Statement by H.E. Masud Bin Momen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations at the Annual Session 2018 of the Executive Board of UNICEF, New York, 11 June, 2018
Thank you, Mr. President,
1. At the outset I also like to congratulate Executive Director of UNICEF Ms. Henrietta Fore for her statement today which clearly outlines her priorities in realigning UNICEF to mitigate the growing vulnerabilities faced by the children in different parts of the world. we believe that her long and diversified leadership experience in both public and private sector will play a critical role in building a resilient children friendly environment that is committed towards a better life for the children across the world. I applaud the commitment and the critical role of her team here at the headquarter as well as in fields, often in dangerous conflict ridden areas.
Mr. President
2. Since children will lead the world in the future, without our strong commitment for the agenda that safeguards their existence, growth and well- being, no program will be sustainable. Every stage of a child’s life cycle must be safe, secured and we need to ensure financing for all these activities reverting the current trend of displacing millions of children by natural and manmade causes throughout the world.
3. Children remains the most vulnerable section of the society as hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, abuse, diseases, discrimination etc. continue to affect them most adversely in the least developed countries. Impacts of climate change and exposure to the risks of exclusion in the conflict zones compounded the marginalization of the children manifold than the adults. We express our concern about violation of the rights of the children. In the face of persisting threats to the children, we commend the UNICEF’s vision outlined by the Executive Director today to accelerate progress for children and young people, at every point, throughout both decades of their life. We feel encouraged to see that the UNICEF’s four priorities has been announced following the member states’ adoption of the UNDS resolution and UNDS entities including UNICEF already committed towards a robust and “fit for purpose” UN interventions to implement the universal 2030 agenda.
Mr. President
4. Appropriate strategies are critical tools to attract resources and leverage results. We observe that UNICEF’s importance on integrating development approaches into humanitarian responses is expected to ensure support for children over a sustained period as they grow during vulnerable humanitarian conditions. Commitment towards adoption of system-wide innovation is very much aligned with the core focus of the UN’s development strategies. We also appreciate its efforts to become more
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5. efficient, cost effective and integrate programs across the sectors for enabling better service to more number of children. Appreciate strategies to win support for the cause of children, leveraging resources and partnerships, using power of business, market and evidence as the driver of change for the children.
Mr. President,
6. Bangladesh has made considerable progress in protecting and promoting child rights. Excellence in social indicators particularly the ones related to improving children’s life and well-being was one of the major factors towards its fulfilling thresholds for graduating from LDC category. Reducing child mortality, declining malnutrition among children and increasing primary school enrolment is noteworthy. Our strategies towards achieving 100% net enrollment rate in primary and secondary education, child focused expenditure tracking, implementation of the National Action plan to control repression against child and women 2013-2025 and identifying young children, their mothers, boys and girls of primary school age, and adolescents as agents of change are the sources of our success. UNICEF’s study published in February 2018 shows that government’s investments in social safety net programmes, adolescent health, and opportunities for secondary education for girls helped positively in ending child marriage. We UNICEF’s increased support in stop stunting, reduce under 10 mortality by drowning and child mortality due to road accidents while going to schools and other prevalent causes in Bangladesh.
Mr. President,
7. UNICEF is our dependable partner since our inception as an independent country and provided active support in managing many emergencies and sustaining development. UNICEF’s partnership with Bangladesh has been reinforced by its recent role in tackling catastrophic situation created by the sudden influx of Rohingya Refugees of which majority are children from Myanmar to Bangladesh. We gratefully acknowledge the excellent support provided by UNICEF on the ground to join hand with the Government and the people of Bangladesh in reassuring support to the traumatize children and women in the camps for several months. Working with partners, UNICEF has dug hundreds of water-bore wells, installed up toilets, helped immunize nearly a million children and adults against cholera, screened children for malnutrition, and provided learning for children. Even so, waterborne and other diseases like diphtheria which we earlier eradicate are a constant threat in the overcrowded camps, which need to be urgently addressed. More needs to be done to protect the vulnerable children from traffickers and other dangers and to provide psychosocial care to those who are still traumatized by the experiences that drove them from their homes. Despite initial efforts on this area, large number of children are currently deprived of education. While we appreciate what has been done so far, we urge UNICEF for more scaled up support in the camps. We expect that the Executive Director will make time to visit Bangladesh to see for herself the sufferings of the children in the camps.
I thank you Mr. President