Involving children in events such as UN Session for Children enables the adults to listen to their perspectives on various matters.

Thus, addressing the children at the opening of the special session of General Assembly, UN secretary general Kofi Annan had said: "I would like to tell you that, wherever you may live, you have the right to grow up free of poverty and hunger. You have the right to a quality education, whether you are a girl or a boy. You have a right to be protected from infectious diseases, including AIDS. You have a right to grow up on a clean and healthy planet, with access to safe drinking water. You have a right to live safe from the threat of war, abuse and exploitation."

World wide, one out of three children is suffering from malnutrition before they turn five years old. One of four has not been immunised against any diseases. Almost one in five is not attending classes. Four out of five those who do go to school drops out before reaching fifth grade. Far too many children have seen violence and all of them live under the threat of environmental degradation.

In this backdrop, the UN secretary general said the adults had filed in upholding many of commitments made for children in the past years. Reminding the promises made in the millennium declaration, various feats ranging from education to health to be achieved by the year 2015, Annan said, "People may say all this can not be done, but look at our previous achievements. They were achieved because people had the commitment to use their minds and their hearts to work together and reach the goals they set themselves."

"The children in the room are witnesses to our words. They and their peers in every land have a right to expect us to turn our words into action: to build a world fit for children," Annan further said.