UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Statement by Mr James Choi, Second Secretary,
Australian Mission to the United Nations, to the United Nations
Third Committee
Item 105
Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child
New York
15 October 2002
Mr Chairman
As a strong supporter of the promotion and protection of the human rights of children, Australia welcomed the convening of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in May this year.
The Special Session provided a unique opportunity for us all not only to reaffirm and restate our commitment to improving the situation of children but to focus on practical means for achieving the goals of the World Summit on Children. The Special Session outcome document, "A world fit for children", is a significant step forward in terms of a new global agenda for children.
This new global agenda for children presents us with a blue-print for collective international action to improve the situation of children in the priority areas of promoting healthy lives, providing quality education, protecting against abuse, exploitation and violence, and combating HIV/AIDS.
It is now up to us to take concrete steps to implement this agenda in order to create a world fit for children and to secure the rights guaranteed to each and every child under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Australia would like to take the opportunity to thank and congratulate UNICEF again for their work in bringing the Special Session and its associated events to fruition. The Children's Forum was a highlight and the presentation to the General Assembly by two child delegates of the declaration, "A world fit for us", served as a poignant reminder of the task at hand.
Mr Chairman
Australia is pleased to advise that we will soon sign the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.
The widespread and increasing involvement of children in armed conflicts currently taking place around the world is a matter of great concern. Australia was an active participant and a strong supporter of the Protocol throughout its negotiation.
Signature of the Protocol demonstrates Australia's continuing commitment not only to the promotion and protection of children's rights in this area but also to the broader objectives of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The adoption of the Protocol is a critical step towards prevention of the use of child soldiers and improving protection of children in the context of armed conflict. It is also important that the standards set by the Protocol are backed up by effective measures on the ground.
Australia has taken a practical approach to addressing the situation of children who have found themselves caught up in armed conflict either as child soldiers or refugees, or who have been subject to civil disorder and famine which often follow in the aftermath of armed conflict.
In recent years, Australia has contributed funding to projects in countries such as Rwanda, Angola, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Sri Lanka. These projects have supported activities such as trauma counselling services, unaccompanied children centres, child soldier demobilisation and reintegration programs and community resettlement programs.
On 16 September, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced that Australia will provide a further $400,000 for the rehabilitation of child soldiers in Sri Lanka. This assistance is part of a broader package of $7.5 million for humanitarian objectives in Sri Lanka including action on mines, food aid, rehabilitation and conflict reduction.
Mr Chairman
Australia is committed to supporting these and other practical and constructive measures to improve human rights on the ground. Children are among the most vulnerable in all our societies and must therefore continue to be a focus of our efforts. Australia looks forward to continuing to work with UNICEF and other UN bodies and countries, particularly in our region, to develop and implement further effective measures to improve the situation of children.