The Global Movement for Children - the rallying call

In every child who comes into the world, the hopes and dreams of the human race are born anew.

Children are the bearers of our common future - a future that is in our hands as never before. For the world has the knowledge, the resources and the legal imperatives to give every child the best possible start in life, in a family environment that offers the love, the care and the nurturing that children need to grow, to learn - and to develop to the fullest.

The entire community of nations acknowledged as much when they embraced the Convention on the Rights of the Child - and vowed, a decade ago, to fulfil the goals of the World Summit for Children. These obligations must be met, not only by governments, but by all of us.

Yet in this new Millennium, it is clear that more - much more - must be done if the world is to protect the rights and meet the needs of all children.

That is why we, as citizens of every nation and members of families,communities, and civil society organisations of every kind, hereby resolve to help mobilise a Global Movement for Children - an unstoppable crusade to end, at long last, the poverty, ill health, violence and discrimination that has needlessly blighted and destroyed so many young lives.

Our determination is rooted in the knowledge that in furthering the best interests of children, the most effective actions must come from within the context of our own lives and hearts, and from listening to children and young people themselves. As members of the human family, each of us is responsible. All of us are accountable.

1. Leave No Child Out - Because every girl and boy is born free and equal in dignity and rights, all forms of discrimination and exclusion against children must end.

2. Put Children First - Governments must meet their obligations to children and young people. At the same time, everyone - including individuals, nongovernmental organisations, religious groups, the private sector, and children and adolescents themselves - must recognise their responsibility to ensure that child rights are respected.

3. Care for Every Child - All children must enjoy the highest attainable standard of health, especially through immunisation, good nutrition and diet, clean water and adequate sanitation, proper housing and a safe and healthy environment.

4. Fight HIV/AIDS - Children and adolescents and their families must be protected from the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS.

5. Stop Harming and Exploiting Children - The violence and abuse that children suffer must be stopped now. And the sexual and economic exploitation of children must also end.

6. Listen to Children - Everyone must respect the right of children and young people to express themselves and to participate in decisions that affect them, consistent with their evolving capabilities. And we must listen and act.

7. Educate Every Child - All girls and boys must receive a compulsory, free primary education of good quality.

8. Protect Children from War - Children must be protected from the horrors of armed conflict.

9. Protect the Earth for Children - There must be urgent steps by every one of us - including governments, civil society and the private sector - to assure the well-being and security of future generations by safeguarding the environment at global, national and local levels.

10. Fight Poverty: Invest in Children - Because children suffer the most from poverty, the fight against it must begin with them. This includes investing in social services that benefit the poorest children and their families, such as basic health-care and primary education. At the same time, the well being of children must be a priority objective of debt relief programmes,development assistance and government spending.