Third Committee, 50th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 80th session

All right, morning guys. The 50th meeting of the third committee is called to order. The documentation before the committee for this meeting is listed on iGov, and I wish to remind delegations that statements made in explanation of vote before or after the vote or general statements shall not exceed three minutes. Also, Delegations are reminded that in accordance with Rule 128 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, sponsor of proposal is not permitted to speak in explanation of vote on the proposal. With that, I'd like to invite the committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 25, a implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the 24th special session of the General Assembly in order to take action on draft resolution A/C.3/A.0/L.12/rev.1 of the same title. I would like to inform the Committee also that draft resolution L.12/rev.1 contains no programme budget implications. With that, I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Iraq is honored to introduce draft resolution entitled Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the 24th Special Session of the General Assembly, as contained in document L.12/Rev.1. As reflected in the draft resolution, people and their needs, well-being and rights must remain at the center of development, with poverty eradication, full employment and social integration serving as core objectives. This year, the group brings forward the following changes, guided by our shared vision and determination. First, the text reaffirms the commitment made in the fourth international conference on financing for development and its outcome document, underscoring the importance of these commitments in guiding our collective efforts. Second, the text reaffirms the importance of official development assistance as a key component of international development cooperation. in helping developing countries achieve sustainable development. Third, the text places particular emphasis on translating the commitments made in the Copenhagen Declaration into concrete action, including the identification of best practices and means to catalyze the implementation of the Doha Political Declaration towards the achievement of social development for all. Mr. Chair, we seize this opportunity to thank all the delegations that participated actively in this consultation process. And we especially express our appreciation for the delegation of Egypt for its support in presenting the draft resolution.

At this juncture.

We welcome the successful convening of the second world summit for social development in Doha and the adoption of its political declaration. reflecting our collective resolve to advance social development and marking a renewed determination that builds on previous commitments and act with unity and purpose so that today's promises becomes a living reality for all. Finally, allow me to express the wish of the Group of 77 and China that this resolution continues to be adopted by consensus. However, should a vote be called, We strongly recommend delegations to vote in favor of draft resolution L12/Rev.1, and we invite delegations that have not yet done so to co-sponsor this important resolution. I thank you.

Thank you. I thank Iraq on behalf of the Group of Seven and China for the kind statement. I now give the floor to the Committee Secretary.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In addition to those delegations listed on the L document, if any other countries wish to join as co-sponsor of draft resolution L12 revision one, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see no requests. I see no requests. Thank you.

Right. Recorded vote has been requested on draft resolution L12 provision one entitled implementation of the outcome of the world summit for social development and of the 24th special session of the general assembly. Any delegation which is to make a general statement or an EOV before the voting connection with draft resolution L12? I see no request. Right. The committee will now commence with the process of voting on draft resolution L12 revision 1 and in accordance with rule 128, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Now delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

The committee is now voting on draft resolution L12 revision one entitled implementation of the outcome of the world summit for social development and of the 24th special session of the general assembly. Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine. Is there a problem?

You know what? Um, we have some technical problem. Let's redo the whole thing again. Right. I'll, I'll give the microphone back to you, or we just go ahead. Secretary. Hold on a minute.

The committee is now voting again on draft resolution L12 revision one entitled implementation of the outcome of the world summit for social development and of the 24th special session of the general assembly. Please raise your hand if you have an issue with your microphone and if it doesn't engage. The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

All right. The result of the vote is as follows. I have 171 in favor and three against, zero abstentions. Draft resolution LC380L12 revision one is adopted. Any EOV general statement after the vote on the draft resolution? I see the Russian Federation to be followed by Denmark and the United States. Russian Federation, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Russia takes the floor first of all to thank the delegation of Egypt for preparing, on behalf.

Of the Group of 77, a draft.

Resolution on the implementation of the decisions of the World Summit on Social Development and the 24th Special Session.

Of the General Assembly. Today, Cairo rightly plays one of the main roles in promoting the social development agenda on the platform of the World Organization.

This was demonstrated, including the process of preparing the Doha Political Declaration adopted at the end of the second World Meeting at the highest level in the interests of social development.

However, we regret that the text of document L12 includes greetings in relation to the political.

Declarations in the field of health care for 2023-2024 and the political declaration of the Political Forum of High-Level on Sustainable Development for 2023, created under the auspices of the General Assembly at the Summit on Goals in the field of sustainable development.

We have repeatedly affirmed our commitment to the ideas enshrined in Agenda 2030.

This has been reflected in the discussions and meetings of the high-level assembly in the field of health and the aforementioned forum on sustainable development. In this regard, we are disappointed that the final documents were adopted without including paragraph 30 of the agenda 2030 calling for the cancellation of unilateral coercive measures. We continue to consider such measures as one of the serious obstacles to social development. At the same time, the mentioned texts do not mention the plight of millions of people in sanctioned developing countries.

Obviously, the development of states is blocked.

Not only by the crises that are widely discussed now, but also by illegal restrictive measures, especially extraterritorial ones, aimed at depriving people of their basic needs and the right to the highest achievable level of health. In this regard, our delegation is forced to distance itself from paragraphs seven and nine of the preamble of the document being adopted today, in which these declarations are welcomed. Despite this, we fully support the resolution in substance and share the principles laid down in it.

Thank you.

I give the floor to Denmark.

Thank you, Chair. I've the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. The resolution on the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development end of the 24th session of the General Assembly has traditionally been adopted by consensus by the Third Committee, and the negotiations this year have again been conducted with that goal in mind. Achieving consensus requires compromise, and we recognize that no delegation can expect to see all its priorities fully reflected in the text. We regret that the negotiation process was not concluded in a manner that ensured inclusivity and efficiency. However, we have worked in good faith to find common ground on the important issues that we deliberate in this committee in order to reach an outcome that is acceptable to all delegations. The EU recognises the relevance of the topic of this resolution, especially in light of the outcomes of the World Social Summit under the title The Second World Summit for Social Development held in Qatar from the 4th to the 6th of November, 2025, and in particular, the Doha Platform for Social Solutions, which we welcome. The member states of the European Union therefore voted yes on this resolution. Thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to the United States to be followed by Cuba and Israel. United States, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The United States has made clear its intention to disengage from a majority of resolutions in the third committee this year. However, the United States would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our view that many of these resolutions recycle the same contentious or irrelevant issue year after year. Third committee resolutions should be short, actionable, and forward-looking. Instead, many resolutions continue to include problematic language that does nothing to advance the United Nations core mandate of maintaining international and security. The United States has made clear that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals impinge upon state sovereignty as a soft form of global governance, and we will no longer reaffirm them as a matter of course. The UN can no longer afford to waste its resources where there is little or no impact. The number of reports, conferences, and negotiations has grown. beyond the point of ineffectiveness and waste to a level of dysfunction that makes it impossible to carry out vital work. Accordingly, the United States requested a vote and voted no on this resolution. Mr. Chair, colleagues, we hope to work together in advance of next year's session of the third committee to make it more efficient, relevant and effective. We refer you to the long form explanation of position that will be posted on our missions website for more information. Thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to Cuba.

Mr. President, two fundamental milestones in the field of social development have marked the year 2025: the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the transcendent Declaration of Copenhagen on Social Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit on Social Development, as well as the successful celebration of the Second World Summit on Social Development in Doha, Qatar. The decision of the United States to request a vote and vote against this historic resolution of the Group of Seventy-Seven and China, just sixteen days after the adoption by consensus of the Doha Political Declaration, faithfully reflects this country's disrespect for multilateralism and for important commitments of the international community in the field of development. Mr. President, I would like to thank the Chair of the General Assembly for the opportunity to speak to the General Assembly on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Cuba, which as a member of the G77 and China, is honored to be the main author of this resolution, voted with satisfaction and responsibility in favor of the text. The overwhelming support of the delegations endorsed the commitment to the United Nations' social development agenda. I would like to conclude by thanking Egypt for the successful coordination of this resolution. Thank you.

I have Israel to be followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Paraguay.

Israel, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. I would like to make an explanation of position on the resolution that we had just adopted. Israel would like to disassociate from the term foreign occupation, preamble paragraph 31, viewing it as not an appropriate reference within this text.

In addition, we would like to disassociate from the reference to the Declaration on the Right to Development in PP17.

While we fully support the promotion of human rights, we believe that there is no single human right should be prioritized over other equally important rights. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. The Islamic Republic of Iran, the floor is yours.

Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. The Islamic Republic of Iran remains firmly committed to the promotion of social development, eradication of poverty, strengthening of social protection system, and the advancement of equitable and inclusive growth. In this regard, Iran votes in favor of this resolution. However, the delegation of Islamic Republic of Iran wishes to place on record the following clarifications and reservations. Respect to paragraphs referencing women and girls, particularly paragraph 7, 19, 26, 45, and 55, Iran understands women and girls exclusively as biological female persons. and does not accept any expanded or reinterpreted meaning of gender-related terminology. Furthermore, Iran interprets any explicit or implicit references that may relate to sexual and reproductive concepts solely in the context of health and authorized medical obligations based on these national law and guidelines. Regarding social groups and vulnerable population referenced in paragraphs 18, 21, 32, and 49, Iran interprets all such references in line with its national rules and regulations and does not accept terminology that may suggest legal categorizations or statuses that recognize in Iran's domestic legal system. All provisions concerning inclusion, participation, and social integration will be implemented in accordance with national laws, values, and social structure. In connection with labor, employment, and workplace-related provisions, including paragraphs 24, 25, and 36, Iran reaffirms that obligations governed by national laws and regulations, any reference to international standards or external frameworks will not create obligations beyond those voluntarily accepted by Iran. Regarding the paragraphs relating to digital governance, rights online, connectivity, artificial intelligence and information technologies, notably paragraphs 56 to 63, Iran underscores the sovereign right of states to regulate the digital sphere in accordance with national legislation, cultural values, public order and national security considerations. References to rights in the digital context will not be interpreted as limiting these sovereign authority.

The delegation further states.

For the record that the Islamic Republic of Iran consider provisions of this resolution based on its national priorities, laws, regulations, and policies.

Any voluntary engagement with elements of this resolution shall be undertaken solely upon confirmation by the competence national.

Authorities of their full compatibility with national principles and frameworks.

Thank you.

Thank you, and now give the floor to Paraguay to be followed by Nigeria, Paraguay.

En cuanto a las menciones a la agenda 2030 y los ODS, se destaca que el párrafo 74 de la resolución 70 barra uno subraya la naturaleza voluntaria de los procesos de seguimiento y examen de la agenda 2030, debiendo estos ajustarse a los marcos normativos y prioridades nacionales. En consecuencia, el gobierno nacional implementa los planes de desarrollo en pleno ejercicio de la soberanía del estado paraguayo con respeto irrestricto Asimismo, mi delegación desea recordar que en el Paraguay, conforme a lo establecido en su Constitución Nacional y en el marco normativo vigente, no se admiten formas de discriminación de ningún tipo y este ordenamiento jurídico sienta las bases para una igualdad real. En tal sentido, cabe aclarar que para el Paraguay, toda definición de género se circunscribe exclusivamente a la diferencia entre mujeres y hombres. Finally, it is worth emphasizing that the constitutional framework of Paraguay protects the right to life from conception and, therefore, the implementation of the agreed provisions relating to women's health in the instruments on which we are taking action today will take into account that national legislation does not provide for the termination of pregnancy. Thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to Nigeria.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nigeria expresses its appreciation to the facilitators for their tireless effort, dedication, and constructive engagement throughout the drafting process of this resolution. We commend their leadership and inclusive consultations that ensued. ensured all member states could contribute meaningfully. Nigeria voted in favor of the resolution guided by our commitment to advancing international cooperation, peace, sustainable development, and mutual respect among nations. We wish to place on record that in the context of this resolution, Nigeria understand the term gender to refer to male and female as recognized within our national legislation, policies, and cultural values. Furthermore, Nigeria disassociates from any paragraph or element of the resolution that contain non agreed language or formulations that are not in alignment with our national laws, policies, religious beliefs or cultural norms. We affirm our support to the objective of this resolution and emphasise the importance of respecting the sovereignty rights of states to interpret such terms in accordance with their constitutional and legal framework. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I see no further requests. With that, the Committee has therefore concluded its consideration of agenda item 25a. Let's move on. I invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 25b, social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, persons with disabilities and family. in order to take action on draft resolution A/C.3/A.0/L.13, revision 1, entitled Follow-up to the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family and Beyond. Draft resolution L.13, revision 1, contains no programme budget implications. With that, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Iraq is honored to introduce draft resolution entitled, Follow-up to the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and Beyond, as contained in document L13/Rev.1. This draft resolution is based largely on resolution 79/150 of the General Assembly that was adopted by consensus last year. Social development remains of vital priority, guided by the spirit of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the objectives of the International Year of the Family. The elements newly incorporated into the text before us reflect the constructive and open discussions that our group has steered throughout this process. Building on these exchanges, the draft resolution has been strengthened with new languages that address the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation and natural disasters on families, and encourage greater investment in education and public awareness on extreme weather events, with all actions tailored to the specific needs of families and their individuals. As we look ahead, following the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, we underscore the need to strengthen family-oriented policies and programs through concrete strategies that build national capacities within a comprehensive approach to development. Mr. Chair, we appreciate the constructive and positive participation of the delegations in these consultations, and we warmly acknowledge the delegation of Qatar for its support in presenting the draft resolution. Finally, allow me to express the wish of the group of G77 and China that this resolution continues to be adopted by consensus. However, should a vote be called, we would encourage delegations to vote in favor of the draft resolution L13/Rab1, and we invite delegations that have not yet done so to co-sponsor this important resolution. I thank you.

