Belgian OSCE Chairmanship calls for greater attention to the rights of children on Universal Children's Day

BRUSSELS, 20 November 2006 - Karel De Gucht, Belgian Foreign Minister OSCE Chairman-in-Office, called on the OSCE community today to pay greater attention to protecting and promoting children's rights, on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"Children's rights are an integral part of human rights and thus, within the OSCE's security concept, also contribute to the security objectives of the Organization," Minister De Gucht said.

The Chairman-in-Office drew attention to a proposal to adopt a Decision on combating the sexual exploitation of children at the OSCE's Ministerial Council in Brussels on 4 and 5 December.

The Belgian OSCE Chairmanship is taking specific action in support of  children's rights. With the United States and France, it has put forward a proposal to enhance OSCE action to combat sexual exploitation of children through legislative measures, research, policy monitoring, awareness campaigns, law enforcement training and victim support programmes. Belgium is also supporting and implementing a human rights education project called "Our Rights", initiated by Slovenia during its OSCE Chairmanship in 2005.