STATEMENT BY MS PAO JIA YU, DELEGATE TO THE 69th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 64, ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, THIRD COMMITTEE, 16 OCTOBER 2014

Mdm Chairperson

1.                      Thank you for giving me the floor. 

2.                      As a small country, Singapore has always recognised people as our greatest asset and only resource.  Investing in and nurturing our children to their fullest potential, so that they may thrive and achieve success in life is thus not only an issue of child rights.  It is also imperative for the continued survival of our country.  We take our obligations to promote and protect the rights of children seriously.  And as we mark the 25^th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), I would like to take this opportunity to share some aspects of Singapore’s implementation of the CRC, including our response to contemporary challenges we have identified in this regard.

Legislation and Supporting Services

3.                      Singapore’s efforts at safeguarding the welfare of our children are undergirded by extensive legislation, such as the Children and Young Persons Act.  This Act protects children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and rehabilitates children and young persons who have run afoul of the law.  We also have broader supporting services, such as the Child Protection Service as well as Family Service Centres, which work with various community stakeholders and partners, such as schools and social service agencies, to provide holistic support to children in distress or from disadvantaged families.   

4.                      Unfortunately, bullying among our children is a serious issue.  A recent study by Microsoft found that 83 percent of children in Singapore aged 8 to 17 have been bullied, either online, offline or both.  At 58 percent, we were also found to have the second highest rate of online bullying of youths in the world.  Our children are vulnerable to cyber risks given that more than 8 out of 10 households are connected to the internet.  To address these issues, Singapore passed a Protection from Harassment Act earlier this year, which strengthens the law on existing offences of harassment acts, threats or provocations of violence.  This law applies to harassment both online and offline, including, for example, cyber-stalking and sexual grooming.  The Ministry of Education also revised its cyber wellness curriculum for primary and secondary schools to raise awareness on responsible Web usage and to discuss topics such as cyber relationships and online identity

Healthcare

5.                       Quality and affordable healthcare for our children is also vital.    Besides having amongst the lowest infant and under-five mortality rates in the world at two and three per 1,000 live births respectively, maternal mortality is also very low at three per 100,000 births.  Singapore is also free from most vaccine-preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and tetanus, due to our national immunisation programme.  There are comprehensive health and dental services available in schools, encompassing a holistic programme including regular health screenings, nutrition counselling, and health education and promotion.

6.                      The Singapore government also takes the mental health of our children seriously.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 10 to 20 percent of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental disorders.  Further, half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14 and go on to seriously affect these children’s development and potential to lead meaningful and productive lives.  Singapore has seen an increase in the number of counselling cases being referred as our healthcare infrastructure improves and the stigma of mental illnesses decreases.  To address this, mental health services are accessible to all children through dedicated school counsellors.  Children who need assistance are provided early school-based interventions, and if necessary, guidance specialists and educational psychologists will also render additional support.

Madam Chairperson,

Education

7.                       Singapore strives to provide a platform for our children to develop and flourish, through an accessible, affordable and quality education system.  In this regard, the Singapore education system has performed relatively well.  In the OECD’s latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), in which 65 education systems participated, Singapore students ranked amongst the top three in reading, science and math literacy skills.  In the inaugural PISA on creative problem solving, in which 44 education systems participated, Singapore was joint-first.  Beyond universal primary education, participation in secondary education is also close to universal, with more than 95 per cent of each cohort now progressing on to post-secondary education, where there are multiple pathways, ranging from the vocational and academic to sports and the arts, to better cater to the diverse strengths and needs of our children. 

8.                      To ensure these pathways remain accessible and affordable to all, the government and schools provide assistance to children from lower income families.  Such assistance range from waivers of school fees and the provision of free textbooks and uniforms to supervision while parents are at work and free breakfasts for primary school students.  On top of that, schools have been given Opportunity Fund grants to help needy students participate in enrichment programmes and buy personal computers. 

9.                      Support is also given to children with special needs and disabilities.  Children with mild disabilities are supported within mainstream schools while additional resources are provided by the Government for special education schools.  This year’s Budget also expanded government support through higher subsidies for early intervention programmes for children with special needs. 

10.                  To give every child a good start, the Government has also taken significant steps to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early childhood services in Singapore.  Since its establishment last year, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), which oversees all aspects of children’s development below the age of seven, has made much progress.  14,000 more places in 100 new childcare centres have been added since 2013 and ECDA is on track to meet its target of providing child care places for 1 in 2 children by 2017.  There has also been a five-fold increase in those enjoying means-tested child care subsidies, and more are expected to benefit as fee assistance for kindergarten education is enhanced from January 2015.  Lower-income families also receive a higher quantum of support, with families potentially paying less than USD3 per month for child care and less than USD1 per month for kindergarten. 

Conclusion

11.                  Mdm Chairperson, children are the foundation of all our futures.  Even before our ratification of the CRC in 1995, Singapore has sought to improve the life of and nurture every child to his or her fullest potential.  As Nelson Mandela once said, “History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children”.  Singapore will continue to strive to make the lives of our children better everyday.  Thank you.

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