UNICEF New Zealand & Office of the Children's Commissioner: CRC@20 - Share the Cake

Speech to the CRC @ 20 - Share the Cake celebrations of twenty years of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, Government House Auckland

20 Nov 2009

Welcome to everyone here today.  I would like to welcome especially the young people present,  Dennis McKinlay, Executive Director of UNICEF New Zealand,  Dr John Angus, Commissioner for Children and your predecessors,  the Honourable Roger McClay and  Dr Ian Hassall,  Rosslyn Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner,  Sir Donald McKinnon, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and Lady Clare,  Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is my pleasure to host this afternoon’s CRC @ 20 – Share the Cake celebration here at Government House on behalf of UNICEF New Zealand and the Commissioner for Children.

Today is the 20th Anniversary of the United Nations adopting the Convention of the Rights of the Child.  This day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of children and their interests and welfare.

The Convention is a bottom line safeguarding children and sits alongside the Declaration of Human Rights.

Those at UNICEF New Zealand work effectively both nationally and internationally and we thank them for their effort.  In saving, protecting and improving children’s lives, this Convention is at the heart of what you do.  It is pleasing that 193 countries have ratified the Convention but it would be ideal for all countries to do so.

The Convention is one of the most widely accepted human rights conventions as it is guided by the four key principles: - non discrimination – best interests of the child – survival, development and protection of the child – and participation.  In today’s world we know countries depend even more on each other, so the effort to establish common principles is worthwhile.

All parents have hopes and dreams for their children.  Becoming grandparents for the first time this year has reminded Anand and me of the past and future.  New challenges exist now, different from those we faced as parents.

Because children do not vote they can be overlooked in the political priorities.  We, who were once children, have a moral duty to ensure their healthy development as they grow into adulthood.  Children are the future of the world.

We can be proud of New Zealand’s commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and that the majority of children here enjoy a good quality of life.  As Murray Edridge of Barnardos said of their achievements, we should remain pleased with our progress – but not satisfied.

Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson, former Governor-General of New Zealand, said:

“In the welter of our confused society there is an axiomatic truth that we can all accept, the Family is the foundation of all society.

The most precious possession we can pass on to our children is the heritage our parents gave to us, perfect family happiness.”

Perfect family happiness is an ideal and aspirational, but adults responsible for children today should try to provide for them based on the four principles on which the Convention is based.

It is my hope, and I’m sure the hope of all those here, that we will reach a point globally where no child is left to struggle, and where every child is given the opportunity to enjoy good health, education, safety and economic wellbeing.

I extend my thanks and appreciation to all those who have contributed to the preservation and promotion of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child here and internationally. Your work is vital to the future of children and to the children to follow them.

It is with pride that we can gather together and recognise being part of the global community committed to the Convention, with the goal of making the world a more fit place for children.

As an old Chinese Proverb goes:

“One generation plants the trees;  another gets the shade”

I wish you every success and fortitude in your endeavours.

Tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.

Susan Satyanand