The March for Children's Rights on May 8 brought many issues, including child soldiers, to the attention to UN delegates and the media. The march also advocated that the U.S. sign the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a bill of rights for children written 12 years ago. (Photo: Suzanne Freeman)

Thirteen years have passed since the United Nations General Assembly adopted The Convention on the Rights of the Child, a landmark piece of legislation spelling out the basic rights of all children under the age of 18. Since then, 191 nations have ratified it. Until recently, two countries had refused to ratify: the United States and Somalia. Why was the U.S. reluctant to sign the document? That's what kids attending this week's United Nations Special Session on Children wanted to know.

"I sort of think it is embarrassing for America," said Australian youth delegate Emily Simpson about the United States' refusal to ratify the Convention. "They aren't really looking after their future generations of children. It's a bit ridiculous."

But Tommy Thompson, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, dismissed the notion that America doesn't care about its children. He cited a number of global initiatives spearheaded by the United States.

"Some people sign documents," he told reporters from Children's PressLine during a press conference at the special session. "We're actually doing the work. We're leading the fight for the eradication of polio. We're leading the fight for the ionization of food so that worldwide children will not be subject to mental retardation. We're leading the efforts as far as the international fights on global AIDS."

Some U.S. representatives claim that the Convention violates parents' rights and is incompatible with state and local laws.

Although the Clinton administration signed the Convention, the former President never submitted it to the Senate for ratification, or official approval, because of the concerns mentioned above. After several late evenings of negotiations, the Bush administration finally agreed to final wording on the document. It will now go before the Senate for consideration.

Despite kids' protests, Thompson insists that the United States has children's best interests at heart. A major plank in President Bush's campaign for office was to "Leave No Child Behind."

"We believe in children and that is the primary concern of our President and of my administration as part of the Department of Health and Human Services," Thompson said.

Click here for more information on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.