BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and

WHEREAS all children need love and support, including adequate nutrition and a nurturing environment, for sound growth and development;

WHEREAS 80 million children live on the streets of the world's cities and more than 38 thousand children die every day from lack of food, shelter, or basic health care;

WHEREAS in the United States, a child is reported abused or neglected every eleven seconds and one child in four goes to bed hungry;

WHEREAS the shortage of jobs with a living wage makes parents unable to improve the quality of life for their children; and

WHEREAS the worsening conditions for children require immediate intervention;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its affiliates, member societies, and individual Unitarian Universalists to:

1. support children in their rights to adequate food, shelter, health care, day care, public education, and a safe environment;
2. assure children freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and freedom of expression commensurate with their capacity to take responsibility for their actions; and
3. support parents with education about child development and training in parenting skills; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to work with national organizations such as the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the Children's Defense Fund, and community groups to further these goals and to continue to address the fundamental social injustices that undermine the rights of children; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office in calling for the United States to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.