It was something very special. In 1990 UNICEF, the children’s aid agency of the United Nations, had invited guests to the first World Children’s Summit in New York, and state leaders and government representatives from 150 countries had accepted. Never before had so many heads of state joined to discuss one topic. The summit looked at ways of decreasing infant mortality rates, carrying out the fight against poverty and providing better health care. At the end of the meeting, a solemn promise was made to ensure a better future for all children. The mortality rate was to be noticeably reduced, and every child was to have access to clean drinking water and receive a minimum of education. These goal have by no means been reached even today.
Children are still being exploited as workers, prostitutes or soldiers. Millions of children live in poverty, and the disease AIDS has also affected many children.
But the World Children’s Summit did increase awareness of the fact that the situation of children has to be taken much more into account in all political decisions. The commitment of every one of us is needed to enable children throughout the world to have an adequate standard of living.