Thank you, Iraq, for the statement. I give the floor back to the Secretary.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In addition to those delegations listed on the L document, the following countries have joined as sponsors of draft resolution L.13, revision 1, Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Turkey. If any other countries wish to join as co-sponsors of draft resolution L.13, revision 1, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see no requests. Thank you.

Thank you. Any delegation which is to make a statement in connection with draft resolution L.13 revision 1? I see none. Oh, I do see. No, I don't see any more. Okay. May I take it that the committee wishes to adopt draft resolution L.13 revision 1? I hear no. Objection. It is so decided. Any delegation which to make a statement after the adoption of the draft resolution? I see Egypt to be followed by Mexico and Belarus. Egypt, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. Egypt wishes to thank the delegation of Qatar for its dedicated efforts in facilitating the negotiation of this resolution on behalf of the group of the G77 and China, and for its constructive role throughout the process. Egypt welcomes the adoption of the resolution entitled Follow-up to the 13th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and Beyond, which reaffirmed the central role of the family as the natural and fundamental unit of society. and the importance of supporting family-centered policies towards the eradication of poverty, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring the well-being of all family members throughout their life course. We particularly value the resolution emphasis on combating the intergenerational transfer of poverty, promoting decent work for parents, and reinforcing social protection systems that support families in most disadvantaged situations. Egypt also underscores the need to respect different national context, cultural specificities, And national legislation, when implementing family related policies, we stress that references and concept introduced must be interpreted with line with nationally defined priorities and with respect for religious, social, and cultural values, and avoid the introduction of concepts lacking intergovernmental agreement. Furthermore, Egypt reaffirms the primary responsibility of parents and legal guardians for the upbringing and protection of their children consistent with international law. Uh, finally, we re- reiterate it's, uh, our commitment to continuing to work to strengthen family centered policies that uphold social development, protect children, and enhance the cohesion, stability, and resilience, uh, as key contributor to social development and achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to Mexico.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

My delegation extends its gratitude to G77 and China for the presentation of this resolution, as well as to Qatar for its role in facilitating this process. Families represent a central part in the composition of populations and in the generation of bonds of coexistence and social cooperation. We recognize, however, that the concept of family is subject to the evolutions of society, whether economic, cultural or demographic. En México, como muchos otros países, esta evolución se refleja en el reconocimiento y la protección de una amplia diversidad de estructuras familiares, entre ellas aquellas compuestas por abuelos, tíos, primos, padres solteros, medios hermanos, familiares políticos, familias adoptivas, personas divorciadas o viudas, familias de cohabitación, así como parejas del mismo sexo. Lamentamos que la resolución no profundice en estas realidades, visibilizar la diversidad. foreign language. Mexico recognizes the importance of strengthening family policies as part of an integrated approach to social development aimed at reducing poverty, promoting gender equality, and fully protecting human rights, particularly those of those in vulnerable situations. This includes ensuring universal access to social protection, inclusive and quality education, and comprehensive health services. My delegation regrets that this year no proposals were accepted to the resolution and that it was not possible to include adequate references to climate change. While the inclusion of the terms environmental degradation and natural disasters is relevant, they do not have the same normative weight or the same connection with the financing mechanisms and international commitments in force in this particular matter. La ausencia de la referencia al cambio climático debilita la capacidad de la resolución para ofrecer un marco coherente con los desafíos contemporáneos que enfrentan las familias alrededor del mundo. Señor Presidente, pese a estas consideraciones, México acompaña el consenso convencido de la importancia de esta resolución. Lo hacemos bajo el claro entendimiento de que todas las referencias al término familia deben interpretarse en el marco de su diversidad y pluralidad. Muchas gracias.

Thank you. Belarus, the floor is yours.

Mr. Chairman, we express our gratitude to the member states of the Group of 77 and to China for presenting the draft resolution, and we thank the delegation of Qatar for agreeing to the text during an open and transparent negotiation process. We are also grateful to the coordinator for managing to maintain consensus during the preparation of the resolution. the sacred topic that should not cause disagreement. We welcome the growing understanding that the family should occupy a central place in development policy, as it is the natural and fundamental unit of society, and all Member States of the United Nations are obliged to protect it in accordance with international human rights law. Belarus welcomes the adoption of the resolution and confirms its full and unconditional support for its goals and principles. Our country attaches great importance to strengthening the family as a natural and basic unit of society, actively promotes the expansion of measures for the social protection of families, especially with children, and is an unwavering defender of traditional family values. Belarus, as one of the co-chairs of the Group of Friends of the Family, which already has 31 member states, confirms its firm commitment to strengthening global cooperation on family issues and developing partnership relations with all interested parties, including UN structures, civil society, scientific circles and the private sector, in the process of developing and implementing strategies and programs aimed at supporting the family. In this regard, we invite all interested States to consider the possibility of joining the Friends of the Family Group to jointly promote coordinated measures to strengthen family-oriented strategies and programmes within the framework of an integrated and comprehensive approach to development.

Thank you. I have Denmark to be followed by Australia and the Holy See. Denmark, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. The candidate countries of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement. At the outset, we thank Qatar for the facilitation of this text on behalf of the G77. The EU joined consensus on this resolution, and we wish to make this statement to express our position on the text. This year's resolution includes some important elements on the policies aimed at protecting families from the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation and natural disasters. At the same time, we regret that most of our proposals were not accepted in the text, such as references to disaster risk reduction policies, the disproportionate effect of climate change, particularly on women and girls in vulnerable situations, as well as resilience and adaptive capacity building and the promotion of women's full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in related decision making processes. For policies to be successful, they must be inclusive and responsive to the changing needs and expectations of families. Across the EU, as in the rest of the world, families have changed and continue to change with time in response to economic and social developments, illustrating the fact that families are living, evolving, dynamic entities. The European Union and its member states have been taking action on family policies for several decades, and we share the view of many in this room about the valuable contribution that families can make to strengthening our societies and the need for member states to develop policies to support them in this role. Different situations and conditions require tailored and responsive policies and approaches. In this spirit, the European Union and its Member States continue to stress that in all discussions of families and family policies, we must recognise, as we did in various UN conferences and summits of the 1990s and in their follow up processes, that in different cultural, social and political systems, various forms of the family exist. We understand all reference to the term family within this resolution as reflecting this fact. We reiterate the need for a gender responsive, child and age sensitive and family friendly approach to relevant policy making with full respect to human rights and work life balance and the importance of promoting gender equality within families. We further reaffirm that States have the primary responsibility to promote, protect and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms of all family members, consistent with their obligations under international human rights law. We regret that despite our attempts, this fact is not fully reflected in the resolution. We will continue to engage constructively with partners in order to further advance our conversations on family-related matters and policies in the context of the UN. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Australia.

Chair, I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand, and my own country, Australia. We recognize the value of families in all our societies and we reaffirm the important role they play. Families exist around the world in many

forms and the human rights of each and all of their members must be fully promoted and protected.

Every year we engage diligently and constructively in the negotiations on this resolution with the aim to strengthen it.

It is in this vein that we again express our disappointment with the negotiation

process this year, noting that the text was not opened up for negotiation, with the exception of two paragraphs.

The resolution remains deeply unbalanced.

Cairns expresses our disappointment that a text on promoting families cannot support language on

sexual and reproductive health and rights, and that the resolution does not recognise the diversity of families.

We also deeply regret that the reference to climate change in OP 2022 was removed. Member States must recognize the risks that climate change poses, including to families.

In low- and middle-income countries, climate-related events are expected to prevent 12.5 million girls from completing their education. This is not just a loss of opportunity. It is a loss of potential, leadership, and resilience that undermines the human rights of all affected individuals. with wide-reaching impacts on their families, communities and countries.

It is disappointing that language recognising that climate change poses particular risks to all, and particularly to women and girls and children of all ages, is not in this final text. Despite these concerns, CAN still joined consensus on this resolution

because we believe that all families, in all their diversity, must be promoted and protected.

We hope that future discussions on such an important topic as families will allow further debate and engagement. True consensus requires different views to be accommodated, which in turn necessitates robust discussion, engagement and transparency by all parties. Thank you.

Thank you. And now I give the floor to the Holy See. The floor is yours.

thank you mr chair my delegation would like to thank the state of qatar for facilitating the draft resolution entitled follow up to the thirtieth anniversary of the international year of the family and beyond on behalf of the group of seventy seven and china the holy see appreciates that the final text recognises the need to protect families in the case of natural disasters including the particular risks posed by pregnant women, small children, persons with disabilities, and older persons. The hopes that in the future, the adverse impacts of climate change on families will be addressed. The family as the natural and fundamental group unity of society must be considered across policy areas, particularly in social policies. Promoting healthy, resilient family formation is vital to ensure that all members of society receive the love, care, and support they need and to realize social integration, particularly in light of the challenges families face economically and due to major demographic shifts. The Holy See remains committed to supporting the family in its vital role. My delegation is grateful that this important resolution continues to focus on the real needs of the role of the families and has been adopted by consensus. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I see no further request for the floor. Let's move on. I would like to invite the committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 26b, implementation of the outcome of the fourth World Conference on Women and of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly. In order to take action on draft resolution AC3A0L59 entitled Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly, which I did have submitted in my capacity as chair of this committee. On this note, colleagues, I would like to express my gratitude to vice chair of the committee, Mr. Glenn Thomas of Antigua and Barbuda, for his efforts towards the successful conclusion of the informal consultations on the draft resolution. I also express my deep thanks to the delegations for their cooperation and flexibility during the negotiations. I would like to inform the Committee that draft resolution L.59 contains no programme budget implications. A recorded vote has been requested on draft resolution L.59. entitled Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and Full Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly. Any delegation which wishes to make a general statement or an explanation of vote before the vote in connection with draft resolution L.59? I give the floor to the United States.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The United States has made clear its intention to disengage from a majority of resolutions in the Third Committee this year. However, the United States would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our view that many of these resolutions recycle the same contentious or irrelevant issue year after year. Third Committee resolutions should be short, actionable, and forward-looking. Instead, many resolutions continue to include problematic language that does nothing to advance the United Nations' core mandate of maintaining international peace and security. The United States also supports the elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, and genetic information. The United States expects the United Nations to ensure that its documents and programming avoid using diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts and terminology at the expense of recognizing hard work, excellence, and individual achievement, and upholding the equal dignity and respect of every person. The UN can no longer afford to waste its resources where there is little or no impact. The number of reports, conferences, and negotiations has grown beyond the point of ineffectiveness and waste to a level of dysfunction that makes it impossible to carry out vital work. Accordingly, the United States requests a vote and will vote no on this resolution. Mr. Chair, colleagues, we hope to work together in advance of next year's session of the third committee to make it more efficient, relevant, and effective. We refer you to the long form explanation of position that will be posted on our mission's website for more information. Thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to Denmark.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honor of speaking on behalf of the European Union and its member states. The resolution on the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the BDPA and the outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly has traditionally been adopted by consensus by the Third Committee. We sincerely thank you, Chair, for presenting the text to the Third Committee. We also thank Vice-Chair of the Committee, Antigua and Barbuda, for facilitating a transparent and constructive negotiation process. We appreciate your efforts in listening to the views of all delegations and seeking to achieve balance within the text. The resolution aims to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, both by Member States and through the UN system. This is a commitment that all Member States reaffirmed in the political declaration of the Commission on the Status of Women in March this year. as well as the UN high level meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the fourth World Conference of Women in September. Without dedicated follow up and implementation, our collective commitment to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls cannot be delivered. The EU welcomes the resolution's reaffirmation of these commitments and in particular its acknowledgement of the vital contribution of civil society, including women's groups and organisations, to the implementation of the BDPA. Chair, the EU regrets that a vote has been called on this normally consensual resolution. The member states of the European Union support the text that you put forward and we will vote in favor of the resolution and respectfully calls on the other delegations to do the same. Thank you.

Thank you. I see Tunisia, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Tunisia takes the floor before the vote to express its strong support for this resolution and to encourage all delegations to vote in favor. Thirty years after Beijing, we stand at a decisive moment. Women and girls across the world continue to demand the full realization of their rights free from discrimination, violence, and harmful practices. This resolution responds to those expectations and preserves a framework that has guided the global progress for decades. It remains essential to development, to social cohesion, and to peace. Tunisia's position is rooted in a longstanding national commitment to equality between men and women. Even when regressive narratives appear, our national consensus is clear. As our Minister of Women, Her Excellency, Mrs. Asma Jabri, She proudly stated during a recent parliamentary debate, and I quote, I reaffirm that the rights and achievements of Tunisian women are irreversible. Tunisia is a proud fortress of leadership in women's rights. There will never be a retreat from strengthening the rights of women and girls, supporting their achievements, and advancing their contribution side by side with men in building our nation, which will always remain a land of enduring triumphs for Tunisian women. This conviction guides our constant position and our vote today. The resolution before us reinforces essential pillars of gender equality. It calls for ending gender-based violence that continues to cause profound suffering to women and girls, removing discriminatory practices, advancing women's full participation in public life, and safeguarding their rights in all contexts, including conflict and crisis. These are concrete commitments that strengthen societies and improve the lives of women and girls everywhere. Tunisia will vote yes and invites all delegations to do the same. A strong collective vote sends a clear signal that our commitments under Beijing remain intact and that the international community chooses progress. Unfortunately, today we still have to push back against the pushback. I thank you.

