The international community is guilty of a catalogue of failures over promises made to the world's children five years ago, Plan International, the leading children's NGO, said today.

Speaking at the "A World Fit For Children Plus 5" conference at the United Nations, Deepali Khanna, Plan's director for East and Southern Africa, said: "We are guilty of failing to deliver the quality services needed to improve children's lives, failing to deliver on our commitment to end violence and abuse, and failing to provide the same opportunities to marginalised groups. Children's rights continue to be stifled across every continent."

Mrs Khanna, who delivered the closing address to the conference on behalf of the NGO community, added: "The Millennium Development Goals have brought awareness and some welcome improvements for children. However, these improvements are not enough, not consistent, and not coordinated.

"The uncomfortable truth is that 5 years on from the WFFC declaration, the hardest part is yet to come. Our progress to date remains inconsistent and unfocused and as such the most vulnerable children: the poorest, those in rural areas, the ethnic groups, and those in failed states continue to miss out on an improved future."

Plan is calling for a new focus over the next 5 years to put the WFFC back on track. It wants governments to focus on the quality of health and education services, actively promote child rights, and show real commitment to strategic coordination with children, communities, and NGOs.

NGOs are willing to stand up and do their part, but effective action requires true partnership and coordination. Governments and international institutions must do more than pay lip service to engaging with children.

The organisation, which has seventy years experience working with children at grassroots level, warns that the future and rights of children are in danger of being ignored or trampled in a rush towards lofty global targets. Too great a focus on numbers, at the expense of quality, commitment and engagement, will do more harm than good - something children themselves warn is a real danger,

Plan says consistent, sustained, and quality services will be required if the international community is to truly improve the lives of children. Behind the global statistics and lofty goals are young human beings, many enduring intolerable hardships and suffering.

"Choice and opportunity do not come from education for all - they come from quality education for all. That means a safe learning environment, with teachers, parents, governments, and NGOs all committed to providing that environment. Children going to school is not the answer to a better future, finishing school with a quality education is," added Mrs Khanna.

In today's globalised world, no country can afford to waste the talent and resources that their young population possesses. Those who do will be left behind as the rest of the world streaks ahead. A healthy, educated workforce will be vital to future prosperity. A World Fit For Children is in everyone's interests.

A Plan commissioned study of the views of 1,000 children in 30 African countries recently highlighted the gulf between governments' perceptions and the reality on the ground.

In the study, children revealed an increasing divide between urban and rural areas: while urban children on the whole were relatively positive that there had been some improvement, rural children saw things getting worse, not better. They talked of the declining quality health and education services as well as lower incomes. The children also spoke of their parents' apathy and of them "giving up" as a result of the increasing hardship.

Mrs Khanna said: "The verdict from the children is stark and straight to the point: we adults have not kept our promises. In short - we are failing them. Today we stand at a crossroads in our efforts to improve the lives of children across the globe. We must grasp the opportunity to ensure our generation's legacy to the next amounts to more than a string of broken promises."