STATEMENT BY MR LEE WEE TIONG, DELEGATE TO THE 73RD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 70, ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, THIRD COMMITTEE, 11 OCTOBER 2018

Mr Chair,

1.                Thank you for giving me the floor.  Singapore aligns itself with the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

2.                Children are our future.  It is incumbent on all of us to nurture our younger generation and enable them to reach their full potential.  The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises this.  A number of targets, especially under Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4 on health and education respectively, are focused specifically on children.  The SDGs call for all girls and boys to have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

3.                As a small city state with no natural resources except for our people, Singapore has always prioritised educating and nurturing our children.  UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children 2017” report ranks Singapore as having one of the lowest child mortality rates in the world.  According to the latest End of Childhood Report published by Save the Children 4 months ago, Singapore tied as the best country in the world for children to grow up in.  The authors acknowleged the access that our children have to high quality education, medical care, and a safe environment in which to grow up.

4.                Despite the good progress achieved however, we recognise that we can and must do more, and have continually worked on improving our policies to better serve our children.  In recent years, we amended the Children and Young Persons Act to enhance the welfare and care of children, the Women's Charter and the Administration of Muslim Law Act to better support children from divorced families.  Most recently, efforts to uplift the early childhood sector further demonstrate Singapore’s commitment to give every child a good start in life.

5.                The Report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (A/73/41) notes that there has been greater focus on early education and care by States parties.  The Report of the Secretary-General on the Status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (A/73/272) also notes that Member States are increasingly recognising the importance of early childhood development.  As one of these countries, Singapore has established the Early Childhood Development Agency to oversee key aspects of development in children below the age of 7.  We have put in place measures to ensure that childcare and pre-school services remain affordable and accessible for all, including vulnerable children.

6.                Earlier this year, Singapore launched the Early Childhood Industry Transformation Map.  This Map aims to: first, study and introduce innovative services to better meet the needs of parents and children; second, streamline processes to help preschool operators manage costs and allow educators to devote more time to teach and care for our children; and third, expand opportunities for passionate individuals with the right aptitude to join the growing early childhood profession.  These efforts have borne fruit.  A record number of children are attending pre-school in Singapore and more are enrolled at a younger age.  According to the latest figures published in August this year, 90,000 children between the ages of 2 and 4 are enrolled in pre-schools, up from 66,000 in 2012.

Mr Chair,

7.                It has been more than 20 years since Singapore acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Singapore remains committed to caring for and providing the best opportunities to our children to enable them to realise their full potential, and to ensure that no child is left behind.  Our future lies in the hands of our children, and we must not let them down. 

8.                I thank you.

.    .    .    .    .