（14 October 2009, New York）

Mr. Chairman,

Children are the future of mankind. To promote and protect the rights of the child is the consensus forged by the international community. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the years, the international community, governments and civil society have made considerable efforts to create “a world fit for children” and achieved steady progress in promoting and protecting the rights of the child. The Chinese delegation would like to express its appreciation to the UN agencies, governments and the civil society for their efforts dedicated to children.

At the same time, we are fully aware of the numerous challenges in the area of protecting the rights of the child. The world faces not only myriad of problems of poverty, hunger, disease, disaster, illegal employment of child labor, drugs, and sexual exploitation, which violate the rights of the child, but also grave challenges posed by emerging unfavorable environment, such as the financial crisis. The international community should enhance cooperation and take effective measures to eliminate the root causes for the violation of the rights of the child. The Chinese government calls on the developed countries to provide financial and technical assistance to the developing countries so as to mitigate the negative impact of the financial crisis on children, and work together with them to create a harmonious and favorable environment for the healthy development of the children all over the world.

Mr. Chairman,

The child population in China makes up one-fifth of the world’s total. The Chinese government takes the healthy development of its hundreds of millions of children as a matter of the fundamental national interest. At present, China has set up a quite comprehensive system of laws and regulations for protecting the rights of the child; and the central and local governments at various levels have established special agencies on children, thus providing effective legal and institutional guarantee for promoting the rights of the child. The Guidelines of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, set out for implementation since 2006, made the commitment to adhere to the principle of putting children first, safeguard in accordance with the law the rights of the child to life, development, protection and participation, improve the environment for the growth of children and promote the healthy physical and mental development of children. China’s National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010) issued in last April has set out specific provisions to safeguard the rights of the child. According to the Action Plan, China will strive to safeguard the rights of the child to life, development and participation based on the “best interests” of children.

The Chinese government is continuing its efforts to improve its legal and regulatory system for minors so as to strengthen their protection in judicial proceedings. To prevent and combat trafficking in children, an effective assistance mechanism has been established and specific measures have been taken to protect the rights of children in vulnerable situation, especially girls. Efforts have also been made to create conditions and opportunities for children at different physical and mental development levels to participate in families, schools, communities and social life.

Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese government consistently fulfils in good faith its treaty obligations. China has submitted two reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its initial report on the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. The reports submitted by China have been highly evaluated by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Since last February, the Chinese government has started the preparation of its third and fourth combined periodic report on the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and actively encouraged the participation of the civil society in the process of preparing the report.

The Chinese government has long carried out effective cooperation with UNICEF and achieved positive results in project implementation in priority areas, such as health and nutrition, education, child protection and community service, prevention of natural disasters, the development of children in poverty-stricken areas, advocacy and communication and dissemination of knowledge.

Mr. Chairman,

As a developing country with a population of 367 million under the age of 18, China faces a multitude of challenges in its work concerning children. The Chinese government will continue to work with the international community to build a better future for the children.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.