Thank you. I see no further requests. With that, Let me ask the committee to commence with the process of voting on draft resolution L59. In accordance with rule 128, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

The Committee is now voting on draft resolution L.59 entitled Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

Thank you. The result of the vote is as follows. I have 177 in favor, three against, and zero abstentions. With that draft resolution, L.C.3.A.0.L.59 is adopted. Any delegation which is to make an EOV or general statement after the vote on the draft resolution? Cuba, the floor is yours.

Mr. President, we thank you.

The permanent representative of Thailand and the president of the third commission, for the presentation of this resolution, which, despite being historic, does not diminish its significance. Mr. President, I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur, Mr. Glyn Thomas, for his work on this report. We congratulate him especially for the successful conduct of the open, transparent and constructive process of negotiations on this text. We appreciate especially his capacity for dialogue and his willingness to work with diligence. to address the priorities and concerns of all delegations. Thirty years after the Fourth World Conference on Women, the request for a vote and the vote against the delegation of the United States constitute a historical aberration. They have tried in vain to deny or make decades of language regress. resultantes de cientos de horas de negociación en función del adelanto de las mujeres. La comunidad internacional actuó hoy con total responsabilidad y sentido del momento histórico al pronunciarse inequívocamente a favor de la igualdad de género, el empoderamiento de las mujeres y niñas y el pleno respeto a sus derechos humanos. Hoy, en esta sala, La humanidad se impuso nuevamente a la necedad, al aislamiento y al unilateralismo de los Estados Unidos. Muchas gracias.

Thank you. I give the floor to Switzerland.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to deliver this explanation of vote on behalf of 45 countries, including the 27 EU member states, Australia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and my own country, Switzerland. We express our strong support for this resolution and thank the facilitator for guiding an inclusive process toward a balanced text. We also commend UN Women for their vital work in advancing gender equality and the human rights and empowerment of women and girls. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, we reaffirm its pivotal role in achieving women's and girls' full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. In this regard, we would like to express three main concerns. First, sexual and gender-based violence remains a pervasive violation of human rights, transcending borders and affecting all nations. The killings of women and girls represent the most extreme manifestation of this continuum of violence. Gender-based violence constitute a form of discrimination and engages all obligations under CEDAW. States must prevent and eliminate it, protect and support victims and ensure their access to justice. Second, we wish to recall the interdependence between sustainable development and women's and girls' full, equal and meaningful participation in all spheres of society civic, cultural, political, economic and social. The international community must act to remove structural barriers, discriminatory stereotypes and negative social norms that are at the root cause of gender inequality. In this regard, we welcome the resolution's recognition of the critical importance of engaging men and boys as key partners. third at a time of heightened instability and escalated armed conflicts the participation and leadership of women in all stages of peace and security efforts has never been more critical twenty five years after its adoption the women peace and security agenda still requires our collective commitment. We welcome this resolution's reaffirmation of women's key role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts and the need for their full, equal, and meaningful participation therein. To conclude, in the current context marked by a cross-regional rollback of gender equality norms and the shrinking civic space, it is more essential than ever for the international community to move from words to action. We must accelerate our efforts to advance the human rights of all women and girls and to achieve gender equality. Therefore, we have voted yes. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Philippines to be followed by Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The floor is yours, Philippines.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Philippines voted in favor.

Of the resolution as a reaffirmation of our strong commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to the full, equal, and meaningful participation of all women and girls. We continue to implement the Beijing Platform for Action as a whole-of-government priority, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5 and gender-related SDG targets, delivering significant gains in education, health, economic empowerment, and elimination of gender-based violence. Over the years, the Philippines achieved gender parity and education, improved women's life expectancy, reduced maternal and adolescent births, expanded facility-based deliveries, and increased women's labor force participation. Our 17 laws and related laws on safeguarding women's rights, including the Magna Carta of Women, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act and the Safe Spaces Act demonstrate our determination to eliminate discrimination and violence against women, strengthen their economic and political empowerment, and advance gender-responsive governance. The Philippines also has comprehensive national frameworks on women, peace and security, ending violence against women, climate resilience, and care economy development, all supported by legislated gender and development budgets that continue to advance gender equality, grounded in dignity, inclusion, and women's leadership. We join the call for stronger global cooperation, inclusive data systems, and sustained support for UN Women to accelerate progress toward gender equality. Mr. Chair, at the same time, some elements of this important resolution require careful alignment with our national legislation, policy frameworks, and constitutional principles. References to gender equality, women's empowerment, and commitments under international instruments, particularly those relating to health and social policy, must continue to be understood in accordance with Philippine laws, policies and priorities. The Philippines reaffirms its constructive engagement and its commitment to ensuring that the gains of the Beijing Platform for Action translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls everywhere.

Thank you.

Thank you. We give the floor to Nigeria.

We thank you especially for submitting this resolution, and we also thank the facilitators, you know, for their dedicated efforts that has led to the adoption of the resolution. Nigeria voted yes in favor of this resolution, you know, as an affirmation to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. However, my delegation wishes to place on record that in the context of this resolution, Nigeria understand the term gender to refer to male and female as recognized within our national legislation, policies, and cultural values in line with annex four of the report of the fourth conference on women and article three of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Nigeria disassociate from any paragraph or element of the resolution that contain non-agreed language or formulations that are not in alignment with our national laws, policies, religious beliefs, or cultural norms. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I give the floor to the United Kingdom to be followed by Islamic Republic of Iran and the Gambia. The UK, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. The United Kingdom welcomes the tabling of the UN resolution on the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as the outcomes of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly. We thank the co-facilitators for their constructive approach throughout the negotiations. The UK remains fully committed to the universality, interdependence, and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are dedicated to the empowerment of all women and girls and to their full and equal enjoyment of human rights, and we therefore voted yes on this resolution. This resolution rightly references a range of commitments to advancing the rights of women and girls. However, HIV and AIDS remain a critical issue and is still one of the leading causes of death for women of reproductive age worldwide. Adolescent girls and young women, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, continue to face a disproportionate risk of infection driven by persistent inequalities, stigma, and gender-based violence. Addressing HIV and AIDS is essential to safeguarding their rights and opportunities. The UK, along with many other member states, is therefore deeply concerned by the removal of PP7 and references to key international HIV and AIDS commitments. Such deletion risks undermining our global response, weakening coordination action, and sending a troubling signal about our resolve to protecting women and girls from the ongoing impact of HIV and AIDS. The fight against HIV and AIDS is far from over. We must do all that we can to ensure that no one is left behind, including all women and girls. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Chair of the Third Committee for presenting this resolution, and to Antigua and Barbuda for their successful facilitation, and to Singapore for taking on a valuable role in coordinating this process on behalf of the G77 and China. In recognition of the importance of the issue, Iran has voted in favor. The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action marked a major global step toward improving the situation of women and provided an important framework for addressing key challenges across its 12 critical areas of concern. Iran continues to pursue national strategies and programs aimed at strengthening women's social and economic participation. In Iran, great efforts have been made to improve their education status. We continue further efforts to improve access to health, promote family-oriented policies, and safeguard their human rights and dignity. These initiatives reinforce our objective of fostering a society in which women's capabilities are promoted and meaningfully utilized. Regarding the resolution that Iran engaged as a member of G-77 and China, we wish to highlight our concerns that were not addressed due to divergent views in the group. First, we appreciate the efforts to streamline the text, which enhances clarity and help ensure a more focused and accessible document. Two, regarding OP6, which has reference to the pact for the future, we would like to clarify that such an outcome falls short of inclusive consensus criteria. Therefore, referring to the pact as part of all UN membership's commitment is far from reality. We remain committed to the empowerment of women and girls and the advancement of their situation. Three, we mentioned that the third committee and this resolution are not the appropriate platform for incorporating resolutions originating from other UN organs, such as the Security Council or ECOSOC. Those resolutions were developed for a different context with a different objectives. While bringing them into these settings alters their intended purpose and create inconsistencies with the mandates of each body. Therefore, we cannot support the inclusion of PP6 and PP10. We note the ECOSOC resolution 2025/4, which was adopted despite great number of reservations raised several by delegations that remain unaddressed. This resolution at hand, as well as the above mentioned ECOSOC resolution, seek to draw on a non intergovernmentally negotiated initiative, which is called the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan. While we support a stronger UN effort to address the specific challenges women facing, however, initiatives without intergovernmental agreement and member state support should not serve a foundation for UN policy and programs deliberation. We understand that OP37 is primarily designed to support the UN's internal efforts in addressing sexual harassment, including monitoring and accountability mechanism with the organization. We understand the term gender reference throughout the text refers to Thank you.

I give the floor to the Gambia, to be followed by the Russian Federation, Iraq, and Egypt. Gambia, the floor is yours.

The Gambia voted in favor of this resolution as it offers opportunities for governments and peoples to address the most pressing problems that affects the development of women, including the deeply rooted problems that continue to diminish the potential of women and girls in our society. With renewed strength, we must embrace the urgent necessity to redouble our efforts and keep working on behalf of women's equality and full participation in all facets of society. In envisaging critical steps to advance the rights of women and girls, the Gambia acknowledges that the resolution could not have come at a more profound and deserving time, considering the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, and also especially considering the state of implementation of the SDGs and the prevailing circumstances on the increase of violence against women, continuous oppression and marginalization in spaces in which their voices should be loud, amplified and proud. We support recognition and incorporation of women's participation in peace processes in this resolution, particularly because it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council 1325 on women, peace and security. Resolution 1325 continues to be a source of inspiration and optimism in the forward march towards enriching the discourse on the advancement of women's empowerment agenda. This is particularly important in the context of promoting sustainable peace and security. Cognizant of the above, we must strengthen our collective determination for action to support women into formidable force capable of leading peace and security efforts globally. In this regard, we must adopt bold and robust action plans geared towards tackling the structural impediments and deep-seated norms that fuel marginalization of women and hinder their participation towards addressing their unique needs and vulnerabilities in conflict and post-conflict settings. Our societies must take progressive steps to enhance women's participation in conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution. As we welcome the adoption of this resolution, the Gambia wish to however place on record that we understand the definition of gender as referring exclusively to men and women as biological males and females in accordance with the report of the fourth world conference on women and article three of the Rome statute of the international criminal court. Thank you, chair.

Thank you. Give the floor to the Russian Federation.

Also, we are grateful to you for bringing this draft resolution to the attention of the committee. We also thank the delegation of Antigua and Barbuda for the work it has done as coordinator of the negotiations on the draft resolution. We note the positive changes in the text, first of all, the removal of references to such contradictory and non-consensual documents as the Declaration of Commitment to Combat HIV/AIDS. and political declaration on HIV and AIDS, eradication of inequality and setting a path to end AIDS by 2030. We welcome the fact that the document has managed to maintain the focus of attention on the implementation of the outcome documents of the Beijing Conference in 1995 and the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2000, which remain relevant and represent a roadmap for improving the situation of women. Together with the Russian Federation, we need to distance ourselves from the consensus on paragraphs that contain references to initiatives that have not been approved by the intergovernmental secretariat, such as the United Nations' common system plan for the organization of the United Nations to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and the general secretary's common system strategy for achieving gender parity. We would also like to remind you that the Russian Federation considers any mention of gender and its derivatives in UN documents exclusively in the context of male and female genders. In conclusion, we hope that in the context of the UN's work on optimizing its activities, coordinators will continue to reduce and remove passages that are not directly related to the stated theme of the document. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. I give the floor to Iraq.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Iraq would like to thank you, Mr. Chair, for tabling draft resolution on the follow-up to the fourth world conference on women on behalf of the Bureau, and would like to thank Mr. Glentis Thomas of Antigua and Barbuda for facilitating it with constructiveness and openness. In the same vein, Iraq would like to express its appreciation for the efforts of the delegation of Singapore for presenting the G77 and China during the consultation process. Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Iraq continues through its relevant institutions to take steps to support women and promote their participation in political, economic, and social life in a manner consistent with national laws and priorities. With a firm appreciation of the important role of women, Iraq reaffirms its commitment to advancing open opportunities for women and to fostering a more supportive environment while continuing to work towards further progress that allows Iraqi women to contribute to shaping and presenting and building the future. Sorry, shaping the present and building the future. It is with the spirit that my delegate, with that spirit that my delegation has voted in favor of this resolution. Nevertheless, my delegation wishes to disassociate from references that are considered contentious or subject to differing interpretations throughout the text of this resolution, particularly operative paragraph 12. That said, my delegation would like to express that this text continues to be understood in accordance with Iraq's laws, national laws, and development priorities, values, and policies. I would like to thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I now give the floor to Egypt.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson. Mr. Chairperson, my delegation voted in favor of the resolution entitled Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and Full Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the GA based on a firm standing commitment towards the advancement of women as essential to achieve social development and sustainable development for all. The BDPA remains the blueprint for action and Egypt is committed to its implementation, paying equal attention to its 12 critical areas. Egypt's national human rights strategy dedicates a special action agenda for the advancement of women and in addition, we adopted a national strategy on women consistent with Egypt's vision 2030. Institutionally, Egypt established the National Council for Women more than 20 years ago, a dedicated national machinery placing women at the center of policymaking in various fields. We thank the facilitator of this resolution and thank you, Mr. Chairperson, for presenting it. However, we express reservation that this resolution is moving away from its focus on follow up to Beijing to the issue of gender mainstreaming within the United Nations system. We hope that future iterations will refocus the resolution on its main subject matter. In addition, my delegation disassociates from OP12, which has reference to the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan as a controversial document that does not enjoy intergovernmental endorsement. My delegation expresses reservation on OP44, which requests the SG to report on national machineries on women. This is an extra reporting burden, though included in existing reporting mechanism, and lacks parameters upon which to exercise the assessment requested. I thank you.

