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COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 15 MAY TO 2 JUNE
11 May 2006
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11 May 2006
Situation of Child Rights in El Salvador, Belgium, Latvia, Italy, Canada, Turkey, Czech Republic, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Iceland, and Colombia to be Reviewed
The Committee on the Rights of the Child will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 15 May to 2 June 2006 to review the promotion and protection of children's rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Latvia, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, and Colombia.
The promotion and protection of children's rights under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in Italy, Turkey, Qatar, and Iceland will be reviewed. The promotion and protection of children's rights under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict in Italy and Iceland will also be reviewed.
Belgium, Canada, and the Czech Republic will be reviewed in closed meetings, during which technical reviews of their reports on the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict will take place.
The Committee was formed in 1991 to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which gives a comprehensive collection of children's rights the force of international law. The countries scheduled to come before the Committee at this session are among the 192 to have ratified or acceded to the Convention. The treaty is the most widely accepted international human rights instrument. Only Somalia and the United States have not ratified it. States parties to the Convention are expected to send representatives to the Committee to present periodic reports on national efforts to give effect to children's rights.
The Committee's 18 Experts will start the session by approving their agenda and programme of work. The Committee will be meeting in two concurrent chambers to help overcome the backlog in consideration of reports.
Turkmenistan is presenting its initial report; Latvia, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, and the Marshall Islands are presenting second periodic reports; Colombia, Mexico and Lebanon are presenting their third periodic report. El Salvador is presenting its initial report under the Convention's Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict. Turkey, and Qatar are presenting their initial reports under the Convention's Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Iceland and Italy are presenting their initial reports to both Optional Protocols.
During the session, the Committee will pursue its discussion of ways and areas in which existing cooperation with various relevant bodies could be further strengthened to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of the child. The Committee will also pursue its discussion concerning the organization of its future work, as well as the procedure to be followed in the consideration of reports by States parties and their follow-up, including where necessary areas identified for technical assistance. The Committee will also pursue the elaboration of general comments based on the various principles and provisions of the Convention. Other matters related to the work of the Committee will be discussed as necessary.
The initial report of Latvia was taken up on 25 November 1998, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.142; the initial report of Uzbekistan was taken up on 9 October 2001, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.168; the initial report of Tanzania was taken up on 1 June 2001, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.156; the initial report of the Marshall Islands was taken up on 18 November 1998, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.139. The second report of Colombia was taken up on 27 September 2000, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.137; the second report of Mexico was taken up on 27 September 1999, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.112; and the second report of Lebanon was taken up on 15 January 2002, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.169.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The General Assembly adopted the Convention unanimously on 20 November 1989, 30 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child. The Convention makes States, which accept it, legally accountable for their actions towards children. Work on drafting the Convention began in 1979 -- the International Year of the Child -- at the Commission on Human Rights.
The Convention was opened for signature on 26 January 1990. That day, 61 countries signed it, a record first-day response. It entered into force just seven months later, on 2 September 1990.
Ratifying the Convention entails reviewing national legislation to make sure it is in line with the provisions of the treaty. The Convention stipulates, among other things, that every child has the right to life, and that States shall ensure the maximum child survival and development; that every child has the right to a name and nationality from birth; and that when courts, welfare institutions or administrative authorities deal with children, the child's best interests shall be a primary consideration. The Convention recognizes the right of children to be heard.
Furthermore, States shall ensure that each child enjoys full rights without discrimination or distinction of any kind, and shall ensure that children should not be separated from their parents, unless by competent authorities for their well-being. In addition, States shall facilitate reunification of families by permitting travel into, or out of, their territories; and States shall protect children from physical or mental harm and neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation.
Also according to the Convention, disabled children shall have the right to special treatment, education and care; primary education shall be free and compulsory and discipline in school should respect the child's dignity; capital punishment or life imprisonment shall not be imposed for crimes committed before the age of 18; no child under 15 should take any part in hostilities and children exposed to armed conflict shall receive special protection; and children of minority and indigenous populations shall freely enjoy their own cultures, religions and languages.
