|
|
|
| Official Document
Kathmandu Understanding
Investing in Children in South Asia
WE, the delegations of the Governments
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka, along with corporate leaders and young activists (Change
Makers) from our countries met at the South Asia High Level Meeting
on Investing in Children in Kathmandu, Nepal on 22-23 May 2001.
This meeting was preceded by consultations between Change Makers
and corporate leaders. These meetings were organised as part of
the Global Movement for Children and in preparation for the United
Nations General Assembly Special Session to be held in New York
19-21 September 2001.
WE agree that children are the future of our nations and,
therefore, investing in children should be a national priority.
GUIDED by the spirit of the draft outcome document of the
United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, A World
Fit for Children, we recognise that each child needs a good start
in life; completion of basic education of good quality, and the
opportunity for adolescents to develop their individual capacities
to the fullest.
Press releases
from other May meetings for the September Special Session
on Children
|
WE note the progress made by countries of South Asia towards
achieving the goals of the World Summit for Children and the 1996
SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children held in Rawalpindi. We
also note examples of large-scale actions taken by governments of
South Asia, non-governmental organisations, international agencies,
civil society and communities in areas such as early childhood development,
universal primary and elementary education, and immunisation. But
WE acknowledge that there is still much to be done to attain
most of the goals and to fulfil the rights of all girls and boys
to survival, health, development and protection through access to
quality basic social services, including health, nutrition, education,
and protection against neglect, abuse and exploitation. In particular,
we note that birth registration, low-birth weight, infant, under-5
and maternal mortality, malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies
such as Vitamin A and iodine, maternal and child anaemia, quality
water supply, sanitation, salt iodisation, access to primary school
and learning achievement, and care of the girl child and the adolescent
girl remain areas of concern. In most situations girls are worse
off than boys.
WE recognise that poverty denies the fulfilment and enjoyment
of human rights of children and robs them of the nurturing care
that is crucial for their physical, cognitive, and psychological
development, and the inculcation of a sound value system to lead
healthy and productive lives. Impoverished children are victims
of the vicious cycle of poverty, which perpetuates into the next
generation. Providing a safe and healthy start to all children is
important for breaking the inter-generational cycle of malnutrition
and poor health which links an infant, adolescent girl and mother.
WE affirm, therefore, that investing in children is a priority
issue and that poverty reduction should begin with children.
WE affirm, once again, that there is no greater investment
than laying a stable foundation for every child by ensuring the
fulfilment of rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights
of the Child (CRC). It is our obligation to allocate the required
financial resources and take all requisite actions towards the survival
and development of all children in South Asia. This covers good
health and nutrition of the populations, especially infants, adolescents
and women, quality education for girls and boys, improved drinking
water and environmental sanitation, and protection of children from
all forms of discrimination, exploitation, violence and abuse, trafficking,
and hazardous and exploitative forms of child labour. We recognise
the urgent need to protect adolescents and young people from HIV/AIDS
and children affected by armed conflict.
WE recognise that universal access to quality education is
the critical foundation for economic growth. However, the quality
of education and learning available to the majority of our children
is a matter of great concern. We strongly affirm that South Asia
cannot afford disparities in education between boys and girls. Efforts,
therefore, must be intensified to achieve gender parity in access
and learning.
WE recognise that governments, the corporate sector, civil
society, communities, young people, international organisations
and media need to work in partnership to ensure adequate, timely
and productive investments in fulfilling the rights and achieving
the well-being of all children in South Asia, and in strategies
towards poverty alleviation.
WE call upon the international community to create a supportive
environment for the survival, development and protection of children
and promote a non-violent, non-exploitative international order.
We urge the donor countries to meet all their commitments under
the Convention on the Rights of the Child, implement measures for
debt relief, assess and monitor the impact of sanctions on children
and ensure humanitarian exemptions that are child focussed to address
the possible adverse effects of the sanctions. We also urge donor
countries to earmark a higher percentage of their Official Development
Assistance for the welfare of children under the 20/20 Initiative.
We urge UNICEF and our development partners to reaffirm, in spirit
and in actions, the need for structural adjustment with a human
face, and trade and tariff arrangements for preferential access
to developed country markets.
Noting the situation of children in South Asia we:
- Reaffirm our commitments to accelerate progress to achieve
the goals for children agreed at the World Summit for Children
in 1990 and the 1996 SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children;
- Support and call for increasingly greater investment in children;
- Urge our development partners to enhance their aid and assistance
to support higher investment in children in South Asia;
- Recognise the need to listen to children and actively explore
ways of involving them in decisions that affect them at all levels;
- Recognise the importance of partnerships between government,
private and corporate sector, civil society organisations, communities,
individuals, children, international organisations and media;
- Call for the sharing of national experiences and best practices,
and common strategies, which reach families and communities at
the grassroots level for fulfilling the rights of children;
- Recognise the importance of regular monitoring and review of
progress as part of the accountability for results;
- Propose that this Kathmandu Understanding be brought to the
attention of UN General Assembly Special Session and the Third
Special Session of the Standing Committee of SAARC which will
meet in Colombo 8-9 June 2001, which provides another opportunity
for a common position to be taken by our countries to the UN Special
Session.
WE pledge to work towards the implementation of this Understanding.
WE adopt this Understanding as the outcome of our Meeting.
WE thank His Majesty's Government of Nepal and UNICEF for
organising this South Asia High Level Meeting on Investing in Children
and for the hospitality extended to us. We also thank Save the Children
for organising the Change Makers meeting and their participation.
South Asia High Level Meeting on Investing in Children
23 May 2001
Kathmandu, Nepal
|
|
|
