Location: Conference Room 1, Conference Building

Speakers: Chairman H.E Mr. Stephan Tafrov of Bulgaria, representatives of Malawi, European Union, Jamaica, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Haiti, Cape Verde, Russian Federation, Uruguay, Belarus, Switzerland, United States, Japan, Israel, Bhutan, Monaco, South Africa, Nicaragua, Senegal, Jordan, Singapore, China, Brazil, Iceland, Pakistan, Syria, Lao’s People Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Bolivia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Chile, Maldives, Turkey, Iraq, Burkina Faso and Malaysia.

Attended by: Diego Atehortua

Summary by: Diego Atehortua

On the first half of the General Assembly Third Committee’s 15th meeting, delegates and representatives spoke about the promotion and protection of children’s rights. Though a bit delayed, the representative of the European Union spoke about the Rights of the Child (2011) policy, which has focused on the reduction of child violence, malnutrition and exploitation.

The Delegation of Jamaica’s minister informed the committee of the treatment of children who are prosecuted. Through The National Framework of Action for the Protection of Children (2012-2017), all minors in jail will have be moved from sharing cells with adults. The Delegation of Bhutan marked that free education will prevent children from engaging in a dangerous or/and inappropriate environment.

Representative of the nation of Lithuania spoke about the improvement of educational and social services for children in rural areas of the world as well as the inclusion of children with disabilities. The Delegation of Liechtenstein made a call to the United Nation’s Security Council to use their measures against individuals who wish to hurt children.

Along with Liechtenstein, the Delegation of the United States and Bulgarian spoke about the Syrian government’s discrimination of their own people. They addressed the social, educational and health needs for Syrian refugees. Chairman, Mr. Tafrov was pleased to inform about Bulgaria’s psychological aid for Syrian refugees. Liechtenstein reminded the Third Committee of Syria’s prolonged violation of children’s rights.

Delegations from the nations of Korea, Malawi and Cape Verde commanded the UNICEF partnership which has played a fundamental role for children deprived of basic family needs. Japan insisted for a UN protocol to diminish child abduction and addressed Japan’s established legislation on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Delegation of Haiti informed the committee that 23% of children aged five to fourteen in developing countries; face long hours of work every day. The Delegation of Israel noted that how parents feel forced to send their children to work, after not having enough funds to send them to school, urging the need for free education.

The representative of Belarus was pleased to accomplish Development Goal 2: providing obligatory education, and how 70% of children who are born orphan, have been raised in family homes. The Delegation of Uruguay reminded the Third Committee on the importance of children and how the new 2015 Agenda should be focused on children, since they are the future of our world.

Edited By: Wayne Dean Doyle