Thank you. And now, I give the floor to the Holy See.

Mr. President, my delegation would like to thank Mr. Thomas of Antigua and Barbuda for facilitating the draft resolution on the follow up on the fourth World Conference on Women on behalf of the Bureau. This anniversary year offers an opportunity to recommit to the advancement of women and achieving equality between women and men and boys and girls. We appreciate also the efforts made to streamline the text while retaining its key messages. Nevertheless, my delegation noted that negotiations were dominated by issues which are not only known to be contentious but beyond the scope of the resolution, which is largely programmatic in nature. It is unfortunate that this has led to elevating a few issues rather than treat the 12 critical areas of concern equally. We hope that a balanced approach will be restored to the next time this resolution is considered. The Holy See, as an observer state and in conformity with its nature and particular mission, reiterates reservations as set out clearly and more fully in the report of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I see no further requests. With that, the committee has concluded its consideration of item 26B and of item 26 as a whole. I now invite the committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 67, promotion and protection of the rights of children, in order to take action on draft resolution AC-3/A0/L.20/Rev.1. entitled Rights of the Child, and the amendments to draft resolution L.20, revision 1, contained in documents A/C.3/A.0/L.61, L.62 and L.64. I would like to inform the Committee that draft resolution L.20, revision 1, and the amendments contained in documents L.61, L.62 and L.64 contain no programme budget implications. With that, I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay to.

Make a statement. The floor is yours.

Traditionally, every two years, Uruguay has assumed with great honor and responsibility its role as co-facilitator of this resolution on behalf of GRULAC and in conjunction with the European Union. This year, the theme of the resolution is early childhood development, which constitutes a fundamental period for the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children and represents a unique window of opportunity to ensure their maximum potential. The resolution of this year reinforces the language relating to access to education, including preschool education, and incorporates multiple new provisions on nutrition and age-sensitive social protection systems. At the same time, the text includes new provisions on health, among other things, with the aim of ending preventable maternal, neonatal and infant mortality. Asimismo, el texto alienta a los Estados a que adopten políticas, leyes, programas y servicios en materia de desarrollo de la primera infancia y exhorta a que se apliquen políticas integrales favorables a los niños y las familias, lo cual contribuye a promover el bienestar de los niños y niñas, al tiempo que se generan beneficios más amplios para la erradicación de la pobreza, la igualdad de género y el desarrollo sostenible. Mr. President, I would like to thank the Chairperson for her kind words and for her leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor. I would also like to thank the rapporteur for her work and for her commitment to the issue of children's rights. I would also like to thank the rapporteur for her commitment to the issue of children's rights. Where the Fourth World Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour, held in Buenos Aires from the fourteenth to the sixteenth of November, two thousand seventeen, should say the Fifth World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, held in Durban, South Africa, from the fifteenth to the twentieth of May, two thousand twenty-two. Estimadas delegaciones, como cofacilitadores, hicimos todo lo posible para llevar a cabo negociaciones oportunas, transparentes e inclusivas, y confiamos en que el texto presentado logra el mejor equilibrio posible entre las diferentes opiniones expresadas por todas las delegaciones. Agradecemos el apoyo de las delegaciones que participaron de forma activa y constructiva en las negociaciones, y lamentamos que se llame al voto en esta resolución tradicionalmente adoptada por consenso. Thank you, Mr. President. In the context of the current situation, we consider it important to demonstrate that the rights of the child continue to be an issue on which we can all remain united and find common ground. For this reason, we call on all delegations to support the text as presented by the co-facilitators at the L20. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank you, Mr. President, for the statement. I now give the floor to the Secretary.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wish to inform that in addition to those delegations listed on the L document, the following countries have also become co-sponsors of L.20/Rev.1 as orally revised: Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, San Marino, Serbia, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. I also wish to inform that the delegation of Papua New Guinea has withdrawn its sponsorship of the draft resolution. If any other countries wish to co-sponsor draft resolution L.20, revision 1, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see Kazakhstan. Nepal, who's already a sponsor, Morocco, and Sierra Leone, as well as Bhutan and Albania, who's already a sponsor. I see no further requests. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation to make a statement in connection with the amendments contained in documents L61 and L62.

The floor is yours.

Последовательно отстаивает необходимость безукоризненного следования Конвенции по правам ребенка. Мы убеждены, что дети — это наше будущее, и задачей государств является создание максимально благоприятной среды для развития и личностного роста детей, чтобы впоследствии они стали достойными гражданами своей страны. Именно поэтому нам представляется особенно важной связь ребенка и его родителей, самых близких людей, which should be genuinely and selflessly concerned with his well-being. Several decades ago, it was obvious to the international community that one could not exist without the other. It is no coincidence that a number of provisions of the Convention mention the rights, obligations and responsibilities of parents in the same category as the interests of the child. Unfortunately, the draft before us contains a number of provisions that seek to distort the nature of these relationships. nam pyatautsya naviazat chasnoe mnenie ekspertov, ne imeyushchaya yuridicheskie obiazatelnye sily, chto rukovodyashchaya rol' roditely v vo-prose prin'yatiya resheniy dolzha ukhodit na vtoroy plan pered neponyatno kem opredelyayemyymi luchshimi interesami rebenka. Ne podlezhit osparyvaniyu, chto u detey est pravva, i oni mogut ikh realizovovat' v sootvetstii s ikh razvivaushimisya sposobnostjami. Bezhuslovno, v osnove lyuboy politiki dolzhny lezhat' interesy rebenka pri rukovodyashchey roli roditely. Odnako, v predstavlennom projekte my vidim, kak etie ochevidnye istiny perevorachivayutsya s nog na golovu. Chto by ispravit' eto nedorazumenie, Rossiya predstavila popravku L61, kotoraya ob'edinyat v edinnyy paragraf passazhi o zamechanii obshchego poriadka nomer sem. and the Committee on the Rights of the Child's statement on Article 5 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We believe that the general reference to the findings in one paragraph will eliminate any ambiguity. At the same time, we are convinced that when the international community cannot reach a consensus, the best solution is to return to the roots, in this case, to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 5 more than clearly defines the responsibilities, rights and obligations of parents, who must be able to manage and guide their child in the exercise of their rights. In this regard, we have decided to give a citation from the Convention that is as close as possible to this wording, and we have made the corresponding amendment L62. We hope that you will be able to vote in favour of our amendments.

Thank the Russian Federation for the statement. I now give the floor to the committee secretary.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With regard to the amendment contained in L61, I wish to inform that in addition to those delegations listed on the L document, the following countries have also become co-sponsors of the amendment contained in L61: Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Mali, and Nigeria. If any other countries wish to join as co-sponsors of the amendment contained in document L-61, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see Senegal and Libya, as well as Uganda and Guinea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea. Somalia. Delegations are invited to press at this time. It does not have to be consecutive. I see no further requests regarding L-61. Turning to the amendment contained in L-62. I wish to inform that in addition to those delegations listed on the L document, the following countries have joined as co-sponsors of L62, Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, and Mali. If any other countries wish to join as sponsors of the amendment contained in document L62, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see Senegal, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Libya, Nigeria, Eritrea, Uganda, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Somalia. And I see no further requests. Thank you.

Thank you. With that, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burundi to make a statement in connection with the amendment contained in document L-64. The floor is yours.

mr president we have the honour of introducing amendment l sixty four while acknowledging the co facilitator's best efforts the tabling of this amendment has been made unavoidable by the lack of balance in the text and insufficient reflection on the substantive concern that were consistently and constructively raised by many delegations during informal consultations. Amendment L64 seeks to remove references to sexual and reproductive health from operative paragraph 13, 27, 43 and 46. Removing these references responds to the sovereignty and human rights concerns, including parental rights raised during consultations. It also strengthens the text by promoting a broader, more inclusive approach to health information, education and care, one that moves beyond a narrow focus and better aligns with children comprehensive needs. We note with deep concern the increased proliferation of SRH-related references in these initiatives, mainstreaming sensitive, highly contentious issues such as abortion and sexual education that shifts the focus of the resolution beyond its proper scope. This approach is inconsistent with States' obligation to uphold the right to life to every child and to shield children from the harm of early sexualisation by safeguarding their physical integrity, emotional well being and age appropriate development. It is worth recalling that previous iteration of this resolution included only a few narrow references of SRH, which were part of a fragile, reluctantly accepted compromise. It never reflected broad consensus. It depended on the understanding that such references would remain strictly limited in number and scope and would be accompanied by essential safeguards. Even then, These references repeatedly prompted explanation of position and disassociations, showing that many delegations still viewed them as problematic. Mr. President, as grave violations and abuses of the right of the child continue to occur around the world, business cannot proceed as usual. The text we negotiate must reflect evolving realities, both on the ground and within this institution, and must balance diverse priorities and perspectives rather than serve partisan agendas. In this context, it is crucial to avoid the promotion of objectives or commitments that may be misaligned with the established international framework designed to address them. Our goal is to ensure that the resolution remains balanced, constructive and firmly centred on strengthening the promotion and protection of the rights of all children. We therefore respectfully call on all Member States to join us in this effort and vote in favour of amendment No 64. I thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I wish to inform that since the submission of the amendment, the following countries have also become co-sponsors of the amendment contained in L64: Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. If any other countries wish to join as sponsors of the amendment contained in document L-64, please signify by pressing the microphone button. I see the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Islamic Republic of Iran? Guinea? And I see no further requests. Thank you.

Thank you. In accordance with rule 130 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the Committee will first take a decision on the amendments. Recorded votes have been requested on the amendments to draft resolution L.20, revision 1, as already revised. contained in documents L61, L62 and L64. Any delegation which is to make a general statement or explanation of vote before the vote in connection with any or all of the amendments to draft resolution L20 revision 1 as already revised as contained in documents L61, L62 and L64. I see Denmark to be followed by Brazil and Mexico. Denmark, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. Once again this year, the European Union has had the honour to co-facilitate the resolution on the rights of the child together with Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC. We would like to thank all delegations for their constructive engagement in this process. As co-facilitators, we have done our utmost to conduct timely, transparent and inclusive negotiations. We are confident that the text as submitted strikes a fair balance between the views expressed by the delegations actively engaged in the negotiations. We therefore regret that one delegation decided to submit an amendment seeking to remove four references to sexual and reproductive health across the text. This terminology is the product of significant compromise and has long been agreed in the context of this resolution. evidenced by the fact that the majority of these four references constitute verbatim language from its last iteration. We also note that the regional group representing the delegation in question did not identify this terminology as a red line during the negotiations. We are equally disappointed to see that two other delegations submitted amendments aiming to delete preamble paragraph 15 of the draft resolution, which refers to the relationship between the rights of the child and the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents, and introduce a new preamble paragraph 14 bis. PP15 was the subject of substantial discussions during the negotiations. which resulted in several adjustments to accommodate diverging views. We believe that the proposed deletion would remove elements that are highly relevant to the theme of the resolution and of key importance to many delegations. Moreover, the language in the proposed new PP14bis highlights only one provision from the Convention on the Rights of the Child over various other that are equally relevant in the context of early childhood development. We note that the language in the proposed new PP14 bis was never introduced during the negotiations. The two proposed amendments thus risk undermining the delicate and carefully considered balance of the final text. We therefore believe that these amendments are harmful to both the substance and the negotiation process of this resolution and respectfully call on all delegations to vote against draft amendments L61, L62 and L64. Thank you.

Thank you. And I'll give the floor to Brazil.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Brazil regrets that amendments have been presented to the Rights of the Child resolution, and we call on member states to reject those amendments and safeguard the integrity of the text. The draft before us reflects the consensus reached after multiple rounds of negotiations. Two of the proposed amendments would remove valuable language that focuses on the rights of the child. Early childhood is a critical period and parents' responsibilities to provide appropriate guidance must always be exercised in accordance with the best interest of the child pursuant to Article 3 of the CRC, a core provision of the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the UN system. Another amendment seeks specifically to eliminate references to sexual and reproductive health, a formulation that represents a carefully negotiated middle ground solution

between the stronger language desired by many delegations, such as mine, and the health focused approach required by others.

