Full Text of Beijing Declaration on Commitments for Children

Following is the full text of the Beijing Declaration on Commitments for Children in the East Asia and Pacific Region for 2001-2010, adopted Wednesday at the Fifth East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation held on May 14-16 in Beijing.

Beijing Declaration on Commitments for Children in the East Assia and Pacific Region for 2001-2010

Fifth East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation 14-16 May 2001 Beijing, China

Introduction

1. The delegations of Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, People's Republic of China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Union of Myanmar, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Singapore, Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Thailand, Vanuatu and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam met at the 5th Ministerial Consultation in Beijing, China on 14-16 May 2001. We note the significant progress made by the East Asia and Pacific countries in achieving the goals of the World Summit for Children. The challenges and opportunities offered by the 21st century necessitate a new global agenda for children which should build upon the achievements and lessons learned from the last decade.

2. In doing so, we emphasize that today's children are tomorrow' s future generation, who must be enabled and equipped to achieve their full human potential and enjoy the full range of human rights in a globalizing World.

3. We urge the Special Session for Children of the United Nations General Assembly, taking place in September 2001 in New York, to take into account our concerns and views and those expressed by the children of this region. We, meanwhile, will continue to contribute to the strengthening of the on-going Global Movement for Children.

4. We are guided by the spirit and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the ILO Convention No. 182 on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, commitments of the review of the World Summit for Social Development and the Millennium Summit, United Nations' core goals on peace, sustainable development and human rights, and the principles of the draft outcome document of the Special Session for Children of the United Nations General Assembly, "A World Fit for Children" .

Lessons Learned and Progress Review

5. We view with concern that although universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the region has focused attention and commitment to put all children first, policies have to be strengthened in some countries and resources are still insufficient to ensure the comprehensive realization of the rights of the child.

6. We note with great satisfaction that the well-being of children of the region has considerably improved. Efforts to achieve the goals of the World Summit for Children have resulted, inter alia, in dramatic decreases in infant and under-five mortality. This is due largely to high and sustained coverage of immunization and treatment of diarrhoea with oral rehydration therapy. Polio has been eradicated in all but four countries. The majority of families regularly consume iodized salt and the majority of children under five receive two doses of vitamin A each year. Primary school enrollment is almost universal and 86 per cent of adults are literate. There is also increased protection for children.

7. Further achievements were hampered by recent economic crises, natural calamities and, inter alia, the HIV/AIDS pandemic which pose serious threats to the well-being of children in this region.

Unfinished Mission

8. We recognise that there are other goals that have yet to be achieved. Millions of children still do not have access to good quality health, education and other basic services. Infant and maternal mortality remain serious problems. Some countries in the region have malnutrition rates amongst the highest in the world and most countries have seen only modest improvements in the last decade. Although access to clean water and sanitation has improved, about one quarter of the population is still without safe drinking water and one half do not have access to decent sanitation. Primary school drop-out rates remain unacceptably high in some countries, especially among girls. Quality and relevance of basic education remain major challenges. There is a need for greater participation of children in decision making.

9. Despite some notable achievements for improved child protection, the overall number of children requiring special protection has increased. Children in need of special protection include girls in many situations; child labourers; children who are trafficked; victims of other crimes, sexually exploited and stateless children; those who are affected by armed conflict, HIV/AIDS or other major diseases or are in conflict with the law; disabled, poor and street children; those suffering drug and sexual abuse; refugee children; displaced children; children of ethnic minorities and children of migrants.

10. Even within the areas where there has been relative progress, major disparities affecting children remain both between and within countries arising from gender discrimination, socio- economic and ethnic inequities, geographic considerations and proliferating conflict. Despite positive signs of recovery, the impact of the economic crisis continues to have serious implications for children and development.

11. We undertake to sustain the progress already made and to address all these unfinished tasks in this decade.

Challenges and Tasks for 2001-2010

12. We recognize that the challenges and tasks for this decade, for the realization of the rights of the children of the East Asia and Pacific region, should include:

13. Ensuring the active and full participation of children and youth in decisions affecting them;

14. Ensuring continued parallel implementation and monitoring of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, in recognition of the inextricable link between the rights of children and women, through a National Plan of Action;

15. Undertaking specific efforts To ensure peace and reduce poverty in order to guarantee full respect for the rights of all children;

16. Striving to achieve the unmet goals of the World Summit, in particular the goals to reduce maternal mortality and malnutrition and achieve universal access to basic social services, safe water and sanitation. This will entail recognizing the full range of macro-economic, social and environmental factors that affect such problems and the achievement of these and other goals;

17. Reducing disparities, discrimination and inequities by reaching out to all children, in particular those we have yet to reach, those in need of special protection and those in the most disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized situations;

18. Recognizing the imminent threat of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is rapidly affecting East Asia and the Pacific, instituting broad- based strategies and programmes, within and across borders, to halt its spread and provide care for its victims;

