Remarks by H.E. Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, at the UNICEF Executive Board 2019 First Regular session

05 փետրվարի, 2019

Mr. President,

I thank you for your comprehensive opening statement I also thank the Executive Director of UNICEF Ms. Henrietta Fore for her valuable contribution to today’s deliberations. Particularly I welcome your emphasis Madame Executive Director on a need of better aligning the work of UN country teams with the specific needs of governments in implementing the SDGs.

The Government of Armenia highly appreciates the close cooperation established with the United Nations Children’ Fund. The UNICEF presence in Armenia has significantly contributed to finding appropriate solutions to many issues related to the protection of children’s rights. We recognize the significant operational role of the Yerevan Office in the successful implementation of the strategies aimed at further improvement of the situation of children in the country.

The Armenia-UNICEF Program of Cooperation for 2016-2020 and the 2018 Annual Work Plan serve as an important basis for joint action which reflects on the lessons learned in the previous cycle and analysis carried out with the Armenian.

Armenia takes consistent efforts in protecting the rights of the child, improving the legislation in this sphere, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable groups.

Provisions related to the protection of the rights of the child are enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia as well as incorporated in the National Strategy and Plan of Action on Human Rights. The Constitution provides that “in matters concerning the child, primary attention must be given to the interests of the child”.

One of the important developments in the sphere of protection of the rights of the child has been the establishment of a separate division within the structure of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, which enables the examination of the complaints on the violations of the rights as well as to identify legislative issues and gaps in domestic legal acts.

Mr. President,

This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, one of the most widely endorsed and fundamental treaties for protection and promotion of universal human rights. Armenia, as a country that has ratified the Convention and its optional protocols, will be submitting its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child this year. In close collaboration with UNICEF, Armenia’s Ombudsman’s office published an “Ad hoc public report on commitments under the convention of the rights of the child and its protocols”.

We are of the view that a multi-stakeholder approach for achieving the SDGs with the strong involvement of civil society as well as accelerated public-private partnerships are important pre-requisites for sustainable results. The younger generation in Armenia has been enhancing its partnership with various stakeholders, capitalizing on a number of education and innovation oriented projects, creating novel solutions. We put advancement and empowerment of youth at the core of development initiatives and we look forward to our continued partnership with UNICEF in taking these policies forward.

I would like to reaffirm the value Armenia attaches to its partnership with UNICEF and I would like to express our profound appreciation for your commitment, Madam Executive Director, to promoting inclusive and sustainable development agenda and delivering the most benefits and results to children in all parts of the world.

Thank you.

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