The real solution is to improve the incomes of the poor and provide their children with decent education.

I came into a strong organization, and I hope I strengthened it more and expanded its capacity to deal with some of the challenges that might not have seemed as great 10 years ago, such as H.I.V., AIDS and children affected by war.

What is needed now are increased efforts to promote youth participation and commitment; more services aimed at youth; more parental involvement; more education and information, using schools and other sites; more protection for girls, orphaned children and young women;and more partnerships with people with HIV and AIDS.

Girls' education is the single best investment that any society can make.

And each of us can practice rights ourselves, treating each other without discrimination, respecting each other's dignity and rights.

While the technology revolution has yet to reach far into the households of those in developing countries, this is certainly another area where more developed countries can assist those in the less developed world.

By ratifying the Convention, governments become legally bound to implement the rights therein.