It is also relevant to underscore that the UNICEF program guidance for early childhood development includes SRH services. We would like to remind member states that sexual and reproductive health, as well as related healthcare services, constitute an essential component of the right to health. Excluding SRH from the text

would create critical gaps in addressing health needs and rights, including maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity, HIV

counseling, testing, prevention and treatment, as well as efforts to combat early and child marriage and sexual violence. all core concerns of this resolution. Addressing these gaps requires ensuring access to SRH information and services. Once again, we urge Member States to vote against these amendments and safeguard the protection and promotion of the rights of the child. I thank you.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to Mexico to be followed by Paraguay and Uruguay. Mexico, the floor is yours.

Mexico desires to express its enormous appreciation to Uruguay on behalf of the GRULAC and the European Union for facilitating this resolution in an inclusive, conciliatory and transparent manner. The final text constitutes a huge step in the right direction to strengthen the protection of children during their first years of life. Transcriptiondata. Es por ello que vemos con gran decepción la presentación de estas enmiendas, particularmente la L64 relativa a la salud sexual y reproductiva, que no solo pretende eliminar lenguaje acordado en iteraciones previas, sino obstaculizar avances. La enmienda podría incluso poner en riesgo la vida de las madres y de sus hijas e hijos. Por ejemplo, enmendando el párrafo operativo trece, donde se insta a los estados a adoptar medidas para poner fin a la mortalidad materna, neonatal e infantil evitable, pues está científicamente probado que los servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva contribuyen efectivamente a disminuir estos tipos de mortalidad. Equally, in paragraph forty-three, which seeks to eradicate sexual violence against children during armed conflicts, issues in which the resolution calls on states to provide, among other essential services for the rehabilitation of victims, sexual and reproductive health care, also in paragraph forty-six, which refers to violence in general, both online and in other environments. En suma, estas enmiendas no tratan únicamente de evitar que se brinden servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva, sino sentar un peligroso precedente que puede derivar en la pérdida de vidas humanas. Thank you.

Paraguay, the floor is yours.

Muchas gracias, Presidente. El Paraguay realiza esta explicación de voto a los proyectos

de enmienda para el proyecto de derechos del niño. Paraguay will vote in favor of projects L61 and L62 in line with our international commitments made in the area of human rights, in particular with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols, as well as our domestic law and the action of the national government, which promotes specific programs with a focus on early childhood as a strategic priority supported by specific programs implemented on the ground. Conforme el principio de subsidiariedad y responsabilidad primaria de la familia reconocida por la convention in its article eighteen point one, and by the code of the niñez y adolescencia del Paraguay in its article eight fourteen seventy and seventy one in relation with the project l sixty four, the Paraguay no accompany the proposal. Sin embargo, mi elevacion llama la atencion respecto a elementos de suma sensibilidad que continuan siendo objeto de debate tanto entre los estados como en el seno de nuestras sociedades. For the opposite, the materialization in the national scope of the reference to sexual and reproductive health cannot be disconnected from the internal legal framework, nor from the particular challenges and needs of each national context. My delegation wishes to emphasize that the constitutional framework of Paraguay protects the right to life from conception, so that national legislation does not enshrine the interruption of pregnancy. As well, according to our normative framework, comprehensive sex education requires an adequately balanced participation between the state, society and the family, especially parents, taking into account the capacities in development of boys and girls.

Thank you. Now you're required, you have the floor.

Now in the minute, the delegations of Burundi, the Federation of Russia and Belarus have decided to present amendments to the text L20. The amendment presented by Burundi seeks to eliminate agreed language, removing from the text four references to sexual and reproductive health, including three verbatim references from this same resolution in 2023, on the occasion of which it was adopted by consensus and without any amendments being presented. Uruguay wishes to remind the General Assembly that this year the resolution focuses on early childhood development, therefore, maternal health and her proper care during pregnancy is highly relevant, as it is directly linked to the health and development of the child in the long term. Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank the rapporteur for her report on the resolution on sexual and reproductive health and rights. I would like to thank the rapporteur for her report on the report on sexual and reproductive health and rights. I would like to thank the En cuanto a las enmiendas de la Federación de Rusia, estas proponen fusionar los párrafos PP 14 y PP 15, así como incluir un nuevo PP 14 bis. Consideramos que ya hemos alcanzado un texto equilibrado y la incorporación de nuevos elementos podría poner en riesgo ese equilibrio general. No creemos pertinente incluir un párrafo que destaque un artículo específico de la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño por sobre los demás. Ya que ello afectaría la visión integral de la Convención, cuyo enfoque es la protección de los derechos del niño bajo el principio común del interés superior del niño. En ningún momento de las consultas, la Federación de Rusia sugirió la inclusión de un PP 14 bis, por lo que las delegaciones no tuvieron siquiera la oportunidad de considerar este lenguaje antes de la presentación de la enmienda. Really, we want to set a precedent of eliminating language that we have already agreed upon by consensus or introducing language into resolutions that was not even discussed in the room in the consultations, long consultations, attempts like this undermine the integrity of the negotiations and the weeks of constructive work of all the delegations that all the delegations have invested to achieve the best possible text. Thank you. I give the floor to the Russian Federation.

We would like to add, in addition to what was said in the presentation of our amendments, that the Russian Federation, during the negotiations, made a number of proposals to strengthen the family language, to strengthen the language of parental rights, to promote Article 3, Article 5, Article 14 and Article 18 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. All our proposals, which are also contained in the amendments, This is our attempt to balance the language, since we see, including through the co-authorship of our amendments, that many delegations were not satisfied with the balance reached during the negotiations, as one of the coordinators put it. In this regard, we believe that our amendments are constructive and we call on all delegations to vote in favour of them. Thank you for your attention.

With that, we shall now take action on the amendments one by one. Let's turn to the amendment contained in document L61. I ask the committee to commence with the process of voting on the amendment contained in L61. In accordance with Rule 128, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

The Committee is now voting on the amendment to preambular paragraphs 14 and 15 of draft resolution L.20, revision 1, as orally revised, as contained in document L.61. Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

The result of the vote is as follows. I have 52 in favour, 84 against and 15 abstentions. With that, the amendment to draft Resolution L20 revision 1 as already revised contained in document L61 is rejected. Let's turn to the amendment contained in document L62. Committee will now commence with the process of voting on the amendment contained in L62 in accordance with Rule 128. No representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

Committee is now voting on the amendment to add a new preamble paragraph after preamble paragraph 14 of draft resolution L-20 revision 1 as orally revised as contained in document L-62. Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

Thank you. The result of the vote is as follows. I have 56 in favour, 78 against and 20 abstentions. With that, the amendment to L20 revision 1 as already revised contained in documents L62 is rejected. Let's turn to the amendment contained in document L63. 64. The Committee will now commence with the process of voting on the amendment contained in L64. In accordance with Rule 128, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

The committee is now voting on the amendment to operative paragraphs thirteen twenty seven forty three and forty six of draft resolution l twenty revision one as orally revised as contained in document l sixty four.

I give the floor to.

Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

The result of the vote is as follows. I have 48 in favour, 93 against and 13 abstentions. It is that the amendment to L20, division 1, as already required, contained in document L64 is rejected. Any delegation which wishes to make an explanation of vote or general statement after the vote on the amendment? I see South Africa to be followed by Canada and Sudan. South Africa, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. South Africa continues to advocate for the full promotion, protection, and realization of children's rights as determined by our own constitution, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and numerous other international mechanisms and commitments. We contend that our collective responsibility and duty is to uphold and protect the rights of all children. In this regard, South Africa has continued to advocate for these rights. We wish to clarify the oral revision made by the co-facilitators based on a request made by South Africa for a factual update to the paragraph to reflect the most recent global conference on the elimination of child labour held in Durban, South Africa, from 15 to 20 May 2022. Following positive discussions with the co-facilitators, South Africa withdrew its amendment. We understand that there is some confusion, as South Africa has also encouraged the recognition of the Durban Declaration on the Programme of Action of the Fourth World Conference on the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the self-same paragraph. We apologize that both these conferences took place in Durban. We are very pleased to observe this year's text recognizes this crucial document, but also felt it important to recognize that the Durban Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor, this is an important conference, and it adopted the Durban Call to Action. which emphasizes the need to accelerate progress on ending child labor and to emphasize the setbacks suffered in the fight against child labor because of the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst many other actionable outcomes. We fully understand that this omission was an oversight caught too late to be rectified during the negotiations. South Africa, however, appreciates the sincerity and cooperative approach of the co-facilitators and the Africa Group coordinators and considers it as an oversight that was clearly not intentional. It is for this reason that we co sponsored the text before the adoption in good faith and a reflection of the positive approach shown by the EU and Uruguay. We nonetheless continue to encourage Member States to support the Durban call to action and work towards the ending of child labour. We also would like to request that if states are inevitably going to dissociate from the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, that they clearly clarify which Durban mechanism they are specifically referring to. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Canada.

Thank you, Chair.

Canada would like to thank.

The EU and Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC for their leadership on the resolution of the rights of the child. And we commend the open and constructive manner in which they've facilitated negotiations. And we are glad once again to be co-sponsors of this important text. Throughout the negotiations, we remain concerned over language related to family-oriented policies that remove the focus from the rights of the child, which is the resolution's main raison d'etre. While families can play a role in the promotion and protection of human rights, we believe that the inclusion of this language risks being used to justify limits or restrictions on the rights of the child. We also remain concerned over the deletions related to mentions of sexual and reproductive health and rights and the language that notes that children are holders of all rights enshrined in the convention and that early childhood is a critical period for the realization of these rights. Maintaining this language is essential for guiding policies that uphold the best interest of the child and advance gender equality while ensuring the full enjoyment of all human rights for every child. Chair, children are not passive actors in the realization of their rights. They have equal status as rights holders themselves and must be involved. We must ensure that the States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child fully recognize and respect the rights set out therein and they continue to make the best interests of the child a primary consideration in all actions that concern them.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to Sudan.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation is asking for the floor to explain its vote after the vote in the amendment contained in document L-64. Mr. Chair, sexual reproductive healthcare services are now more critical and crucial than ever due to the ongoing humanitarian and health crisis caused by the war of aggression led by the regionally packed terrorist Rapid Support Forces militia. Sudanese women, particularly those in displacement and refugee camps, face severe shortage of basic health needs and living conditions. This includes critical access to reproductive healthcare services, which are essential for their safety and the well-being of their newborns. In the same context, in the light of the systematic and large scale violations of the militia, which has taken sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war against Sudanese women's dignity, women and girls who are victims and survivors of these crimes and violations are in dire need for sexual reproductive health care and services. as a fundamental step to ensure their safety, dignity, and achieving justice, aside from providing psychological and mental health care. Allow me to conclude by emphasizing that in the context of this resolution and similar ones, we interpret and apply any non-consensual references or terminologies within the framework of our national legal systems, legislation, and cultural values. by prioritizing the family at the core of society and recognizing parents as guardians of children's rights in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. I thank you.

Thank you. I have Senegal to be followed by Costa Rica. Senegal, you have the floor.

Madam President, my delegation thanks the co-facilitators for conducting the negotiations on this resolution. Childhood is a precious moment of innocence characterised by great fragility to social changes, an ardent desire for discovery and growth. It corresponds to this first phase of learning with the landmarks and foundations that shape the future of the next societies, carrying in it the cultural, economic, social heritage and the civic values. the child must be protected, educated and guided by his or her parents, thus allowing him or her to fully enjoy his or her rights without compromising his or her future. This socio-family framework, in respect of national laws, social and cultural values, and community cohesion, allows him or her to evolve, offering all the chances of being a free, educated and resilient citizen. l'accompagnement de l'enfant ne se limite pas à la transmission des valeurs familiales et sociales elle doit aussi le préparer à naviguer avec discernement dans un monde numérique où les influences peuvent être à la fois formatrices et déstabilisantes dans l'esprit des engagements internationaux mon pays s'efforce de protéger et de respecter les droits des enfants en conformité avec les conventions et protocoles internationaux qui leur sont consacrés monsieur le président the rights of the child have always been the subject of solid compromises, which is why we voted in favour of the resolution. However, we note the desire of some to include controversial language, at the risk of undermining our collective efforts and compromising the consensus on this issue. My delegation would also like to recall the need to relativise any tendency to impose exogenous values in a uniform manner. Indeed, La socialisation de l'enfant ne saurait être un processus mécanique ou standardisé. Elle constitue pour chaque société un cadre essentiel permettant d'inculquer ses propres normes et valeurs culturelles afin de façonner un modèle de citoyen en cohérence avec ses histoires et son évolution. Ainsi, ma délégation voudrait préciser le plein respect du droit des parents à organiser, à orienter l'éducation de leur enfant, the sovereignty of our policy on reproductive health in accordance with our national legislation. We therefore dissociate ourselves from the mention of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Finally, the concept of gender, as well as all the terminologies associated with it, refers only to social relations between men and women. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Costa Rica. The floor is yours.

Mr. President, Costa Rica wishes to express its gratitude to the co-facilitators for the presentation of this draft resolution to the European Union and especially.

