Item 3: Resolution Entitled “Rights of the Child: Towards better investment in the rights of the child” A/HRC/28/L.28
Explanation of Position by the Delegation of the United States of America
Human Rights Council 28th Session
Geneva, March 27, 2015
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States is pleased to join consensus on the Rights of the Child resolution. We thank the sponsors of this resolution and other member states for their collaboration during the negotiations. Streamlining this resolution was an important way to ensure the text was targeted to the issue at hand: improving investments in the rights of the child.
Investing in children is critical. The United States is consistently among the largest donors to UNICEF, and provided over $500 million last year to help that organization improve the lives of children around the world. As we noted at the full day meeting on children’s rights, the Obama Administration announced earlier this month that it is expanding its efforts to help adolescent girls through the Let Girls Learn initiative. This initiative will help ensure girls throughout the world get the education they deserve. A key part of Let Girls Learn is to encourage and support community-led solutions to reduce barriers that prevent adolescent girls from completing their education. We are excited about this initiative and look forward to building more partnerships in support of expanding access to education. In the United States, educational matters primarily are determined at state and local levels. We recognize the importance of quality education and of striving to strengthen and expand it.
The United States joins consensus on this resolution with the understanding that the resolution does not imply that states must join human rights instruments to which they are not a party, or otherwise implement obligations under those instruments. Moreover, the United States does not recognize any change in the current state of international law. Further we understand this resolution’s reaffirmation of prior documents to apply to those who affirmed them initially.
The United States remains deeply committed to protecting the rights of children, and look forward to continuing our partnerships with other countries and international partners in pursuit of these goals.
Thank you, Mr. President.