GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRD COMMITTEE
SEVENTY-FIRST SESSION, 15TH & 16TH MEETINGS (AM & PM)
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its general discussion on the rights of children today, with delegates describing progress and challenges on a range of issues pertaining to child health, education and protection.
While several delegates shared progress their Governments had made in improving legislative and social mechanisms to prevent violence against children, many were concerned by the growing threat posed by humanitarian emergencies, and in particular, the migrant and refugee crisis.
The representative of Bulgaria, which was both a transit and host country for thousands of refugees and migrants, reminded Member States that “a child is first a child, and after that, a refugee or migrant”. As such, they had rights that must be protected by all. Guatemala’s delegate was particularly concerned by the vulnerability of unaccompanied children migrating across the Americas. Her Government had established consular services in Mexico and the United States to help protect those youth, but she also urged States to stop detaining minors. Similarly, El Salvador’s speaker called for a human rights-based approach to dealing with the situation of child migrants. Echoing those concerns, the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reminded authorities of their obligations under international law to prevent family separation and to avoid detaining children. Read more