“Karapat Dapat – Child, Know your Rights”

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Director-General very much regrets that he cannot be here today and sends his best regards. He has asked me to deliver the following remarks on his behalf:

“Ambassador Garcia,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

A warm welcome to today’s opening of the exhibition ‘Karapat Dapat’. We are grateful to the Permanent Mission of the Philippines for bringing this engaging exhibition to the Palais des Nations.

We are here today to shine a light on one of the great achievements of multilateralism: The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most rapidly and widely ratified human rights treaty in history.

The Convention contributed significantly to the progress of children rights and needs. A child born today is on average less likely to be illiterate; less likely to die of preventable diseases; less likely to suffer from exploitation or be denied an education than at any time in history.

And yet, we are painfully aware that on many measures we are failing the children of this world.

Every five minutes - the length of my remarks - a child dies as a result of violence. Every year, at least one billion girls and boys experience some form of violence - physical, sexual, psychological. In their neighbourhoods…at home…online…in every country.

The global migration and refugee crisis has wrought a devastating impact on the rights of millions of children worldwide. One in every 8 migrants is a child. 1 in 200 children is a refugee. 26 million children today are displaced by conflict.

Nelson Mandela once observed that “there can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

We remain far from a world in which every child reaches their full potential. Protecting children from neglect and abuse is but the first step. But it means little without empowering them and ensuring respect for their fundamental rights - including the right to a self-determined life; a life led in dignity.

Empowering children through knowledge - that is the powerful action of CANVAS and Ang INK, whose wonderful book we have the chance to explore today.

It is something that is close to my heart - and it is something that we, too, in Geneva are pursuing. The Perception Change Project in my Office published the children’s book “Fairy Tales for a Fairer World”, which engages children - and adults! - on the Sustainable Development Goals, our collective roadmap for a better future.

The future of the world is in children’s hands. But we can never forget that children’s futures are in our hands.

There is no greater responsibility, no more important job. And no better pathway to a better, healthier, more peaceful world for all.”

These were the words of the Director-General.

Thank you.