[child-rights] CRC 32nd Session: HIV/AIDS, adolescent health high on agenda

HIV/AIDS, ADOLESCENT HEALTH HIGH ON AGENDA OF KEY UN CHILD RIGHTS COMMITTEE
New York, Jan 13 2003  4:00PM

As a United Nations expert panel monitoring implementation of a key global 
treaty on children's rights began its 2003 session today, a senior UN 
official stressed the importance tackling thematic issues such as HIV/AIDS, 
adolescent health and the minimum age for criminal responsibility.

The Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, said 
that by taking up such work, the Committee on the Rights of the Child will 
provide guidance to States parties and others on compliance with the 
Convention on the Rights of the Child and would enable its own 
jurisprudence to be reinforced.

Turning to other matters, Mr. Ramcharan announced that Sergio Paulo 
Pinheiro of Brazil had recently been informed that he would be nominated by 
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to serve as an independent expert for a UN 
study on violence against children.

The Committee's winter session is set to run through 31 January. The 10 
independent experts are scheduled to examine the promotion and protection 
of children's rights in Estonia, Republic of Korea, Italy, Romania, Solomon 
Islands, Viet Nam, Czech Republic and Haiti.