Child rights convention marks 20 years

The United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF, has commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. It marked the occasion on Thursday by releasing a new status report and holding a news conference in New York.

The State of the World's Children is a special edition of UNICEF's flagship report showcasing progress made since the Convention entered into force in September 1990.

The report noted that one of the Convention's outstanding achievements has been the improvement in child survival rates. The number of children who die before they reach the age of five has declined 28 percent between 1990 and 2008.

Nevertheless, UNICEF said that the rights of children are far from assured. An estimated one billion children lack access to proper health care, adequate nutrition, education, clean water, sanitation facilities or adequate shelter.

Ann Veneman, UNICEF Excutive Director, said, "The convention stands at a pivotal moment. Its relevance remains timeless. The challenge for the next 20 years is to build on the progress achieved, working together to reach those children who are still being denied their rights to survival, development, protection and participation."