129. Children are the most important resource for the future. Greater investment in children by parents and societies is essential to the achievement of sustained economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Therefore, the promotion, to the fullest extent, of the health, well-being and potential of all children, adolescents and youth is a crucial objective. The international community expressed its commitment to that objective when it adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child and at the World Summit for Children. We call for full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and encourage States to remove all reservations to that Convention.

130. Measures must be undertaken by States, with the support of the international community, to achieve, by the year 2000, the goals contained in the plan of action adopted at the World Summit for Children and to reach the goals set by subsequent international forums for the year 2000 and beyond. The rights of children must be ensured, with special attention paid to the particular situation of girls. Their rights to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and their rights to education must be ensured, recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children to provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacity of the child, appropriate direction. The efforts of developing countries to achieve those major goals must be supported.

131. Exploitation, maltreatment, child prostitution and child abuse should be combated, and the root causes of these phenomena have to be addressed. Actions are also needed for improving the situation and protecting the rights of children in especially difficult circumstances and ensuring that the vital importance of family reunification is recognized, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and taking into account the relevant provisions of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

132. Another key issue with regard to the rights of the child is child labour, which is pervasive in many parts of the world. Overall socio-economic conditions, income uncertainty, women's health and education, schooling opportunities and the size of households all have an impact on child labour. Abolishing child labour requires setting specific target dates for eliminating all forms of child labour that are contrary to accepted international standards, in particular article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, for ensuring the full enforcement of relevant existing laws, and, where appropriate, for enacting the legislation necessary to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and relevant ILO standards. In this context, priority should be given to the elimination of all extreme forms of child labour such as forced labour, bonded labour and other forms of slavery. National efforts in dealing with the problem of working children can be complemented by international support measures which may include provision of education facilities as well as compensatory support measures for their families.