On the occasion of World Children's Day, celebrated by most countries in the world on the 20th of November, we acknowledge and give precedence to the important steps taken years ago on this day, through the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1959, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1989. It is a day whereby the welfare and happiness of the child is given marked attention, through the promotion of the fundamental rights which are due to every child in the world.

The date marks a significant milestone in the recognition of the rights of the Child, and was given due significance by Malta through the ratification of the UN Convention in 1990, and the introduction of the Commissioner for Children Act in 2003. Malta has thus committed to full observance of the principles laid out in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, in order for the rights of the child to be adequately respected.

The Commissioner for Children Act provides that a primary function of the Commissioner shall be to promote compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as ratified by Malta and with such other international treaties, conventions or agreements relating to children as are or may be ratified or otherwise acceded to by Malta (art 9[l]).

On this occasion, I would like to take the opportunity to urge the full compliance of domestic legislation with the UN Convention, in order for the rights enshrined in this Convention to be fully implemented on all levels - on a Local, National, European, and International level. The protection and respect for all children is by necessity a shared responsibility, one which we must be conscientious and diligent about. In this respect, the Commissioner for Children further encourages the recommendation of the Committee on the CRC in 2000, which called for the State Party to "continue taking effective measures to incorporate all the principles and provisions of the Convention into[..] domestic legislation." [UN Committee on the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Concluding Observations: Malta, June 2000]

Carmen Zammit

Commissioner for Children