Respecting child rights in all circumstances is a must

26 Oct


Myanmar ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – UNCRC on 15 August, 1991 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography on 27 September, 2019.


To protect and promote the rights of children in Myanmar, the Child Rights Law was enacted on 23 July 2019 after years of discussion and debate.


While working at most for promoting child rights and for ensuring that every child can enjoy their rights, we all should know the importance of giving protection effectively to children in all circumstances.


We must pay attention to the children who are caught up in armed conflicts in our country. How can we protect them from the worst consequences of civil war, from grave violations against children during armed conflicts, how can we conduct reintegration of child victims of the armed conflicts to their respective communities and how can we stop the armed conflicts in our country?


Kayin State seriously suffered the consequences of civil war for many years. 


However, the local people have realized the essence of peace after ceasefire, comparing with the situations while the area was ravaged by armed conflicts. It is very important for our country.


All warring parties in our country need to understand that achieving eternal peace, which can quench the fires of more than seven decades of armed conflicts, is important for the future of the country’s children.


They can easily judge which actions improve their lives, their children and which worsen them.


Every child must have equal opportunities before the law. Therefore, the rules which is being written must guarantee equal rights and benefits for every child in different areas.


Besides, it is also necessary to have clear tasks for implementing the rules of the new Child Rights Law, which sets higher standards for safeguarding the rights of children in all circumstances, and to implement the child rights policy which is envisaged a national-level one meeting international standards and adaptable to changing situation in our country.


Hence, cooperation from the civil society organizations is required in writing the rules of the Child Rights Law and the policy on child rights.


We are confident that the ability of experts who make up the committee for writing the rules of the law would overcome possible challenges in their work through negotiation and coordination.


We all have a duty to respect the rights of children, to protect their welfare and their lives.