Ms. President,
We appreciate your introductory words.
We also thank Ms. Henrietta H. Fore for her valuable and comprehensive statement as well as for your leadership and commitment on behalf of our children.
Mr. President,
UNICEF's achievements and work over the past year are commendable. The Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and the rest of the Organization's program documents, in conjunction with the actions undertaken by UNICEF to fulfill the mandates of resolution 72/272 on the repositioning of the United Nations Development System, has allowed the entity to coordinate in a better way a global response for the well-being of girls and boys around the world, particularly those who are still living in extreme poverty.
My delegation further appreciates the efforts undertaken by UNICEF to provide a coordinated, comprehensive and large-scale response to support our countries in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I take also this opportunity to recognize the work of UNICEF in Cuba.
Ms. President,
The well-being of our children is an inherent purpose of the Cuban social project. Health care and education system services are universal and free of charge for all our population, including our children.
Cuba is among the 35 countries with the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, by the end of 2019, it was of 5 per 1,000 live births, one of the lowest in our history. The child survival rate, during the first five years of life, has been over 99% for the last 20 years.
Through our National Immunization Program, almost 100% vaccination coverage is guaranteed. The entire child population is vaccinated against 13 diseases, including six that remain eliminated. With regard to nutrition, Cuba does not present serious child malnutrition.
Cuba guarantees the right to education to all children. We have achieved universal pre-school education, with 99.5 per cent of children under 6 years of age integrated into the education system.
We are confident that we will be able to materialize our goals with a strong social commitment and the political will to guarantee the well-being of our girls and boys. This has been one of our priorities for over 50 years.
I conclude by reiterating my delegation's full support for the work carried out by UNICEF, and the call to continue strengthening its presence and support both in Cuba and in the rest of the world, particularly for developing countries.
Thank you very much.