L’Europe de l’Enfance

The Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) is involved in an informal EU group called Europe de l'Enfance. This is an information-sharing and networking group, and all Member States are invited to participate. The usual format is to have one meeting of officials during each Presidency and one meeting of Ministers responsible for children in Europe once a year during one of the two Presidencies.

World Fit for Children

• The UN General Assembly Special Session on Children, originally planned for 19-21 September 2001, took place on 8-10 May 2002 in New York. The purpose of the Special Session was to agree a plan of action for the next 10 years to build on progress achieved since the last World Summit on Children in 1990.
• The National Children’s Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs represented Ireland at the Special Session. The Irish delegation was led by Ambassador Richard Ryan, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations.
• The Outcome Document to the Special Session, entitled A World Fit for Children, was agreed and adopted at the Special Session. It consists of three distinct parts: a Declaration; a Review of Progress and lessons learned since the World Summit on Children in 1990; and a Plan of Action. The Plan of Action sets out 21 goals for children spread among four priority areas of action.
• It was decided at the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly that the Secretary General should prepare a report devoted to ‘the follow-up to the outcome and the progress made in implementing the Declaration and Plan of Action and that this report should form the basis of a commemorative plenary meeting in 2007'.
• UNICEF has been tasked with assisting the Secretary General in preparing a global report on the implementation of the Declaration and Plan of Action, and is requesting input from the Irish Government. The Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) is taking the lead role in this regard.