People around the world - and for the first time ever young people themselves - are helping world governments make their policies. As the United Nations Special Session on Children is an event for young people, young journalists from all over the world have been granted unprecedented access to the UN to cover the event.
Among them are Michael Leathem, Jasmine Stewart and Amy Magowan-Greene, who report for the Childrens Express news service.
What is the Special Session on Children trying to achieve?
Michael: The Special Session is an extraordinary event for world leaders. They've come together to decide what children want and need. Actually the main thing is that young people for the first time are presenting to the UN what they want and need. There's been a three day Children's Forum where they've decided on many different issues. It was fed into the UN General Assembly today.
Jasmine: Two young people selected from more than 182 countries' delegates presented their report on making a world fit for children this morning. It's amazing because it's the first time ever that young people have actually got up and spoken to the United Nations about what they want to help improve their countries.
What are the young delegates actually doing in New York?
Michael: A lot of what the young people are doing is representing children from all over the world. It's a great experience to actually see what they're doing. They've put in maybe two years of work before coming here. At the opening and closing ceremony there were people like Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan and the Executive Director of Unicef Carol Bellamy. There's a big push on at the moment to get young people's voices heard, and their needs and wants met.
But do the young delegates feel that their voices will be heard and that they're helping to formulate policy? Will governments actually listen to what they have to say?
Amy: Well there are mixed opinions on that: some people say that they will definitely and some people say that they won't. Sometimes it's a bit frustrating to them because there are a lot of people there and a lot of translation has to be done because you have to remember that there are so many countries involved in this. I think that they are positive about this, I think that they will listen because it's the first time that this has ever been done and that's the most positive thing about it all.
Jasmine: I think it's working because it's actually giving young people a chance to express their views and decide on what they want - it's a serious event.
What are the main issues that these young people are trying to get these governments to tackle?
Michael: They're discussing things like children being the victims of exploitation and abuse, how children have to live with war, and people in countries who can't get a good education or good healthcare, so that's just a few of the issues that are coming up.
Jasmine: They also want to get education systems that include HIV and prevention programmes, free testing, free medication for HIV and so on.
One of the big arguments seems to be how to agree on a worldwide policy on sex education. Obviously young people feel that that is very important and is not being addressed adequately at the moment?
Amy: Yes, it's part of the outcome document, "A World Fit For Children", which the governments have to agree. Young people have discussed this and say there should be information on HIV/AIDS made widely available to the public/ That's something that the US has disagreed with and Bush himself said that they should teach that the best way to not get HIV or AIDS is to have no sex at all. But an American delegate I was talking to called Monica Rusk said that young people aren't trying to promote sex, they're just promoting knowledge.
How have you found joining in with the New York press pack?
Jasmine: When I first got here it was like a movie, because you've got all the tall buildings and the taxis. But when I arrived and had my first press conference it was really stressful because there's loads of journalists and they all want to get a piece of the same person you want to get. So it's really stressful and you're saying 'excuse me, I'm only young and I just want to do an interview.' It's really hard.
Can an event like this really make a difference? Are things really going to change?
Michael: It has to change - in countries young people aren't being listened to - they're told when they can have children, when they can get married and when they have to get married. Things have to change for the better. It's going down the right direction with the governments here, and even with just the children being here it's a success already, but what has to happen is that the governments have to agree and consult constantly with young people and children about what they need and want.
Jasmine: A lot of the young people we've interviewed are very persistent and if they don't get what they say throught to the UN they'll continue, They'll do petitions they'll write letters, they'll all exchange e-mail addresses so they'll abe able to contact each other To take the next step on how to get what they want.
About the team
This article was adapted from radio broadcasts by Children's Express for BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Sheffield. It featured Michael Leathem and Jasmine Stewart, 15, and Amy Magowan-Greene, 13.
