New York, October 10, 2018. The Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo, illustrated Cuba's achievements in the promotion and protection of the rights of children, in her statement at the Third Committee of the UN, on Item 70 by the same name. She indicated that these achievements have been attained by the Cuban people despite the serious consequences of the genocidal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba for more than half a century, which has a particularly harsh impact on their children and adolescents.
Rodríguez Camejo stressed that the island's indicators in terms of attention and development of childhood and adolescence have been recognized internationally, by agencies, funds and programs of the United Nations addressing social issues. She explained that as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Cuba has designed national plans, policies and programs aimed at this group, integrating the postulates of that Convention, with a holistic and intersectoral vision, covering health care, education, attention for disabled persons, sports, culture, social prevention, promotion and protection of rights, among others.
Some specific results of the island in terms of protecting children and adolescents are: the infant mortality rate of 4.0 per thousand live births at the end of 2017 and 3.9 per thousand live births during the first half of the year 2018; all Cuban children are immunized at birth against 13 communicable diseases and priority is given to the early detection of congenital diseases.
Rodriguez Camejo said that at a global level, the international community has made important progress with respect to the protection of children against discrimination, exclusion and inequality. However, she added, if the prevailing international economic order is maintained, by the year 2030, 167 million children will live in extreme poverty; 69 million children under five years old will have died due to curable diseases; 60 million of school-age children will continue to receive no education; 3.6 million children under age five will die in that year alone, and a total of 69 million, between 2016 and 2030. In her opinion, this means that the General Assembly must continue to play the central role in the United Nations to promote these rights, and bring the international community together to save children and guarantee a better future.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations