The rights of the child

Urges all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a matter of priority; expresses its concern at the great number of reservations to the Convention, and urges States parties to withdraw reservations incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention; calls upon all States to take all necessary measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by children with disabilities; calls upon all States parties to the Convention to fulfil their obligation under article 34 of the Convention, and to support efforts in the context of the UN system aimed at adopting effective national, bilateral and multilateral measures for the prevention and eradication of the sale of children and of their sexual exploitation and abuse; expresses grave concern at the numerous damaging effects of armed conflicts on children, and emphasizes the need for the world community to focus increased attention on this serious problem with a view to bringing it to an end; urges Governments to pay particular attention to the situation of refugee and internally displaced children by continuing to design and improve the implementation of policies and programmes for their care and well-being with the necessary international cooperation; calls upon all States to translate into concrete action their commitment to the effective elimination of all forms of exploitative child labour, and urges them to eliminate the worst forms of child labour.

Adopted without vote, 85th meeting

14 p.

Adopted at the 85th plenary meeting, 9 Dec. 1998.