Government of China Hosts Planning Session for High Level Consultation on Child Rights

Beijing, 14 May 2013 – Representatives from 10  countries gathered in Beijing this week to put the finishing touches on plans for the 2^nd High Level Meeting on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights in Asia and the Pacific (HLM2), to be hosted in New Delhi later this year by the Government of India.

The main aim of the New Delhi HLM will be to review progress toward the realization of children's rights and to enhance cooperation between nations of the region on the most pressing issues facing the region's children.

The planning meeting has been organized with the support of UNICEF regional and country offices.

The main themes on the agenda for the Delhi HLM will be: "urban settings as an opportunity for realizing child rights," "Adolescents: current rights for future opportunities," and "Fulfilling child rights through early childhood development."

The first HLM on Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia Pacific Region was held in Beijing in 2010 and brought together ministerial level officials from 28 governments across Asia and the Pacific. At the Beijing HLM participating Governments pledged to meet benchmarks in progress for children in their countries. At the New Delhi HLM Governments will report back on progress made for children in the past two years.

In addition to government representatives, UNICEF Regional Directors from South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific attended the meeting. Regional experts and country level specialists also took part.