CHILDREN'S SUMMIT IN SEPTEMBER
TO CAP YEAR OF MAJOR UN CONFERENCES

A Fitting Finale Will Focus on 'Changing The World With Children'

NEW YORK, 16 August 2001 – More than 100 children will serve as delegates at next month's landmark United Nations Special Session on Children, the first time that large numbers of young people will actively participate in deliberations at a major UN conference, UN officials announced today.

"It may seem like common sense to invite young people to a conference completely dedicated to their well-being. But this is a radical change for such high-level meetings," said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the lead UN agency for the Special Session. "Children will literally be rubbing shoulders with presidents and prime ministers. They will have a chance to voice their concerns and influence the debate."

It may seem like common sense to invite young people to a conference completely dedicated to their well-being. But this is a radical change for such high-level meetings.

Carol Bellamy Executive Director of UNICEF

The children's attendance, along with the expected participation of more than 1,000 child-focused non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world, promises to broaden the September 19-21 meeting at UN Headquarters in New York far beyond the traditional core of official government representatives.

So far, 113 people under age 18 have registered to take part in the Special Session, 34 of them as members of government delegations and 79 as members of NGO delegations. Many more are expected to sign up in the coming weeks, forming an intriguing and youthful counterpoint to the more than 75 Heads of State or Government that have so far committed to attending.

"Eleven years ago [at the 1990 World Summit for Children], children were given token treatment, but [this summer]in New York, they got to talk directly to top government representatives," said Vadim-Alexandru Pungulescu, a 17-year old from Romania, referring to a Special Session preparatory meeting in June where he was one of 140 youth delegates. "I still think children are not the priority they should be. In 10 years time, I won't be a child anymore, but I hope that the world will be a better place in which adults will take decisions with children instead of for them."

The Special Session will be the first time the UN General Assembly has met to specifically address issues relating to children. It will explore the long-standing obstacles to children's well-being as well as newly emerging challenges. A key part of this is a review of progress made since the 1990 World Summit, where governments committed to specific and time-bound goals on child survival, protection and development.

"I hope we can arrive at one proposition and that all governments will value the rights of children," said Griselda Lupita Garciam, 14, from Santa Ana, El Salvador, who also attended the June preparatory meeting. "My ideal world is a just and fair place for children, where our rights are respected and where we can participate in everything."

Breaking New Ground with NGOs

In addition to the large number of young delegates, a large contingent of non-governmental organizations, expected to exceed 1,000, will provide governments with a grassroots view of the needs of children around the world. In another departure for a GA Special Session, NGOs without prior UN affiliation have been accredited. This is an attempt to bring community groups – who often work the closest with children – into the decision-making process.

Of the 3,727 NGOs who were invited by Special Session organizers, 1,678 did not previously have an official UN affiliation. Instead, UNICEF was permitted to invite hundreds of organizations that it partners with for children in countries around the world, including faith-based organizations, child advocacy groups, and non-profits that specialize in rural development, among many others. (The lists of invited NGOs are available at www.un.org and at www.unicef.org.)

Hundreds of NGOs have already contributed to the Special Session's two main documents. The first, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's "We the Children: End Decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit for Children," was released in May.

The other, "A World Fit For Children," is the draft outcome document that will be considered by government delegates during the Special Session. It delineates the new commitments and goals for children that countries must adhere to over the next several years.

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Background

The Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children
19-21 September, New York City

Attendance: As of 15 August more than 76 Heads of State had committed to attending the summit, and the number is rising. In addition, over 1,000 non-governmental organizations have registered to attend, more than any other UN conference.

Process: Over the past 18 months, a series of Regional Consultations by governments and NGOs has produced concrete regional commitments that will inform the Special Session and serve as regional roadmaps for improving children’s lives. These can be viewed online at www.unicef.org. Tens of thousands of individuals from around the world, including children and young people, have taken part in this process.

Statistics: The Secretary-General’s end-decade report, “We The Children,” is available online at www.unicef.org (click on the “Special Session” pages.) A series of summary fact sheets is also available, including “Shortakes on Progress,” and “Who Is the Global Child?”

UNICEF: UNICEF has been appointed by the UN General Assembly to act as the Secretariat for the Special Session. The UNICEF Media team, with headquarters in New York and Geneva and field offices and National Committees in 160 countries, can assist news organizations in story development, accessing facts & figures, arranging interviews, and acquiring video b-roll. Accreditation for the Special Session is handled by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI). For detailed instructions visit the Special Session web pages at www.unicef.org/specialsession/press/credentials.

Say Yes: UNICEF is one of several children's organizations urging people all over the world to support action for children through the Say Yes for Children campaign. By logging on to www.gmfc.org, people can vote for the three most important actions that leaders must take for children. The results - projected to include some 20 million ballots - will be presented at the Special Session. The message: People care about children and want governments to keep the promises they make to them.

What’s Ahead: Over the next six weeks, the Special Session media team will be issuing weekly press updates on the summit, including updates on who’s coming, what the key issues will be, and events happening around the Special Session on Children. To be included on our mailing lists, please write to us at press@unicef.org. A key event will be the September 13 launch of The State of The World’s Children, 2002, UNICEF’s annual summary of children’s welfare.

UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy will be in New York and available for media interviews beginning September 4. She is currently travelling in Africa and the Far East.

updates on the summit, including listings of who's coming, what the key issues will be, and what else is happening around the Special Session on Children. To be included on our mailing lists, please write to us at . A key event will be the September 13 launch of The State of The World's Children, 2002, UNICEF's annual report on children's issues.

During August, Carol Bellamy will be travelling to Angola, DRC, Uganda, Cambodia and South Africa, with possible press stops in Bangkok, Tokyo and London.

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For further information, please contact,

Patsy Robertson, Special Session Media, New York (212) 326-7270, Liza Barrie, UNICEF Media Chief, New York (212) 326-7593, Alfred Ironside, UNICEF Media, New York (212) 326-7261 Wivina Belmonte, UNICEF Media, Geneva (41-22) 909-5509