A/RES/66/141 Profoundly concerned also that the situation of children in many parts of the world remains critical, in an increasingly globalized environment, as a result of the persistence of poverty, social inequality, inadequate social and economic conditions, pandemics, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, environmental damage, natural disasters, armed conflict, foreign occupation, displacement, violence, terrorism, abuse, trafficking in children and their organs, all forms of exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation of children, child prostitution, child pornography and child sex tourism, neglect, illiteracy, hunger, intolerance, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, gender inequality, disability and inadequate legal protection, and convinced that urgent and effective national and international action is called for, Gravely concerned about the devastating impact of some of the recent natural disasters, including on children, reaffirming the importance of providing speedy, sustainable and adequate humanitarian assistance in support of relief, early recovery, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development efforts of the affected countries, and reaffirming also the importance of ensuring that human rights, including child rights, are mainstreamed into these efforts, Stressing the need for the full and effective implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, 20 and expressing the view that it will, inter alia, contribute to the promotion and protection of the rights of children, enhance cooperation and better coordination of efforts in fighting trafficking in persons and promote increased ratification and full implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 21 and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 22 I Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto 1. Reaffirms paragraphs 1 to 6 of its resolution 65/197, and urges States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,1 its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography 23 and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict 24 as a matter of priority and to implement them fully; 2. Welcomes the efforts of the Secretary-General to promote the universal ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict ahead of the tenth anniversary in 2012 of their entry into force, and calls for the effective implementation of the Convention and the above-mentioned Optional Protocols to ensure that all children may fully enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms; _______________ 20 Resolution 64/293. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2225, No. 39574. 22 Ibid., vol. 2237, No. 39574. 23 Ibid., vol. 2171, No. 27531. 24 Ibid., vol. 2173, No. 27531. 21 3

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