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'A World Fit For Children' - the outcome document of the Special Session

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'A World Fit for Children'

The outcome of the Special Session on Children, 'A World Fit for Children' (A/S-27/19/Rev.1 dated 10 May 2002) is available in pdf format in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic.

Endorsement of 'A World Fit for Children' by heads of state and governments commits heads of states and governments to achieving a set of targets and benchmarks for children by 2010. The outcome document includes a declaration, a review of progress and lessons learned and a detailed Plan of Action.

There are four priorities for children in the coming decade:

• promoting healthy lives.
• providing quality education.
• protecting against abuse, exploitation and violence.
• combating HIV/AIDS.

The Plan of Action outlines how to create a world fit for children through specific goals, strategies and action; mobilising resources; and follow up actions and monitoring. Goals and actions are linked to the achievement of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

There are more than 20 specific targets and benchmarks, and these include:

• Reduction of the infant and under-five mortality rate by at least one third, in pursuit of the goal of reducing it by two thirds by 2015.
• Reduction in the maternal mortality ratio by at least one third, in pursuit of the goal of reducing it by three quarters by 2015.
• Reduction of child malnutrition among children under five years of age by at least one third, with special attention to children under two years of age, and reduction in the rate of low birth weight by at least one third of the current rate.
• Reduction in the proportion of households without access to hygienic sanitation facilities and affordable and safe drinking water by at least one third.
• Universal access to primary education.
• Protection of children against all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence; the impact of armed conflict; all forms of sexual exploitation; the worst forms of child labour and child labour that is contrary to accepted international standards; and to include in those protection mechanisms other especially difficult circumstances.
• Reduction of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, in order to combat the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on children according to a series of time-bound targets.

National Plans of Action

After the Special Session on Children, governments will be required to develop national, and where appropriate, regional action plans to ensure that the targets and benchmarks are achieved. Governments have been encouraged to develop the NPAs taking into account the key issues and priorities for children in their own countries, as well as relevant cultural, religious and social traditions. The NPAs will be complemented by inclusion of these goals into other policies and development plans, such as poverty reduction plans.

The development of NPAs will require strengthening national statistical capacities to collect and analyse data support child-focused research.

Periodic reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels will also take place. At the regional level, reviews will require sharing best practices and strengthening partnership in order to accelerate progress. States Parties to the UNCRC are being encouraged to include in their reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child information on measures taken and results achieved in the implementation of 'A World Fit for Children'. The Secretary General will report regularly to the General Assembly on the implementation of the Plan of Action.

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