Syria participates in UN General Assembly session on Children
Regional-Syria, Culture, 5/6/2002

World Leaders will gather in New York City for a major conference focused on global progress for children and the key role that investment in children can play in building global peace and security. The UN General Assembly Special session for children is expected to bring at least 60 Heads of State and Government to New York for three days 8- 10 May.

In a statement to Arabic News (ArabicNews.com), UNICEF's representative in Damascus Mohamed Bindress Alami said that the UNICEF and the government of Syria participated in 1990, September in the person of the Syrian minister of Health who led the Syrian delegation to this summit. After that the Syrian Arab Republic ratified the Child Right Convention CRC in 1993 and established the national plan of action to implement the recommendations of the summit for child's survival, development, protection and participation. He added that the Syrian Arab Republic achieved most of the summit's goals. He indicated some achievements happened during the last decade which reflect the global efforts made by the government of Syria, supported by the people's organizations ( NGO's ), the families and the children themselves.

He added that in order to summarize these efforts we can present the life expectancy rate which increased considerably and after 10 years, UNICEF supported by few leaders in the world called for a special session to evaluate the progress and to identify the new challenges in view of preparing future actions in favor of children.

He continued "We can understand the importance of this special session considering the tensions happening in different areas of the world, in particular in our Arab region ( Middle East and North Africa ) affected by several conflicts made in particular in Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, Algeria.. etc, where the children are suffering and are victims of armed conflicts or living under embargo or occupied territories."

Alami indicated that the special session is very important and good opportunity for the world and Arab leaders to advocate for an Arab world fit for children. The economical and social progress reached during the last two decades should be consolidated by a peaceful environment where children could develop their capacity and to be protected against any kind of violations of their right.

Child participation is also important because this will help to develop more democracy among the Arab populations and also benefit from all the national capacities and that way more participatory movement is created in the best interests of the Arab nation.

To improve the situation in the Arab states, Alami said, "we need to put the children at the center of our priorities because children are the future of this nation and only with the children we can introduce changes and make development sustainable. The best investment the Arab countries can do is investing in children because this is something under our control within our capacities to reproduce our society and to orient our future according to the national objectives and aspirations."

The Syrian Arab Republic, Alami said, will attend the special session with a delegation headed by the minister of health Muhammad Eyad al-Shatti and is composed of the deputy minister of information Adib Ghanam, the director of the Syrian statistical bureau and other officials concerned.

He added that the Syrian minister of health will represent President Bashar al-Assad and also he will make a speech on behalf of Syria's First Lady Asmaa al-Assad. He added that also the Syrian minister will participate in supportive events, in particular in a meeting with children to discuss with them their concerns and view points on the future.

He added that Syria will also be honored by the participation of the renowned Syrian athlete Ghada Shou'a, who will take part in the Gala conference with children.

He continued that to support the special session, Syria developed a program containing several activities related to children in particular organizing the campaign "Say yes for Children," where one and a half millions pledged for children in Syria. Other activities took place during 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 in a planting trees campaign; child participation forum and many others.

Replying to a question on the efforts of UNICEF in the occupied Palestinian territories, Bin Alami said that UNICEF is mandated by the UN to advocate and support the rights of children. He added that regarding the situation in Palestine, UNICEF is operating in the occupied Palestinian territories through the main office in Jerusalem and two sub- offices in other two areas.

He said that UNICEF is supporting a program for children in the occupied Palestinian territories and also in other three countries, hosting Palestinian refugees in particular Syria, Jordan, Lebanon. He explained that UNICEF in the occupied Palestinian territories collaborates very closely with the Palestinian Authority and with the Palestinian NGO's to provide assistance to affected children in particular in the areas of health, nutrition; education, psych- social counseling for traumatized children, capacity building for Palestinian authorities media support, and other child related activities in close co-operation with other UN organizations like WFP, WHO, UNRWA and most recently with OCHA ( Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance ) who is on board since April 21st, 2002 after the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Jenin and other affected Palestinian areas. Bin Alami said that OCHA has been requested by the UN secretary general to come and coordinate all humanitarian assistance as the consequence of the Israeli occupation.

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