Country: The People's Republic of China (PRC)Committee: United Nations Children’s Found (UNICEF)

Issue#1Prioritizing Children’s rights in National and International Development Agendas

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) declares that it protects a wide range of children’s rights through domestic legislation and by ratifying and joining the relevant international treaties.  The PRC Constitution provides for the state protection of children, and prohibits maltreatment of children. Among many laws and regulations providing children’s rights protection, the primary law in this field is ThePRC Law on the Protection of Minors. This law sets up responsibilities of the families, the schools, and the government with regard to the protection of children’s rights, and judicial protection, as well. Eighteen is the age of majority in China.  Under the Minors Protection Law, “minors” are defined as citizens less than eighteen years old.  The civil law of China provides that people above eighteen years old and those from sixteen to eighteen who make a living on their own have full civil conduct capacity.   People aged from ten to eighteen have limited capacity of civil conduct, and may only engage in civil activities appropriate to the age range and intellect.  People under ten years old have no civil conduct capacity.China, as a rapidly developing country, strongly believes that the development in children rights should be accompanied by diminishing the disparities between the social and economic groups. In particular, ensuring the needs of rural children, children affected by migration, and those living in less economically developed regions that are rapidly expanding around major conurbations. As an emerging international donor to other developing nations, and a major actor in the international economy, China has an unprecedented opportunity to support and promote child rights beyond its borders. Investing in child rights is among the surest ways to ensure that China’s economic and social progress is both consolidated and deepened in years to come.

Issue#2

Children and Armed Conflict: Reintegration and Recovery

In order to protect children in armed conflicts, the various bodies within the United Nations system should work on the basis of their own responsibilities and strengths, fulfill their respective mandates and generate synergy. The Security Council should effectively fulfill its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security and reduce and curb conflicts through good offices, negotiations and mediation so as to create a safe environment for the growth of children. United Nations peacekeeping operations should act in accordance with the Council’s mandate and increase their protection for children. China welcomes the “Children, not soldiers” campaign launched by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflicts and UNICEF.They hope that by 2016 will reach the goal of complete elimination of child soldiers in national armies. The international community should make the protection of children an integral part of its overall effort to address conflicts and give it its full attention in political negotiations and peace agreements. The international community should also do its utmost to put an end to violations against children by armed groups.http://www.china-un.org/eng/chinaandun/securitycouncil/thematicissues/children_ac/