Preparations for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in September 2001

Nearly ten years ago, the World Summit for Children brought together the largest gathering of world leaders to date. Today, 181 countries are signatories to the Declaration and Plan of Action that emerged from the Summit, and 191 countries have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the Declaration, all signatory countries made a joint commitment to give every child a better future by assigning high priority to the rights of children and to their survival, protection and development. Each country was urged to prepare a national programme of action, adapting the Summit goals to national realities.

The time has now come to take stock of progress made. The United Nations General Assembly has, therefore, decided to hold a special session in September 2001 to review the achievement of the goals of the World Summit for Children at the highest possible level. In resolution A/54/93, adopted on 7 December 1999, the General Assembly invites Governments and relevant organizations to undertake reviews of progress achieved since the World Summit for Children.

Over the period leading up to the Special Session in September 2001, this page will report on preparations for the session, with specific emphasis on assessment of progress.