To our colleague Erika, who represented our region of Uruguay.

My country considers that the process of consultations advanced in an inclusive and transparent manner. We regret that some delegations have decided to present amendments to eliminate.

Referencias que constituyen lenguaje previamente acordado, referencias que habian sido tomadas textualmente de la resolucion del dos mil veintitres.

Lo anterior pudo haber sentado un precedente desafortunado para reabrir y eliminar consensus previos.

Senor Presidente, la resolucion presentada coloca el reconocimiento del desarrollo de la primera.

Infancia como un pilar fundamental para el bienestar y el futuro de nuestras sociedades. Thank you, Mr. President.

We believe that safeguarding the rights of children from early childhood is equivalent to protecting our own future.

And that of our planet.

Therefore, our delegation welcomes the text in its version.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I am speaking on behalf of the European Union.

I would like to thank the rapporteur for his work and for the excellent report. The European Union is very pleased with the outcome of the negotiations.

We are satisfied with the text as it stands.

We believe that the text is a good compromise between the.

Interests of the European Union and the interests of the European Union.

Thank you. Since the amendments contained in documents L61, 62 and 64 have all been rejected, we shall proceed to take a decision on draft resolution L20 revision 1 as already revised as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested on draft resolution L20 revision 1 entitled Rights of the Child as already revised. Once again, any delegation wish to make a statement or explanation of vote before the voting connection with draft resolution L20 revision one as for review rights? I see Ecuador to be followed by Brazil and the United States. Ecuador, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Mr. President, I would like to thank the co-facilitators, Uruguay, on behalf of the GRULAC and the European Union, for their dedication, professionalism and leadership throughout this process. We deeply appreciate the commitment shown to listen to all delegations and build bridges that would allow for a balanced outcome. celebramos que el texto que estamos considerando hoy sea el resultado integro de un proceso transparente y constructivo de negociacion guiada por el esfuerzo genuino de los cofacilitadores por incorporar las posiciones, preocupaciones y prioridades de los Estados miembros, manteniendo siempre en el centro la promocion y proteccion de los derechos del nino. Asimismo, hiciéramos destacar la importancia de las referencias a la situación de los niños y niñas afectados por la violencia, en particular aquella que surge de la delincuencia organizada transnacional. Encomiamos que el texto aliente a los Estados a adoptar medidas efectivas para prevenir y responder a todas las formas de violencia contra los niños, incluyendo la trata de personas, el reclutamiento y uso de niños en actividades delictivas y otras prácticas criminales que vulneran su integridad y bienestar. Esta mención es esencial en un escenario de reconfiguración de las amenazas impuestas por redes transnacionales de delincuencia organizada y se encuentra en consonancia con la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño y otros instrumentos internacionales pertinentes. Por estas razones y convencidos de que este texto representa un paso significativo en la promoción de la garantía plena de los derechos de todos los niños y niñas, Thank you.

Thank you,

Mr. Chair. Brazil regrets that once again during this third committee session, a resolution traditionally adopted by consensus has been

put to a vote.

We are concerned by the emerging trend of prioritizing the easier path of advancing a specific interest interests or positions, which in our view jeopardizes the intrinsic value of broad diplomatic negotiations and of multilateralism itself. Instead, this committee must redouble its efforts to protect human rights on the ground and eradicate violations, particularly with regard to children's rights. We understand that negotiating a consensual outcome is difficult, as it requires flexibility from all sides and rarely satisfies any delegation completely. However, consensus bidding contributes to more stable and durable outcomes, as it results from sustained negotiation efforts and from genuine exchange of views aimed at reaching an agreed middle ground solution. Undermining this process risks trivializing the importance of dialogue, a core pillar of multilateralism. We regret in particular that a vote has been called on a resolution as important as rights of the child. This text reflects consensus carefully and steadily built over many years, incorporating language that brings valuable elements to the protection and promotion of the rights of children everywhere. With its focus this year on early childhood development, the resolution integrates new components that strengthen the safeguarding of the best interests of the child, complementing the framework of previously negotiated language. We urge, therefore, Member States to vote in favor of this resolution, and we thank the missions of Uruguay, especially our colleague Erika,

And the European Union delegation for their hard work in facilitating the negotiations.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the United States to be followed by Nigeria, Namibia, and Mali. United States.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The United States has made clear its intention to disengage from a majority of resolutions in the third committee this year. However, the United States would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our view that many of these resolutions recycle the same contentious or irrelevant issue year after year. Third committee resolutions should be short, actionable, and forward-looking. Instead, many resolutions continue to include problematic language that does nothing to advance the United Nations core mandate of maintaining international peace and security. President Trump has delivered a very clear message. The United Nations and so many nations of the world have gotten wildly off track, exaggerating climate change into the world's greatest threat. This practice will no longer be tolerated. We also take this opportunity to emphasize that the United States cannot endorse included language on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights without caveats and qualification. UN agencies have used such terminology to promote abortion rights, transgender rights for children, gender ideology, and other controversial issues that are not universally agreed human rights. The UN can no longer afford to waste its resources where there is little or no impact. The number of reports, conferences, and negotiations has grown beyond the point of ineffectiveness and waste to a level of dysfunction that makes it impossible to carry out vital work. Accordingly, the United States requests a vote and will vote no on this resolution. Mr. Chair, colleagues, we hope to work together in advance of next year's session of the third committee to make it more efficient, relevant, and effective. We refer you to the long form explanation of position that will be posted on our mission's website for more information. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Nigeria.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the following member states. Algeria, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and my country, Nigeria. We attach great importance to the rights and well-being of all children. With the youngest population in the world, the issues addressed in this resolution directly affect region and are central to our national and collective priorities. We would therefore welcome its adoption today. Throughout the negotiations, we engaged constructively, guided by our longstanding commitment to consensus on matters relating to the rights of the child. Our suggestions were mainly based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and aimed at preserving clarity, legal certainty and the balance it establishes between the rights of the child, the role of parents and the responsibilities of the state. However, we regret that several key concerns were not adequately reflected in the final text. Proposals aimed at ensuring alignment with the said convention, reinforcing our collective commitment with this legally binding instrument and thus maintaining previously agreed language were not taken on board. With the current text, we deplore the tendency to deny parents' role in the exercise of the rights of the children. We suggest that in future negotiation of this text to adhere to the agreed language derived from negotiated UN instruments in the protection of the child, thereby upholding the strengthening the rights of the child. From a procedural perspective, we underscore the need for adequate time, transparency and predictability in negotiations. The resolution of this breadth and complexity requires full and inclusive deliberations, and we hope that future sessions will facilitate more effective engagement by member states, including regional groups. Despite these concerns, we recognize the importance of global effects to advance the well-being, protection, and development of all children. We reiterate our steadfast commitment to the promotion and protection of rights of the child in accordance with international legal framework, particularly the Convention on Rights of the Child. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Namibia, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Namibia takes the floor to an explanation of vote before the vote on the resolution entitled the Right of the Child. Namibia attaches great, great importance to the rights and the well-being of all children. While we thank the facilitators for leading the negotiations of the text, we regret that the, that several key concerns were not adequately reflected in the final text. Therefore, we suggest that the essence of the resolution should retain the prominence of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, with a view to preserving clarity, legal certainty, and the balance it establishes between the rights of the child, the role of the parents, as well as the responsibilities of the state. Our country remains deeply committed to upholding of universal human rights and fundamental fundamental freedoms, in particular for the development and upbringing of children in their best interest, as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Union Convention on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, our own constitution and national laws. Having stated the above, Namibia will vote in favor of the resolution on the rights of the child, but strongly opposes to the imposition of concept of sexual and reproductive health in a manner that is inconsistent with national laws, cultural norms, and values, particularly when dealing with children. Therefore, Namibia disassociates, will disassociate from such an imposition reflected in operative paragraphs 13, 27, 43, and 46. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to Mali, to be followed by the United Kingdom, Paraguay, and Panama. Mali, you have the floor.

My

delegation, faithful to its commitment to the promotion and protection of children's rights, will vote in favor of the resolution.

However, I would like to emphasize that my country reserves its rights

Thank you.

I give the floor to the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Chair.

The United Kingdom welcomes the resolution on the rights of the child, which underscores the significance of early childhood development. We're grateful to the European Union and Gerlach for their leadership and inclusive facilitation of this text as we work collectively towards the full realization of the rights of all children. Early childhood development is critical to ensuring every child can thrive. Addressing the rights and needs of children across the lifestyle from life cycle from birth through adolescence strengthens health,

education, and protection outcomes and lays the foundation for fulfilling potential.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights transforms lives for individuals, families, and societies.

SRHR means that all people, especially

women and girls, can have control over their bodies, decide whether and when to have children, and achieve better health outcomes. These rights enable girls to complete their education, access economic opportunities, and participate fully in society.

SRHR is also essential for maternal and newborn health. Every year, over 4.5 million women and babies die during pregnancy, childbirth, or the first weeks after birth.

mostly from preventable or treatable causes.

Late amendments to this resolution undermine the vital importance of equitable access to quality SRHR and maternal and newborn health services throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

The United Kingdom remains committed to promoting and protecting the rights

of all children and ensuring that every child has the best start in life. That is why we will vote in favor of this resolution and urge other member states to also vote in favor.

Thank you.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to Paraguay.

El Paraguay realiza esta explicación de voto al proyecto Derechos del Niño complementando su explicación aclaratoria pronunciada al inicio de esta reunión. Mi delegación quisiera destacar que la sociedad paraguaya en su conjunto da máxima prioridad a la protección de todos los niños, niñas y adolescentes, y reiterar que el enfoque de primera infancia constituye una prioridad estratégica del gobierno, respaldada por programas específicos implementados en el terreno. El texto que hoy se pone a consideración de esta comisión contiene elementos de suma sensibilidad en el seno de nuestras sociedades, para los cuales necesitamos aunar esfuerzos para alcanzar lenguaje que aborde las preocupaciones de todas las partes en la negociación. Al respecto, el Paraguay realizó sus explicaciones aclaratorias en las reuniones de esta sesión de la comisión, pero particularmente para este proyecto, mi delegación entiende que la noción del principio de subsidiariedad Thank you. Panama?

Thank you, Mr. President. We thank the European Union and Uruguay as facilitators of the resolution on the rights of the child, especially our colleague Erika Mueller for the great work done and the efforts during the negotiations. Panama reaffirms its firm and sustained commitment to the integral promotion of the rights of children, girls and adolescents, guided by the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Creemos que garantizar su bienestar, desarrollo y protección no solo es una responsabilidad jurídica y moral, sino también una inversión en la paz y la prosperidad de nuestras sociedades. Como miembro activo en el Consejo de Seguridad, Panamá abogado por la protección de la infancia se mantenga en el centro de la agenda internacional. Thank you.

See no further request.

With that, the committee will now commence with the process of watching on draft Resolution L.20, revision 1, as orally revised. So in accordance with Rule 128, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Delegations are kindly requested to indicate their votes.

The Committee is now voting on draft resolution L.20, revision 1, entitled Rights of the child, as orally revised. Will all delegations confirm that their votes are correctly reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the voting machine.

Thank you. The result of the vote is as follows. I have 172 in favour, three against and three abstentions. With that draft resolution AC3A0L20 revision 1 as already written is adopted. Any delegation wish to make an explanation of vote or general statement after the vote on the draft resolution? I see Tunisia to be followed by Cuba and Malaysia. Tunisia, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank Uruguay and the European Union for their efforts and this excellent text. Tunisia attaches great importance to the family. The family is the primary environment in which children grow, learn and find support. At the same time, international law is clear. Children are rights holders in their own capacity and the best interests of the child must always prevail. The family plays a central role in a child's life. But we must also acknowledge that not all families are safe. For many children, the household can become a place of violence, early marriage, harmful practices, or neglect. Girls often face the greatest risks, including being forced into marriage at a very young age and being denied basic information about their own bodies, menstruation, hygiene, and health. These realities are exactly why the Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms that parental guidance must always align with the child's rights and evolving capacities, and why the state must protect the child from all forms of violence, including when it occurs within the family. Regarding the amendments, Tunisia could not support the removal of long standing agreed language related to the health and well being of children. These references are essential for ensuring that children and adolescents receive the information and support they need to stay safe, understand their bodies, and access basic guidance on hygiene and well-being. Deleting these elements would weaken essential protections, particularly for girls who face harmful practices and lack access to age-appropriate knowledge. Tunisia also cannot support the language that isolates a single article of the Convention on the Rights of the Child from the rest of the treaty. All provisions of the CRC must be read together. No article can be elevated above others or used to narrow the broader framework of protection and dignity that the Convention establishes. We also note that this language was never introduced during negotiations, preventing delegations from assessing or discussing it. For these reasons, we voted in favor of the resolution, and no on the amendments, and we congratulate the co-facilitators for the adoption of their resolution, and the text as submitted with no modification. I thank you.

Thank you.

