12 February 2002 CRINMAIL 357: Special Edition on the Committee on the Rights of the Child Contents: - Committee on Rights of Child Concludes 29th Session [news] - Committee on Rights of Child Discusses Co-operation with other UN Agencies [news] - DAY OF DISCUSSION: The Private Sector as Service Provider and its Role in Implementing Child Rights [event] Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at info@crin.org. Please note that we are unable to respond to emails addressed to crinmail_english@domeus.co.uk --------------------------------------------------- - Committee on Rights of Child Concludes 29th Session [news] [Geneva, 1 February 2002] -- The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its three-week winter session and issued its final observations and recommendations on reports submitted to it by Lebanon, Greece, Gabon, Mozambique, Chile, Malawi, Bahrain and Andorra. The eight countries, in keeping with their obligations as States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, presented the Committee with written reports on their efforts to promote and protect children's rights, and sent Government delegations to discuss the documents and answer questions from the Committee's 10 independent Experts. LEBANON: In reviewing the report of Lebanon, the Committee noted with satisfaction legislative changes made in light of its previous recommendations. The Committee acknowledged that the difficulties related to the destruction of much of the infrastructure during the conflict in Lebanon from 1975 to 1990, including the substantial reconstruction requirements, were factors impeding the implementation of the provisions of the Convention; it, however, said that it was concerned at allegations that children as young as 15 had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment during incommunicado detention. It strongly recommended that the State party enforce or review existing legislation. GREECE: The Committee welcomed the establishment in Greece of a National Observatory on the Rights of Children for the monitoring and implementation of the Convention. The Committee noted ongoing efforts by Greece to introduce relevant legislation; however, it remained concerned that some aspects of domestic legislation were still not consistent with the principles and provisions of the Convention and that implementation of existing legislation needed to be improved. It recommended that the State party harmonize legislation with the Convention; strengthen implementation of domestic legislation toward improved protection of children's rights; and that it proceed with ratification of the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. GABON: On the report of Gabon, the Committee welcomed the adoption of a number of laws, including the Act enacted in 2001 that established the offence of trafficking of children; the National Plan of Action against Poverty; and the Children's Parliament, among others; it recommended that the State party set the same minimum age for marriage for girls and boys by increasing the minimum age for girls; and it said it was concerned by the persistence of de facto discrimination against girls in Gabon. The Committee was concerned at the still high infant and under-5 mortality rates and the low life expectancy in Gabon; and recommended that the State party reinforce its efforts to allocate appropriate resources and develop and implement comprehensive policies and programmes to improve the health situation of children. MOZAMBIQUE: With regard to the situation in Mozambique, the Committee noted the tremendous progress in repatriating and rehabilitating the hundreds of thousands of persons displaced from their homes during the armed conflict, and in de-mining; and the efforts toward securing respect for the rights of children with disabilities; it said it was concerned that 90 per cent of people run down by cars involved children as indicated in the report; and landmines continued to pose a serious threat to children's survival and development. It recommended that a policy for the prevention of child accidents be developed and implemented; and that efforts to clear landmines be continued. CHILE: Among positive aspects in the report of Chile, the Committee noted with satisfaction the establishment in 1995 of the National Committee against Child Abuse and in 1996 of the National Advisory Committee for the prevention and eradication of child labour; however, it noted with concern that the Juvenile Act of 1967, which was based on the doctrine of "irregular situation" and, thus, did not make a clear distinction between children in need of care and protection and those in conflict with the law, was still in force; it recommended that measures be developed to raise awareness on the harmful effects of corporal punishment and that the Government engage in the promotion of alternative forms of discipline in families. MALAWI: With regard to Malawi, the Committee welcomed the adoption of the National Programme of Action for the Survival and Development of Children, but said it was concerned that the Programme had not been sufficiently implemented and that the impact of HIV/AIDS, mounting economic challenges, and other socio-economic difficulties as well as traditional practices and witchcraft continued to threaten the right to life survival and development with the State. It encouraged the State party to reinforce its efforts to provide greater protection and support to children. It also recommended that the State make primary education compulsory and extend the period for free primary education. BAHRAIN: Concerning Bahrain, the Committee welcomed, among other things, the ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 concerning the worst forms of child labour; the establishment of the National Committee on Children in 1999 to coordinate the implementation of the Convention; and excellent health indicators and the high ranking in UNDP's 2001 Human Development Report. It said it was encouraged by the efforts of the State party towards greater openness and accountability with respect to human rights. The Committee was concerned that there was no defined minimum age for marriage, and that there were inconsistencies in other areas of Bahraini law with respect to minimum ages; it recommended that the State party continue to review and take steps to amend its