19. Ensuring the protection of all children, girls and boys, from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, strengthening juvenile justice systems and care services for those in need, and helping children to protect themselves, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Principles and Strategies

20. In addressing the above challenges and tasks, we will be guided by the following principles and strategies:

21. Support a global movement for children and a child friendly society through expanded community mobilization, including children and youth, in cooperation with government, civil society and the private sector;

22. Monitor and evaluate achievements in terms of the fulfillment of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

23. Mainstream children's well-being at the centre of the national agenda, as the most important indicator of national economic and social progress, and allocate sufficient resources for investing in children;

24. Promote and protect the best interests of all children by focusing on critical stages in the life of a child when interventions will have the greatest and most lasting effect. As such we will ensure that all children have:

a. The best start to life through optimal early childhood care and development, universal birth registration and the right to acquire a nationality;

b. A basic education of high quality;

c. The opportunity to develop fully their individual capacities and to participate in and contribute to their societies, especially during adolescence;

25. Encourage the formulation and subsequent implementation of national plans of action for this decade with inputs from children, parents and communities, consistent with the goals and targets of the forthcoming Special Session for Children of the United Nations General Assembly;

26. Strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national institutions to implement integrated national plans of action, within a decentralized system;

27. Expand the strategic alliances and partnerships for children at all levels for the implementation of integrated, multisectoral and multidisciplinary programmes for children;

28. Prevent and minimize the negative impact of man-made and natural disasters through better preparation and strengthened social services including the provision of safety nets for those affected;

29. Strengthen mechanisms for the empowerment of children and adolescents in the consideration of their concerns and in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of appropriate actions to address those concerns;

30. Recognize and support parents and families as the primary caretakers of children and strengthen their capacity to provide the optimum care, nurturing and protection;

31. Strengthen the capacities of social services providers and other care givers for the greater development, protection and care of children;

32. Welcome the sharing of the responsibility to ensure the well- being of children with communities; local governments; social, cultural, religious, business, local people's and children's organizations; and civil society, including the media. Within this, support the empowerment of other organizations to play a greater role in contributing to the best interests of children;

33. Give priority to developing sustainable solutions and systems for improving the situation for children by fully involving children and their communities;

34. Recognise that although globalization has facilitated economic growth and development in many instances, it has also marginalized many poor countries. Consequentially, it is necessary to review trade policies and commitments which may have adverse effects on children and provide social safety nets and national protection mechanisms to protect children and their families from the negative effects of globalization;

35. Harness the opportunities offered by the global information and communication revolution and use, in the most effective way possible, new technologies that can benefit children and women. At the same time protect children from their harmful effects;

36. Ensure the best interest of the child in all programmes and at all levels and sectors by ensuring good governance and transparency;

37. Build upon lessons learned and develop a better understanding of the success factors that improve the efficacy and efficiency of interventions and responses;

38. Develop a strong disaggregated information base to help assess problems, develop solutions, target interventions and monitor and evaluate results. Recognise the value of measurable indicators and targets as benchmarks of success or failure and;

39. Develop indicators and systems, with inputs from children and those concerned, for monitoring the situation and progress of poor and vulnerable groups, down to the lowest administrative level.

Commitments: from Beijing and Beyond

40. We unanimously adopt the Beijing Declaration on Commitments for Children in the East Asia and Pacific Region for 2001-2010.

41. We pledge to work with regional and international bodies such as ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth, APEC, ASEM, UN agencies, ADB and other international financial institutions, people's organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in realizing our commitments for children, in order to enhance regional and international cooperation for the survival, development, protection and participation of children.

42. We will endeavour to provide practical support to the recommendations of the Children and Young People's Forum-1, held in Jomtien, Thailand in April 2001.

43. We urge all sectors of government and society, including non- government organizations, community based organizations, regional bodies, international agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, the media, parents and children and youth themselves to support this Declaration and work together for children.

44. We pledge to work towards ensuring that our budgetary allocations for basic social services constitute at least twenty per cent of all national, regional and local budgets in the spirit of the 20/20 initiative and appeal to donor countries to strive to fulfill their commitments to provide 0.7 per cent of Gross National Product for Official Development Assistance and to allocate at least 20 per cent thereof to support us and our partners in meeting the commitments for children embodied in this Declaration.

45. We look forward to the forthcoming Special Session for Children of the United Nations General Assembly and pledge our best efforts to ensure the inclusion of the principles of this Declaration in the deliberations and outcomes of the Special Session.

Conclusions:

46. We thank the People's Republic of China and UNICEF for organizing this Fifth Ministerial Consultation at the dawn of this New Decade for Children, and for the excellent meeting arrangements.

47. We pledge to give this Declaration the widest possible publicity. We look forward to meeting at the Sixth Ministerial Consultation to again review the situation and achievements for children.

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