[child-rights] States parties to Children's Rights Convention elect 13 experts to monitoring committee

UNITED NATIONS
PRESS RELEASE

Meeting of States Parties
Convention on Rights of Child
10 February 2003
15th & 16th Meetings (AM & PM)

In two meetings today, States parties to the Convention on the Rights of 
the Child expanded the membership of the Committee that monitors compliance 
with the Convention with the election of 13 experts -- five to replace 
current members whose terms will expire and eight new ones -- bringing to 
18 the total number of members.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child was formed in 1991 to monitor 
implementation of the Convention, which is the principal children's treaty 
encompassing a full range of civil, political, economic, social and 
cultural rights. The Convention seeks to protect children from 
discrimination, neglect and abuse.

Elected in the first of two ballots from a list of 29 candidates were: 
Joyce Aluoch (Kenya, two years); Jakob Doek (Netherlands, four years); 
Kamel Filali (Algeria, four years); Moushira Khattab (Egypt, four years); 
Hatem Kotrane (Tunisia, four years); Lothar Krappman (Germany, four years); 
Yanghee Lee (Republic of Korea, two years); Lucy Smith (Norway, two years); 
Majorie Taylor (Jamaica, four years); and Nevana Vuckovic-Sahovic (Serbia 
and Montenegro, two years). Elected in the second ballot were Noberto 
Liwski (Argentina, four years), Awa N'Deye Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso, four 
years), and Rosa Ortiz (Paraguay, four years).

Amended article 43 of the Convention, by which the Committee's membership 
was enlarged from 10 to 18 independent experts, was approved by the General 
Assembly on 21 December 1995 under resolution 50/155. It entered into force 
on 18 November 2002. The expanded membership would enable the Committee to 
address several significant challenges, including the backlog of reports 
awaiting review.

Prior to beginning the elections process, the Committee adopted a draft 
decision, submitted by Costa Rica, to hold a single election to fill the 13 
vacancies on the Committee, including the five current members whose terms 
expire on 28 February. The experts are elected to serve for four years.

The five experts currently serving terms until 2005, include: Ibrahim Abdul 
Aziz Al-Sheddi (Saudi Arabia); Ghalia Mohd Bin Hmad Al-Thani (Qatar); 
Saisuree Chutikul (Thailand); Luigi Citarella (Italy); Amina Hamza El 
Guindi (Egypt); and Marilia Sardenberg (Brazil).

Also elected today was the Chairperson for the ninth meeting of States 
parties, Christian Wenaweser (Liechtenstein), as well as three 
vice-chairpersons: Alexandru Cujba (Republic of Moldova); Bruno Stagno 
(Costa Rica); and Georges Omokhagbor Oludare Alabi (Nigeria).

The list of candidates nominated by the States parties, including 
biographical data, was contained in document CRC/SP/33 and addendums 1, 2, 
3 and 4. Jean Zermatten (Switzerland), Attiat Mustafa Abdul Halim (Sudan), 
Guari Pradhan (Nepal), and Rozalyn Hazelle (Saint Kitts and Nevis) were 
withdrawn before the first ballot.

Before the parties was a statement of programme budget implications of the 
enlargement of the Committee's membership (document CRC/SP/2003/L.2). The 
entry into force of the amendment entails additional resource requirements 
of $214,100 for the biennium 2002-2003. Those requirements would be sought 
in accordance with established budgetary procedures. For 10 members, an 
appropriation of $786,900 had been provided for the biennium 2002-2003 for 
travel, subsistence allowances and honorariums.

In opening remarks, temporary Chairperson Bacre Ndiaye, Director, Office of 
the High Commissioner for Human Rights, informed States parties that two 
Optional Protocols had entered into force early in 2002. There were now 46 
parties to the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed 
conflict, and 45 parties to the Optional Protocol on the sale of children 
for prostitution and child pornography. Those Protocols would increase 
protection available to children worldwide. But, monitoring their 
implementation would add to the Committee's already heavy workload, he said.

With 191 States parties, the Convention remained the most widely accepted 
human rights instruments, he said. The increased membership would enable it 
to address several significant challenges, including the backlog of reports 
awaiting review. Each year, the Committee considered the report of 27 
States parties. Like other treaty bodies, it now adopted general comments, 
which sought to provide guidance to States parties on various aspects of 
the Convention. Three such comments had concerned the aim of education, the 
role of national human rights institutions in promoting and protecting 
children's rights, and on HIV/AIDS and the rights of the child.

Recalling that the Committee also convened days of general discussions, he 
noted that the next such day would take place in September and be devoted 
to the rights of indigenous children. The Committee would also work to 
support the independent experts in overseeing the preparation of the 
Secretary-General's study on violence against children. The Committee was 
committed to discharging fully its responsibilities under the Convention, 
in order to ensure the promotion and protection of children's rights, and 
it continued to strive for innovation. It was grateful to the support of 
States parties, in particular, their support for expanding its membership.

The next meeting of States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the 
Child will convene at a date and time to be announced in the Journal.

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