legislation so that the minimum-age requirements were gender neutral and explicit. ANDORRA: And on the report of Andorra, the Committee noted with satisfaction the efforts made by the State party to modernize its traditional jurisdiction system; however, it noted with concern that the low minimum age for marriage was 16 years of age, 14 years of age with the judge's permission; it recommended that the State party review its legislation with a view to increasing the minimum age for marriage. It also noted with concern that children of seasonal workers residing illegally in Andorra might have difficulties in enjoying health and education services. The Committee expressed concern at the lack of data and information on child abuse and neglect; and recommended that the State party undertake studies on domestic violence, ill-treatment and abuse, including sexual abuse within the family, and bullying in schools in order to assess the extent of those practices. The Committee also adopted a recommendation on its methods of work in which it decided to inform States parties in the related concluding observations adopted by it about the deadline for the submission of their second and following periodic reports. It also adopted guidelines regarding initial reports to be submitted by States parties under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Committee's next session, its thirtieth, will be held from 21 May to 7 June 2002. It will consider reports from Guinea-Bissau, Belgium, Niger, Belarus, Tunisia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Spain and the Netherlands. [ Source: United Nations, 1 February 2002 ] To view full report online, go to: http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/EA5A66FB786AFDB2C1256B5600 47C7CC?opendocument) Concluding observations are located at: - Andorra: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.176.En?OpenDocument - Bahrain: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.175.En?OpenDocument - Chile: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.173.En?OpenDocument - Gabon: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.171.En?OpenDocument - Greece: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.170.En?OpenDocument - Lebanon: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.169.En?OpenDocument - Malawi: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.174.En?OpenDocument - Mozambique: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CRC.C.15.Add.172.En?OpenDocument See: http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/treaties/crc.25/annex-vi-crin.htm --------------------------------------------------- - Committee on Rights of Child Discusses Co-operation with other UN Agencies [news] [Geneva, 30 January 2002] -- The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon exchanged views with other United Nations bodies and the Non-Governmental Organization Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child on how to further the promotion of child rights. The representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Office (ILO), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Non-Governmental Organization Group for the Convention briefed the Experts on how their agencies were cooperating in the implementation of the Committee's concluding observations and recommendations on country reports. [ Source: United Nations, 30 January 2002 ] To view full report online, go to: http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/63D7ECBBC4DAEDF3C1256B5200 2BBE15?opendocument To read all the latest news about child rights on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, go to: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=1819 or www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/FramePage/Subject+childrenrights?OpenDoc ument --------------------------------------------------- - DAY OF DISCUSSION: The Private Sector as Service Provider and its Role in Implementing Child Rights [event] Date: 20 September, 2002 Location: Palais Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland In accordance with rule 75 of its provisional rules of procedures, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has decided to devote periodically one day of general discussion to a specific article of the Convention or to a child rights theme. "The private sector as service provider and its role in implementing Child Rights" is the theme for the next general discussion of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The discussion will take place on 20 September 2002 during the 31st session of the Committee at the United Nations Office at Geneva. The purpose of the general discussions is to foster a deeper understanding of the contents and implications of the Convention as they relate to specific topics. The discussions are public. Government representatives, United Nations human rights mechanisms, as well as United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations and individual experts are invited to take part. For more information, go to: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/6/crcdod4.htm or to http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=2412 Or contact: The Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. Tel: 00 41 22 917 9000; Fax: 00 41 22 917 9016; Email: pdavid.hchr@unog.ch To view a compilation of reports on previous Days of Discussion, go to: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/330895408c 36f9cdc1256acc0039e45e/$FILE/Compilation.pdf or to http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=2413 To view documents submitted for the Day of Discussion on State Violence Against Children (2000) go to: http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/treaties/crc.25/Annex-VII-CRIN.htm. To view documents submitted for the day of Discussion on Violence Against Children in the Family and in Schools (2001) go to http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/treaties/crc.28/Annex-III-CRIN.htm --------------------------------------------------- The CRINMAIL is an electronic mailing list of the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN). CRIN does not accredit, validate or substantiate any information posted by members to the CRINMAIL. The validity and accuracy of any information is the responsibility of the originator.
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