I give the floor to Cuba.

has requested a vote on the only text of this committee focused this year exclusively on the rights of children. It has decided to vote against an initiative that addresses a topic of universal interest. It is a regrettable decision that demonstrates its arrogance, its lack of sensitivity and its profound disrespect for multilateralism. Cuba se honra en haber ratificado la Convención de los Derechos del Niño desde hace más de treinta y cuatro años. Cumplimos nuestras obligaciones como Estado parte de forma cabal. Recientemente, la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular de nuestro país adoptó un nuevo Código de la Niñez, Adolescencias y Juventudes que amplía los derechos y garantías para todos nuestros niños y niñas, sin discriminación de ningún tipo y en plena armonía con las disposiciones de la Convención. Mr. President, we are proud to be part of the broad group of sponsors of the resolution project L20 ref.1. We appreciate the tremendous efforts of Uruguay and especially Erica Muller in facilitating the text on behalf of the sponsors. We hope that in the next session periods, the long-standing practice of adopting this important text by consensus will be restored. Thank you.

Give the floor to Malaysia.

To be followed by Burkina Faso and Uruguay. Malaysia, the floor is yours.

Mr. Chair, Malaysia is committed in protecting and promoting the rights of children. As a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the government undertakes efforts to ensure that the protection, development, and participation of children is in line with Malaysia's obligations to the convention. We thank the European Union as well as GRLAC under the leadership of Uruguay for presenting this important resolution once again to the committee. This year's focus on early childhood development is particularly relevant as strengthening early childhood development remains central to Malaysia's national efforts to ensure that every child enjoys equitable access to quality care, protection and education.

Malaysia thanks the co-facilitators for the extensive consultation undertaken on the text this year.

While Malaysia has voted in favor of the resolution, we consider that resolution still falls short in fully recognizing both the specific protection needs of children during this formative period and the central role of parents in providing the safe and nurturing environment essential for healthy early development.

Moreover, the addition.

And retention of language that lacks broad agreement among member states, particularly in the context of this year's theme, affects both the clarity and practical implementation of the resolution.

We therefore encourage future discussions to take into account the resolution's core focus, as well as the.

Practical implications of proposed language to ensure that the text can be meaningfully implemented across various national contexts, thereby.

Keeping our collective approach effective and responsive to the needs of children.

As regards to reference to the ambiguous.

Terminology, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in preamble paragraph 39 and operative paragraph 37, respectively, Malaysia's interpretation of the state term will be based on its national.

Laws, values and customs and does not include any concepts that are inconsistent with the existing international human rights architecture.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Burkina Faso.

Mr. President, I have the honour to make this statement in explanation of vote on behalf of Burundi, Cameroon, Mali, Niger and my own country, Burkina Faso. Our delegations reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the promotion, protection and well-being of children. The defence of their rights, health, safety and harmonious development is a fundamental priority for our States. Madam President, we remain convinced that any international action must aim, first and foremost, to ensure that every child grows up in a safe environment and respects their needs and future prospects. We support the general objective of this resolution. However, our delegations regret the inclusion of controversial terminology and wish to make clarifications.

Madam President, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the rights of children and adolescents in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights. This resolution is a welcome step forward, but it is not enough. We need to do more to ensure that children and adolescents have access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Mr. President, I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur, Ms. Kadenbach, for her excellent report. I would also like to thank the rapporteur for her work on this important issue. I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur, Ms. Kaden, for her excellent report. I would also like to thank the rapporteurs for their work on this important issue. Thank you.

I have Uruguay to.

Be followed by Argentina and the Russian Federation.

Uruguay, the floor is yours.

El borrador cero elaborado por el GRULAC y la Unión Europea fue circulado oportunamente a las delegaciones antes del inicio de la sesión de la tercera comisión y el texto final fue enviado a la secretaría exactamente el último día del plazo para su remisión. That is why we have been working on the negotiation of the text and doing everything possible to carry out timely, transparent and inclusive negotiations, aware of the time that delegations and our own regional groups needed to analyse this lengthy text and react in time at each stage. Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank the rapporteur for her report and for the work she has done. We are fully confident that the text adopted today is the result of that effort and reflects a fair balance between the different opinions expressed by all the delegations that participated actively during the negotiation. In that sense, Uruguay regrets that a vote has been requested on this occasion, in particular by a delegation that was not involved in the negotiations. Thank you.

I give the floor to Argentina.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Argentina reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

In all areas, understanding this task as a primary mission of our society. However, our delegation wishes to clearly express its position on substantive issues of the resolution that affect the normative balance established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

En primer lugar, la resolución aborda extensamente la primera infancia, etapa que en el marco de.

Las Naciones Unidas comprende a los niños de cero.

A ocho años, justamente en estos años los más vulnerables y determinantes para el desarrollo humano, el niño requiere con especial rigor el acompañamiento insustituible de sus padres.

La Constitución Nacional Argentina, en sus artículos quinto y 18, establece inequívocamente que los padres tienen la responsabilidad primordial en la crianza, orientación y educación de sus hijos, y que el rol del Estado es apoyar, pero nunca reemplazar esa función esencial.

Lamentamos que el texto final no refleje adecuadamente este principio.

Varias formulaciones amplían la intervención estatal bajo el concepto de desarrollo integral. Asimismo, la Argentina observa con preocupación la inclusión de referencias a la salud sexual y reproductiva en.

Contextos vinculados a la primera infancia, sin distinción de edad ni garantías de acompañamiento e intervención de los padres.

For Argentina, any content or service related to sexuality must consider the age, maturity and.

Developmental capacity of the child and must.

Always be imparted with the participation and guidance of the parents, as stipulated by our national constitution. Finally, Mr. President, we reiterate that the protection of the family is a structural principle of international human rights law. reconocidos por la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos.

En consecuencia, si bien la Argentina deja constancia de que toda política internacional sobre niñez debe fortalecer y nunca debilitar el rol de los padres, asegurar el respeto a la edad y madurez de los niños y preservar la función subsidiaria del Estado conforme al marco jurídico establecido por la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño.

Muchas gracias. Thank you. Give the floor to the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are very disappointed that the international community has refused to accept the constructive and balanced amendments presented by our delegation. We would like to note that the support that the state has expressed today for the rights of parents and the observance of the rights of parents to manage the child in accordance with his developing abilities and in his best interests cannot be ignored. We are seriously concerned about the continuing attempts to dilute the basic provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including by artificially dividing children into age groups, challenging the leading role of parents, for the implementation of juvenile justice, the promotion of children's rights, and the excessive emphasis on sexual and reproductive health issues. That is why we have expressed our support for the Burundian amendment and consider it to be quite balanced and useful. We would like to remind you that some time ago, the Russian Federation was among the co-authors of this resolution. We have seen in this document a good opportunity to comprehensively consider and develop effective measures through joint efforts to promote the rights of children and their spiritual, physical and psychological development as full-fledged and full-fledged members of the international community. However, now this noble initiative is saturated with controversial and not universally accepted plots. Every state wants the best for its children. And it is extremely sad to see that a document intended to serve as a unifying principle has become, on the contrary, the subject of disagreements between states. With each passing year, the number of interpretive statements increases. Amendments are proposed. This year, a vote on the resolution is requested, which until recently seemed unthinkable. And to blame only one change in the position of the delegation would mean not noticing obvious trends. Today, Russia chose to vote in favor of this resolution for the sake of global solidarity, compromise and the promotion of multilateralism. We acknowledge the efforts of the coordinators, Erica from Uruguay and Simon from the European Union. We believe that the text has undergone many positive changes, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to reach consensus on this document. We hope that during the next consideration, the coordinators will respond constructively and with a desire to hear the opinions of all parties. The Russian Federation distances itself from the consensus with a paragraph with references to the general comment and the statement of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on Article 5 of the Convention, with references to the terms of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, services in the field of sexual and reproductive health, marginalized situations, as well as references to the final documents of regional conferences.

Thank you. Now we have Belarus to be followed by Liberia and Egypt. Belarus, the floor is yours.

Mr. President, acknowledging the importance and relevance of the resolution's subject matter, the delegation of Belarus has supported the document. At the same time, we regret the fact that the resolution has been put to a vote. Вынуждена также дистанцироваться от оперативных параграфов 13, 15, 27, 36, 38, 43, 46, а также от параграфа 39 преамбульной части документа. Вопрос сексуального и репродуктивного здоровья мы рассматриваем исключительно в контексте национального законодательства. В отсутствие четкой оговорки в соответствии с национальным законодательством государство фактически принимает те трактовки термина, which is promoted by UN agencies and major donors. To maintain legal certainty and emphasize that this concept is not universally agreed upon and is interpreted differently in different countries, such a caveat should be explicitly included in the text. We also do not accept the use of the term multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This expression is actively used by UN institutions to promote LGBT agendas and remains non-consensual. We separately emphasize the importance of respecting the priority of the rights and responsibilities of parents, legal guardians or other persons responsible for the health, well-being and education of the child. The rights of the child should not be considered as opposed to parental responsibility. Convention on the Rights of the Child repeatedly emphasizes the role of parents in matters of autonomy and developing the child's abilities. This logic should be reflected in the text of the resolution. We would also like to express our gratitude to the delegations of Burundi and Russia for initiating amendments that we fully support. Thank you.

I give the floor to Libia.

فيما يتعلق بالإشارات الواردة في القرار لمصطلحات الصحة الجنسية والإنجابية، يود وفد بلادي التأكيد على أنه يفهم ذلك بأنها تقتصر على البرامج التي تعتمدها السلطات الوطنية المختصة في الدول الأعضاء

بموافقة الوالدين أو الأوصياء القانونيين.

وأخيرا، تسجل ليبيا تحفظها على الإشارات الواردة في الفقرتين.

on the account of polarization, which contributes to the enhancement.

Of efforts aimed at enhancing the rights of the child, protecting them and developing them. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to Egypt.

Thank you, Chair. Egypt reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

Grounded in our constitution, national legislation, and our obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Egypt attaches great importance to ensuring that the resolution remains anchored in agreed language and maintains the delicate balance achieved in previous negotiations. We regret, however, that several key concerns expressed by our African group and others were not adequately reflected in the final text. In this regard, Egypt supported the amendments proposed by Burundi and the Russian Federation, which aim to safeguard agreed language, reinforce the role of parents, and prevent the introduction of ambiguous concepts that lack intergovernmental agreement. ensuring full alignment with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Based on the above, my delegation disassociates from paragraphs PP15, OP13, OP27, OP43, and OP46. We reiterate that any proposal introducing concepts without consensus or that risk expanding interpretations beyond what is established in the Convention should be avoided. We also emphasize the essential role of parents and legal guardians in the upbringing, development, and protection of the child, as clearly affirmed in the Convention. We further underline that formulations not grounded in negotiated UN instruments shouldn't be interpreted as creating new legal obligations for states. Moreover, all references to health, education, and protection services must be interpreted in a manner fully consistent with national legislation, cultural values, and religious principles, and don't imply the recognition of any rights not endorsed at the national level. Despite these concerns, Egypt remains committed to the constructive engagement towards advancing efforts that genuinely strengthen the well-being, protection, and development of all children, and this is why we voted in favor. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Now I have El Salvador to be followed by Israel and Saudi Arabia. El Salvador.

Gracias, Senor Presidente.

Thank you very much. We deeply appreciate Uruguay and the European Union, in particular the experts Erica and Simon, for conducting this negotiation process in an open, inclusive and transparent manner. El proyecto de resolución hoy adoptado incorpora por primera vez avances significativos como el reconocimiento de la primera infancia desde la gestión, un parto respetado y sensible, la promoción de la lactancia materna, la atención integral durante los primeros años y hasta la transición escolar hacia primer grado, como etapa clave para garantizar que cada niño alcance su máximo potencial de desarrollo, subrayando la importancia de cuidado cariñoso y sensible desde los primeros años. El texto también refuerza la necesidad de invertir en la educación de padres y cuidadores y aborda con responsabilidad los desafíos que plantean la desinformación y los contenidos dañinos en plataformas digitales, destacando la corresponsabilidad de los actores privados en la protección de los derechos del niño. En este contexto, El Salvador reafirma su firme compromiso con la primera infancia, niñez y adolescencia. El país reconoce, conforme a su Constitución, el papel fundamental de la familia. Como base esencial de la sociedad y por tanto objetivo de especial protección del estado. En esta línea y bajo el liderazgo de la primera dama Gabriela de Bukele, el país ha impulsado un nuevo marco legal y normativo orientado al desarrollo integral de la primera infancia, la niñez y la adolescencia en todo su ciclo evolutivo, destacando la ley Crecer Juntos para la protección integral de la primera infancia, niñez y adolescencia y la política nacional de apoyo al desarrollo infantil temprano Crecer Juntos como foreign language.

Guarantizando intervenciones coordinadas y centradas en el bienestar de la niñez, tales como la implementación de la estrategia nacional de nutrición.

En ese sentido, El Salvador se suma al esfuerzo para impulsar cambios trascendentales en sintonía de sus obligaciones y compromisos adquiridos en todos los sistemas de derechos humanos que se alinean a las prioridades nacionales, por lo que reconoce y se compromete con la implementación de esta resolución que por su naturaleza y alcance están alineados a los principios constitucionales y al marco jurídico interno acorde a políticas públicas.

Thank you. I give the floor to Israel.

Thank you, honorable chair.

