Summary:

The Young General Assembly, involving over one million young people worldwide, recently held its Annual Session in Swaziland. There the young delegates from Young General Assembly Member Organisations prepared a statement for the upcoming United Nations Special Session of the General Assembly on Children:

Statement From: The Young General Assembly To : The United Nations Special Session of the General Assembly on Children 19th –21st September, 2001. In the name of love, unity, and harmony, we, as global representatives of young people, feel empowered to step forward through the door opened for us by the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 1990 World Summit for Children, the 1995 World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, the 1998 Braga Youth Action Plan, and the 1999 Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century. The Young General Assembly is uniting young people from all over the world in responsible action to initiate practical activities through identifying key priorities and through promoting youth empowerment in decision-making and in solution-building. We appreciate the efforts of the United Nations General Assembly and that they want a better life and a better world for children. In order to have a better future for all nations, irrespective of beliefs or race, children must be the first priority. Children are the future of all nations. Children are the eyes of the world. Yet, still over one million children die every day, over ten million children are being abused daily, and millions of children stay on the street without having any food or education. Children’s rights are being violated every day, and yet the offenders continue to say, “Children are the future.” If we children who are being abused every day are the future, then the future of the world is not guaranteed or even assured in the smallest way. Why do people waste our precious future? Why do people destroy our tomorrow? We children have a longer future on earth than you adults. So, please do not destroy our future. We, the children of the world, are calling for a better future. We need free education. We need the chance to develop our potential. We need a peaceful world. We need for governments to keep their promises. Please work with us, the children, in partnership. Everyone will benefit. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Acknowledge a child with respect today. Be a model a child can respect.

Previous Publication (general) items

• 20/08/2001: Durban 2001, United Against Racism: Focus on Children and Youth
• 20/08/2001: International Development Directory
• 10/08/2001: The Arab Regional Civil Society Forum on Children Concludes in Morocco - More than 200 participants from 21 Countries Rally for Children
• 10/08/2001: Regional Consultation of Civil Society Organisations from CEE, CIS and the Baltic States - Conference Note
• 10/08/2001: Open Letter from the Regional CSO Consultation on Children in Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic States

Organisation Contact Details:

Peaceways- Young General Assembly Secretariat
1950 Sunset Drive
Reedsburg
WI 53959
Tel: 00 1 608 524 4608
Email: peaceways@igc.org
Website: www.Young-GA.org

Last updated 30/08/2001 09:10:27

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