representing the major causes
of mortality, including non-communicable diseases, and to mainstream a gender
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26
Resolution S-23/3, annex.
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2131, No. 20378.
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