I would like to make an explanation of position on this resolution, which we have just adopted. Israel would like to stress our ongoing commitment to advance the rights and protection of children and the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Having said that, there are elements in this resolution we would like to address. First, Israel has not supported the outcome document of the World Conference or the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and does not recognize these instruments as legally binding under international law.

In addition, we disassociate from the reference to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

Without prejudice to our ongoing commitment to eradicate racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

It is unfortunate that there are delegations in this room who try to belittle the professionalism of others. And just to make sure they understand, I will clarify our objection is to the Durban Conference Declaration and Program of Action.

Held in 2001, which became a vehicle for incitement, racism, and anti-Semitism, intolerance, and prejudice against the state of Israel.

Which some continue to demonstrate in this room.

And of course, we do support the conference on the elimination of child.

Labor regardless of the place it was held.

In addition.

We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our concern regarding the methodology of the data collection and verification process of the report on children in armed conflict, which mandate was renewed in this resolution, and we hope that with the renewal of the mandate, the methodology.

Will also be further examined.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. I give the floor to Saudi Arabia.

في إعداد القرار المعنون تعزيز حقوق الطفل وحمايتها، وقد صوت وفد بلادي لصالح مشروع القرار للتأكيد مجددا على موقفنا

الثابت والداعم لتعزيز وحماية حقوق الطفل، غير أن المملكة تعرب عن تحفظها على الإشارة إلى مفاهيم ومصطلحات لا تحظى بتوافق

دولي ولا تنسجم مع التشريعات الوطنية والقيم الدينية والاجتماعية في العديد من الدول، بما في ذلك في المملكة العربية السعودية.

in the guidance and care of the child is the basis for the protection of children's rights,

and that these responsibilities are carried out in accordance with religious and social values and national legislation that ensures the best interests of the child, and at the same time confirms its commitment to promoting and protecting children's rights in accordance with cultural and social frameworks and in accordance with international laws and regulations.

Thank you.

Thank you. I have the Islamic Republic of Iran to be followed by Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Iran, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We wish to explain our position with regard to the resolution on the rights of the child as contained in document L20/Rev.1. Iran is committed to promoting and protecting the rights and well-being of children in accordance with its national laws and regulations, as well as international obligations as a state party to the CRC and a ratifier of its optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child ***********. We are disappointed that all necessary amendments presented by the Russian Federation and Burundi were rejected. Iran voted in favor of all the amendments. However, in recognition of the importance of the subject at hand, my delegation voted in favor of the resolution. Iran recognizes the fundamental role of the parents, parents and the family in the upbringing and well-being of children. The family is a natural and fundamental unit of society and all UN member states have a duty to protect the family and the rights of children within it. We regret that this resolution does not adequately emphasize the need for states to take into account the rights and duty of parents and legal guardians in all measures undertaken to ensure children's early development and well-being, inconsistent with Article 5 of the CRC. Committed to upholding this obligation, my delegation would like to underline that general comments prepared by the treaty monitoring bodies are neither legally binding nor represent the official position of UN member states. We would also like to put on record our concerns regarding the proliferation of non-consensus based document terminologies and non-agreed terminologies throughout the text, which lack clear and uniform understanding among member states and leave room for misinterpretation. Our longstanding position regarding the use of terms sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights without any qualifiers remains clear. In light of this, my delegation feels compelled to disassociate itself from such terminologies in addition to multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. as well as sexual and gender-based violence throughout the text. We understand the term gender referenced throughout the text refers exclusively to women and men. My delegation disassociates itself from OP17 as education on sexual and reproductive health should respect the rights and responsibility of parents or legal guardians to guide their children and ensure their religious, cultural, and moral education in accordance with their convictions. Additionally, we understand that new terminologies such as the child rights-based framework lack a common understanding or agreed definition among member states. Iran reserves its right to interpret and implement the provisions contained in the present resolution consistent with its national laws, regulation, and policy priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, as well as its relevant international obligations. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I give the floor to Papua New Guinea.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation wishes to provide its explanation of position on the resolution just adopted. Let me take this opportunity to firstly thank the main co-facilitators, the distinguished delegation of Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC and EU for the leadership and constructive manner in conducting the informal consultations on this resolution. For Papua New Guinea, the rights of every child in our country is fundamentally important and deserves to be advanced in the right way and protected. In our national context, the family is a central and most appropriate environment for a child's upbringing, with parents, extended relatives, and customary community structures carrying the primary responsibility for guidance and care. Our national child protection laws, including the Lookout and Act and the Family Protection Act, reflect this approach by supporting families while state intervention is applicable only in case of abuse, exploitation, or serious harm. With this, we have noted the general intent and recognize the value of this resolution, and therefore had voted yes in support of it. However, we wish to place on record our disassociation from PP15.

Chair, I thank you.

Thank you. Give the floor to Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Indonesia believes that early childhood development is a foundational investment for the long-term resilience and prosperity of any nation. We stand ready to take bold steps, including substantial investments in maternal and child nutrition, to ensure that every

child has the best possible

start in life and healthy growth. We underscore the essential role of family as the primary environment where children grow, learn and develop, and affirm that strengthening families and caregivers is central to advancing early childhood development. We therefore attach great importance to this year's resolution on early childhood development and have voted in favor for the overall text. Indonesia had expected a focused, evidence-based, and action-oriented resolution. It is regrettable that some delegations have introduced elements not directly relevant to the core objectives of this resolution. In this regard, we would like to place on record our reservation on the reference to adolescent, multiple, and intersecting forms of discrimination and sexual and gender-based violence that do not enjoy international consensus. Additionally, Indonesia also underscores the importance of ensuring that all sexual and reproductive health services are delivered in an age appropriate manner. We would like to also extend our appreciation to Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC and European Union for their efforts. Looking ahead, Indonesia remains committed to advancing early childhood development at the national and local levels in line with our development priorities.

I thank you.

Thank you. I have Uganda to be followed by the Philippines and the Gambia. Uganda, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, Uganda attaches great importance to the protection and well-being of children in accordance with our national laws, values, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We firmly believe that children are the foundation of our societies and the promise of our

collective future, ensuring their healthy growth.

learning and development is therefore a responsibility we all share.

It is in the

spirit and with the importance of early childhood development that Uganda voted in favor of this resolution as a whole and thanks the co-facilitators, Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC and EU for presenting this resolution.

However,

Regarding references to sexual and reproductive health, my delegation would like to put on record that these terms should not be interpreted as granting children access to drugs or treatments without parental consent, nor can they be understood to include abortion. For Uganda, we understand this term to refer to drugs and treatments that are legal and approved by competent authorities. Regarding the references to sex education in OP 17, Uganda underscores the central role of parents in guiding the education and upbringing of their children. Sex education must be must respect national laws and cultural values and religious beliefs. We also reiterate that the term gender refers exclusively to biological males and females. Lastly, we note with regret the inclusion of non-consensual term, multiple intersecting forms of discrimination.

My delegation would like to disassociate

as this interpretation is based on categories of discrimination that lack intergovernmental agreement or recognition in our national legal framework. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Philippines, the floor is yours.

Mr. Chair, the Philippines co-sponsored and voted in favor of this resolution. As a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1990 and in accordance with the 1987 Philippine Constitution, we uphold our obligation to protect and safeguard children through laws and policies that ensure their development in a safe, nurturing, and rights-respecting environment. Our first 1,000 days laws foundation to sustain early childhood care and development, while our early childhood care and development program support children's learning, growth and well-being. These efforts are aligned with national frameworks such as the Philippine National Strategic Framework for Plan Development for Children, the Fourth National Plan of Action for Children, and the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028, and are strengthened by the government's broader human rights architecture under the Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination, which harmonizes programs to safeguard human rights, especially children's rights, across agencies, ensuring evidence-based implementation through mechanisms such as the national recommendations tracking database. To protect children in specific and high-risk situations, we have enacted the Children's Emergency Relief and Protection Act and the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act, affirming that children are zones of peace. Complementary systems such as the Baybay Bata monitoring system, the government-wide Makabata program, and hotline 1383 strengthen child protection reporting and coordinated response. The Philippines takes pride in its removal as a situation of concern in the Secretary General's 2026 report on children and armed conflict, reflecting sustained reforms, strengthened monitoring and accountability mechanisms, and close cooperation with the United Nations to uphold children's rights in vulnerable contexts. Mr. Chair, the Philippines reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of the rights of all children. Thank you.

Thank you. I have the Gambia followed, to be followed by Algeria and Iraq. Gambia, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. The Gambia voted in favor of this resolution to reaffirm that issues concerning children's rights stands as a testament and a critical enabler for creating a transformative society. And it is the single most important investment that any country can make for the benefit of its people and future. We understand that the incorporation of the requisite legal and policy frameworks is a huge step towards progress and realization of child's rights. However, the protection of the child must continue to remain a critical goal of our shared commitment at the highest level. To this end, the Gambia continues to galvanize progressive actions by strengthening efforts towards the effective enforcement and realization of the rights of children. We are committed to seriously upholding our solemn commitments under the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other relevant child rights instruments, including the SDG commitments and the Safe Schools Declaration. The Gambia supports the protection of the inherent rights of children against recruitment into armed groups. The pursuit for durable peace and security will be elusive if the children who embody our hope for a peaceful and prosperous future continue to enjoy the grave violations of their rights through their unconscionable recruitment into armed groups. While this resolution avails us with the opportunity to review and appraise the implementation of policies, initiatives and program interventions for promoting the rights of the child, my delegation wishes to clarify that the language sexual and reproductive health should not be interpreted as granting institutions or any entity any mandate to facilitate children's access to drugs and treatments without prior parental consent. With reference to the provision of sex education to children, my delegation wishes to reaffirm its commitment to upholding the fundamental rights of parents to direct the education of their children. It is our position that any initiatives or programs related to sex education must fully respect this parental authority, ensuring that parents remain at the center of decisions affecting their children's learning and development in this area. In addition, all sex education initiatives must be implemented in strict accordance with national laws, cultural norms, and religious beliefs. My delegation reserves on the inclusion of the term multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination within this resolution. We do not support the use of terminologies that has not been subject to broad international agreement or is not in alignment with our national laws and policies. In spite of these reservations, we look forward to greater international solidarity, a more responsive and inclusive multilateral system towards implementation of the commitments envisaged in this resolution as we move forward to renew our unwavering commitment to redouble efforts to advance the rights of children. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Algeria, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered before the vote by Nigeria on behalf of a group of states and would like to deliver these additional remarks in its national capacity. Algeria voted in favor of this resolution consistent with our firm and unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of children's right. We therefore welcome its adoption today. Our position is rooted in Algeria's longstanding dedication to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. As a country where children constitute a significant proportion of the population, we attach particular importance to ensuring that they fully enjoy their rights and benefit from the condition necessary for their well-being and development. Algeria participated constructively throughout the negotiation process within the African Group. While the resolution incorporates several proposals from the African Group, we regret that some proposals put forward during negotiation were not adequately reflected in the final text. Nevertheless, we supported the adoption of the resolution in a spirit of consensus and constructive engagement. Algeria remains firmly committed to upholding the rights of children and advancing their well-being in accordance with international law. We emphasize that healthcare services must be delivered in a manner that carefully considers the age and mental health of each child while fully respecting domestic laws. We affirm our strong commitment to implementing this resolution in compliance with our national legislation. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Iraq.

Mr. President, the delegation of my country expresses its gratitude to the European Union and Uruguay for facilitating.

As my delegation confirms that the term.

Social sex in this resolution refers only to males and females, and finally, my.

Delegation interprets the term reproductive and sexual health in accordance with our national legislation.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Holy See.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Holy See would like to thank the delegation of Uruguay and the European Union. on behalf of its member states for facilitating the resolution on the rights of the child. Early childhood is vital stage in children's development, which can set them up for fulfilling futures. The HERC appreciates that the text reflects the need to address child and family poverty, hunger, and living conditions, and the special care and assistance due to motherhood and childhood. We likewise value the inclusion on language on family policies and parenting education and the balance struck in recognizing both the benefits and risks of technology. While appreciating these aspects, the Holy See notes that the resolution is once again diminished by long disputed terms and concepts, particularly related to healthcare, education and discrimination. We hope that in the future true consensus can be forged through setting aside contentious issues and focusing on the real needs of children, which are best protected within the context of a healthy and stable family life. The Helisia, as an observer state and in conformity with its nature and particular mission, is obliged to state the following on the adopted text. The Holy See interprets the terms sexual and reproductive health, sexual and reproductive healthcare services, and related terms as applying to a holistic concept of health. We do not consider abortion, access to abortion, or access to abortions as a dimension of these terms. With respect to comprehensive education or information on sexual and reproductive health, the Holy See reiterates that primary responsibility and the prior rights of parents when it comes to the education and upbringing of their children. In that sense, the Holy See wishes to underline the centrality of the family as well as the role and rights and duties of parents to educate their children. The Holy See understands the term gender as grounded in biological sexual identity, male or female. With reference to multiple intersecting forms of discrimination, the Holy See notes that the expression lacks a definition agreed between states. The Holy See reaffirms that everyone is entitled to human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of any kind. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. And with that, the committee has concluded its consideration of agenda item 67 and will reconvene this afternoon at 3:00 PM to take action on the remaining draft proposals. The meeting is adjourned.