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NOVEMBER 22, 2015

Child-friendly indicators for each goal to Fight Unfairness and Inequality, children demand from decision makers

NEW DELHI, Nov 20: Children today gave a clarion call to fight unfairness and inequality and symbolically highlighted the perils that children belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities confront on a daily basis.

As part of the UNICEF-supported campaign “Seen and Heard”, children associated with partner NINEISMINE organised the Game to End Poverty initiative with 17 activities on the global goals. The objective of this initiative, held on the occasion of Universal Children’s Day, was to welcome the new goals to India and initiate a deeper conversation for stronger, measurable child-friendly indicators for the 17 goals, to ensure all children enjoy the benefits of development equitably.

Interspersed with the games were performances and short talks by children on their expectations from the Sustainable Development Goals. A young advocate, 16-year-old Kalpana said, highlighted participation and freedom of expression for children as key rights enshrined in the UN CRC. “We need to be given the opportunity to speak out on matters that concern us. Only then can we ensure that we all are represented and benefit equally from the new goals.”

Caroline den Dulk, Chief of Advocacy and Communications UNICEF, said, “Unfortunately where a child is born determines the chances of his or her survival, economic status, prospects of education. But to fight this unfairness, the new goals have expanded our scope to focus on reducing inequality, ending violence against children and combating child poverty, for instance. And there is a clear and definitive mandate for ‘leaving no one behind’ – starting all endeavours with those who are the most vulnerable – including children.”

A discussion on child-friendly indicators was held, which concluded with the lighting of lamps by various dignitaries present–as a gesture of their support and commitment towards children. Activist Dipa Sinha with the Right to Food Campaign highlighted the need for an indicator on stunting for Goal 2, while convener of the Right to Education Forum, Ambarish Rai emphasised on an indicator on transition of girls from primary to secondary and higher education for Goal 4.

Brother Steve Rocha, Coordinator, NINEISMINE said, “Seen and Heard campaign enables children to be part of the conversation right from the start – from setting of the framework to its implementation and monitoring. Today, we have begun the process for framing child friendly indicators to ensure the ‘last child’ comes first. Moving forward, these children will take on the role of monitoring the implementation of programmes.”

Representatives of UN agencies, High Commissions and Embassies in India, corporates and civil society extended their support.

The yearlong “Seen and Heard” campaign has provided children diverse platforms to express their opinions on their rights and to directly advocate to the policy and decision makers in the country. As a result, these young advocates have presented their recommendations on the goals to the Ministry of External Affairs, Commissioners of Embassies (such as Canada, Afghanistan and the Republic of Ireland), UN Agencies and to a number of activists and experts. A delegation presented its recommendations to world leaders during a visit to New York during the 70th UN General Assembly week.

Prime Minister at the 10th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur

NOVEMBER 22, 2015

Your Excellency Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohammad Najib,

Your Majesty,

Excellencies,

Prime Minister Najib and the people of Malaysia deserve our deepest appreciation for outstanding arrangements for the Summits in this beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur.

And, I congratulate you for your excellent review of the processes of East Asia Summit.

This is a historic summit. We applaud the ASEAN members for realizing the vision of the ASEAN Community and charting the path to 2025.

We expect ASEAN to continue to play a leading and central role in realizing the vision of broader regional integration and cooperation.

Excellencies,

In this forum, we often thought of terrorism as a peripheral problem for this region. The barbaric terrorist strikes in Paris, Ankara, Beirut, Mali and on the Russian aircraft is a stark reminder that its shadow stretches across our societies and our world, both in recruitment and choice of targets.

We must build new global resolve and new strategies for combating terrorism, without balancing it against political considerations. No country should use or supports terrorism. There is no distinction between groups. There are no sanctuaries. There are no funds. There is no access to arms. But, we also have to work within our societies and with our youth. I welcome the commitment to delink religion from terrorism and the efforts to promote human values that define every faith.

We are also days away from the summit on climate change in Paris. There, we must not only come together to craft a balanced and concrete outcome on climate change. But we must also stand together to send a clear message that we will not retreat in the face of terror.

Excellencies,

Since my government entered office 18 months ago, no region has seen greater engagement from India than the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region. This reflects a long standing national consensus in India on the importance of this region for India and the world.

The world still looks to the region to address our global challenges and uncertainties. Yet, our region is also navigating its way through multiple transitions to a stable, peaceful and prosperous future.

The East Asia Summit is the key forum for shaping the collective future of the region.

First, East Asia Summit must continue to support the evolution of an inclusive, balanced, transparent and open regional architecture for security and cooperation. We must deepen our collective commitment to strengthen and abide by international rules and norms.

Second, the oceans remain the pathway to our prosperity and security. India shares with ASEAN a commitment to freedom of navigation, over flight and unimpeded commerce, in accordance with accepted principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Territorial disputes must be settled through peaceful means.

India and Bangladesh recently settled their maritime boundary using the mechanism of UNCLOS. India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea will abide by the Declaration on the Conduct on South China Sea and the guidelines on the implementation. Parties must also redouble efforts for early adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus.

Third, we need stronger commitment and closer cooperation on cyber security. We will also have to work on certain norms of behavior in this area. Outer space is also emerging as a major area of security concern. We must also continue to strengthen cooperation on non-proliferation.

India shares both land and maritime boundaries with ASEAN. India will continue to deepen bilateral security partnerships in ASEAN and with other EAS partners. We will remain active participants in the ASEAN-led security dialogue and cooperation forums.

Four, We must also work towards early conclusion of a balanced and broad-based Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Trans Pacific Partnership is also a major development. These, I hope, will eventually not become competing regimes, but the foundations of an integrated economic community in the region.

Finally, development cooperation is at the heart of the East Asia Summit. India will continue to support the efforts of our partner countries. And, we are taking the lead in establishing EAS Virtual Knowledge Portals on Disaster Management and Trauma Care & Nursing. The Nalanda University is shaping up as a world class centre of knowledge and learning.

I share the vision of East Asia Summit focusing on strategic political, economic and security concerns in the region. Thank you.

NOVEMBER 22, 2015