High Level Meeting on Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia-Pacific Region
2010-12-09
The High Level Meeting on Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia-Pacific Region was held on 4-6 November in Beijing. The meeting was foreseen as a forum to further enhance and demonstrate political commitment to child rights and for the exchange of experiences among countries in the Asia-Pacific region, building on the experience of China and other countries.
The three-day meeting was chaired by a senior participant from the Government of China, high-level speakers, including at Ministerial level, from countries of the Asia-Pacific region who had shared their experiences in realising child rights. UNICEF Executive Director Mr. Anthony Lake participated in the meeting, along with the Vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, Ms Joseph Yu and its Council member, Ms Leonie Ki. The ‘Beijing Declaration on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia Pacific Region’ was unanimously adopted, representing a beginning in more intensive efforts to strengthen and deepen South-South cooperation among countries of the Asia Pacific region to advance children’s rights. The commitments focus on regional cooperation in three key areas: disaster risk reduction; child protection and welfare systems; and ensures that economic and social development is equitable and reaches all children. Moreover, countries committed to a regional dialogue on approaches to child protection services, which focuses on prevention and encourages the greater allocation of vital resources.