Introduction

Introduction

Press Releases

Press Releases

Official Statements

Official Statements

 

Statement on the First Review of Implementation of the National Plan of Action for the Protection of Child Rights

Ministers, Ambassadors, Marzpets, distinguished guests,

It is an honor for me to be here today in such distinguished company.

UNICEF is honored to be jointly hosting with the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues this important meeting to review steps taken to implement the National Plan of Action for the Protection of Child Rights, otherwise known as the NPA.
The 2003 adoption of the NPA was a mile stone in the development in Armenia of an integrated long term governmental program to address the rights and meet the needs of children in this country.

To refresh your memory, along with other countries, the Government of Armenia pledged during the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children in 2002 to produce a national action plan so that the powerful words and intentions voiced during the special session would be translated into concrete actions. Over the course of the following year, under the direction of the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, the government produced a 10 year road map covering anticipated activities from 2004-2015. I believe the plan lays a solid foundation for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals that are consistent to meeting the rights of children.

Linked to Armenia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy paper, the National Plan of Action for Children is the best tool to address child poverty. Eradication of the worst manifestations of poverty is not only a moral imperative. It is a practical and affordable possibility and it starts with investing in children.

The PRSP, in particular, calls for increased public spending on primary health care services, the strengthening of child protection systems through establishment of relevant bodies at national and local levels and equally accessible and high quality general education system which are all integral components of the National Plan of Action for Children.

Over the past decade, tremendous strides have been made in improving the lives of children in this country. In particular,

 

Under-five and infant mortality rates have fallen by almost half

Immunization coverage is now almost 90% and Armenia has been declared polio-free

Micronutrient deficiencies are being effectively addressed, including through iodized salt which is now consumed by over 80% of the Armenian households

Primary school enrolment rate has been maintained at a consistently high level, although more work needs to be done to ensue that pre-primary schools services are restored and the problem of continuing school drop out rates at the secondary level still needs to be addressed

And substantial work has been done in order to bring domestic legislation in conformity with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international treaties and standards, through introduction of social welfare reforms, amendments and additions in Family, Labor and Criminal Codes.

Moreover, we in UNICEF are pleased to see that budgetary allocations for many social programs have increased in recent years which hopefully will mean that more children and women will get access to better quality health services, more children will benefit from better quality primary education and more children will be able to exercise their rights guaranteed under the CRC. Yet, for all these encouraging developments, there are still a number of problems that still need to be addressed.

Unfortunately, resources allocated today for the protection of children’s economic, social and cultural rights are not sufficient and do not meet international standards. Indeed, public expenditure on education represented only 1.9% per cent of GDP in 2002, while expenditure on health fared even worse at 1.1% of GDP. These percentages are considerably lower than in many other countries in the region and as a percentage of GDP, are lower than the levels of expenditure in the mid 1990’s.

We know that investment in children are extraordinary productive, but we must be mindful that returns on these investments will materialize only when commitments are matched by resources and political will and are sustained over the long term.

If the declarations outlined in the National Plan of Action for Children are to be realized, realistic budgets need to be developed and allocated to social sector programs. Ensuring the well-being of children, the future of this country, should be put at the heart of the budgetary process and systematic assessment of the impact of budgetary allocations need to be carried out.

Although Armenia has made considerable progress in improving domestic legislation and ensuring a protective environment for children is in place, there is still a gap between official declarations and the practices and procedures currently in place. More work needs to be done across all sectors to ensure that laws that have been passed are accompanied by practical guidelines for their implementation and dedicated financial and human resources.

UNICEF and other partners have, for example, been working with Ministries to establish projects such as community-based outreach services for children and families at-risk that would prevent vulnerable children from institutionalization. However, in order for such initiatives to be sustainable, they must eventually be linked to the state budget.

Dear Friends,

If we really want to make difference for children and translate the Millennium Development Goals into a reality, strong partnerships are essential. UNICEF will continue to work with the Government of Armenia, European Union, World Bank, UN agencies, bilateral donors and NGOs to ensure that the National Plan of Action for the Protection of Child Rights is implemented in a full and effective way.

Some governments have found it to be effective to appoint an inter-ministerial committee at a senior level, with participation at the community level, to oversee NPA implementation. This is a model that you may wish to consider here.

Civil society also plays an essential role in pushing forward the agenda for children. In order to be successful in our endeavors, we need to knock at the door of every house and turn families and communities into our most committed allies. And this is where knowledge and skills of NGOs come into play.
Summarizing some of the important issues raised above, I would like to call for concrete actions that need to be taken as a matter of priority, particularly;

Increased budget allocations for social programs to ensure that measures called for in the NPA can be effectively implemented

Establishment of mechanisms that would allow to transfer laws adopted into real long-term results for children

Creation of a body that will coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the NPA

Strengthening of civil society partners to continue to advocate for and raise public awareness on child rights

I strongly believe that at today’s meeting we - united by a common idea of making our children’s lives better - will not only reiterate our commitments to ensure children’s rights in this country, but also will also discuss concrete activities that will help ensure the comprehensive implementation of the National Plan of Action for the Protection of Child Rights.

Thank you.