A/HRC/23/59 C. Plenary discussion 38. During the interactive dialogue, delegations from the African Union, Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, the Holy See, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Peru, Romania, the Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Spain took the floor. The International Labour Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the United Nations Children’s Fund, also took the floor. Interventions were also made by the South African Human Rights Commission, the Al Zubair Charity Foundation, the Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development, Human Rights Advocates and the Consortium for Street Children. 39. During the discussion, States noted that the universal right of the child to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health was an urgent global priority, and stressed the importance that child health be part of the post-2015 development agenda. Participants raised the situation of children affected by HIV/TB co-infection, stressing that paediatric drug formulations were not available and calling for further investment and collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and research institutes in order to preserve the life and dignity of children living with HIV or HIV/TB co-infection. Some referred to the progress made over recent decades on children’s health. Examples of strategies to develop primary health-care systems capable of bringing medical advances to the population at large, together with improved access to clean water, improved sanitation, better child nutrition and comprehensive child immunization programmes were also mentioned. 40. Concern was reiterated during the dialogue about the 6.9 million children who die every year from preventable causes, and reference was made to the importance of adopting a human rights-based approach to access to health services for children. Some speakers pointed out the social stigma of adolescent pregnancies and indicated that educational programmes and media campaigns should play a greater role in raising awareness. The importance of health education, campaigns and promotional materials in order to prevent and tackle problems relating to obesity and substance use was also raised, as was the importance of international cooperation in supporting health systems and national health plans. Reference was also made to the 150 million children involved in hazardous work and worst forms of child labour, and the challenges that they faced in realizing their right to health. 41. Some speakers referred to the OHCHR report on the right of the child to the highest attainable standard of health (A/HRC/22/31), and emphasized that cultural and historical backgrounds should have been further considered. In particular, Egypt expressed its deepest disappointment at the report and indicated that, instead of providing a contribution to global and national efforts, the report presented a high-risk and culturally insensitive approach that disregarded the priorities of developing countries. Egypt stated that the occurrence of risk behaviours among children, such as sexual activity among minors and drug use, should not be a justification to accept these practices, and that such practices should be eradicated through means of parental guidance, awareness and the promotion of abstinence. They requested that their position and its definitive rejection to the approach and content of the report be clearly registered in the summary report. 42. Reference was made to the lack of accountability as the biggest obstacle in the implementation of the right of the child to health. The important role played by national human rights institutions, the judiciary and the media as part of the accountability framework was also raised. 43. Non-governmental organizations referred to the situation of children in refugee camps, who were potentially at risk of being recruited as child soldiers, and to the importance of prevention and health education and awareness-raising campaigns. Attention 12

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