New York - Représentation permanente du Luxembourg auprès des Nations Unies > News > Third Committee of the UN General Assembly - General stat... >
Third Committee of the UN General Assembly - General statement on draft resolution L.28/Rev.1 entitled “Rights of the child”
Statement by H.E. Ms. Sylvie Lucas
Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg
Mr. Chair,
I am speaking on behalf of the European Union and the Latin American and Caribbean Group in full support of the rights of the child resolution.
We deeply regret that a vote has been called on the entire resolution, especially given that the resolution has always enjoyed broad consensus. We are alarmed by the negative signal it sends.
This resolution is about much more than the issue we voted on this morning.
- It is about respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of all children;
- This resolution is about eradicating all forms of violence against children in all settings;
- It is about the right of every girl and boy to a quality and inclusive and comprehensive education;
- It is also about inclusive education for children with disabilities, about equal access for indigenous children;
- It is about full access to inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning at all levels, which is an essential precondition for achieving sustainable development;
- This resolution is about access to health care, and to education on an equal basis with others;
- It is about providing education to children in emergency situations, about protecting education in situations of armed conflict;
- It is about all this and much more.
The issues addressed in this resolution are relevant to all our children, to the children in each of our countries. Promoting children’s rights worldwide requires close cooperation between all Member States. Boys and girls are not only the future of our societies: they are the present. Through this resolution and other actions we articulate our concerns for the human rights of the child.
This resolution is about so much more than any one paragraph or any one issue. We simply find it hard to understand that delegations would not support this resolution about the rights of the child wholeheartedly. The sponsors therefore find it is highly regrettable that there could be a vote against this resolution. We therefore urge colleagues in the strongest possible terms to vote in support of the resolution on the Rights of the Child by voting YES. Our children deserve no less.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.