In May 2000, the General Assembly adopted the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Optional Protocols entered into force in 2002. Currently, 106 countries have ratified the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict; 107 have ratified the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
At its fifty-ninth session (2004), the UN General Assembly agreed to the request of the Committee to work simultaneously in two chambers during 2006 (starting with the pre-sessional working group meeting of October 2005) in order to increase the working capacity of the Committee and decrease the existing backlog of reports (see A/59/499).
Committee Membership
The Convention requires that the members of the Committee have a high moral standing and recognized competence in the field of children's rights. The following Experts, nominated by the States parties to serve in their personal capacity, have been elected to the Committee: Ghalia Mohd Bin Hamad Al-Thani (Qatar), Joyce Aluoch (Kenya), Mary Alison Anderson (Jamaica); Jacob Egbert Doek (the Netherlands), Kamel Filali (Algeria), Moushira Khattab (Egypt), Hatem Kotrane (Tunisia), Lothar Friedrich Krappmann (Germany), Yanghee Lee (Republic of Korea), Norberto Liwski (Argentina), Rosa Maria Ortiz (Paraguay), Awa N'Deye Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), David Brent Parfitt (Canada), Awich Pollar (Uganda), Kamal Siddiqui (Bangladesh), Lucy Smith (Norway), Nevena Vuckovic-Sahovic (Serbia and Montenegro) and Jean Zermatten (Switzerland).
Mr. Doek is the Chairperson. While the Committee is meeting in two chambers, Mr. Doek is also Chairperson for Chamber A. Ms. Khattab is the Chairperson for Chamber B. Ms. Aluoch, Ms. Khattab, Ms. Lee, and Mr. Liwski are Vice Chairpersons, and Ms. Vuckovic-Sahovic is the Rapporteur.
Tentative Timetable for Consideration of Reports
Following is a tentative timetable for the consideration of reports from States parties to the Convention during this session:
Monday, 15 May Chamber A Chamber B
3 p.m. El Salvador OPAC Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict Belgium OPAC
(closed meeting- technical review)
Tuesday 16 May
10 a.m Latvia Italy OPSC‡‡ Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and OPAC
3 p.m. Latvia Italy OPSC and OPAC
Wednesday 17 May
10 a.m. Canada OPAC Turkey OPSC
(closed meeting-
technical review)
3 p.m. Czech Republic OPAC Qatar OPSC
(closed meeting-
technical review)
Friday 19 May
10 a.m. Uzbekistan Tanzania
3 p.m. Uzbekistan Tanzania
Tuesday 23 May
10 a.m. Marshall Islands Mexico
3 p.m. Marshall Islands Mexico
Wednesday 24 May
10 a.m. Lebanon Turkmenistan
3 p.m. Lebanon Turkmenistan
Friday 26 May
10 a.m. Iceland OPSC and OPAC Colombia
3 p.m. Iceland OPSC and OPAC Colombia
Friday 2 June
11.45 a.m. Closing of the session
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record
Situation of Child Rights in El Salvador, Belgium, Latvia, Italy, Canada, Turkey, Czech Republic, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Iceland, and Colombia to be Reviewed
The Committee on the Rights of the Child will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 15 May to 2 June 2006 to review the promotion and protection of children's rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Latvia, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, and Colombia.
The promotion and protection of children's rights under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in Italy, Turkey, Qatar, and Iceland will be reviewed. The promotion and protection of children's rights under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict in Italy and Iceland will also be reviewed.
Belgium, Canada, and the Czech Republic will be reviewed in closed meetings, during which technical reviews of their reports on the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict will take place.
The Committee was formed in 1991 to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which gives a comprehensive collection of children's rights the force of international law. The countries scheduled to come before the Committee at this session are among the 192 to have ratified or acceded to the Convention. The treaty is the most widely accepted international human rights instrument. Only Somalia and the United States have not ratified it. States parties to the Convention are expected to send representatives to the Committee to present periodic reports on national efforts to give effect to children's rights.
The Committee's 18 Experts will start the session by approving their agenda and programme of work. The Committee will be meeting in two concurrent chambers to help overcome the backlog in consideration of reports.
Turkmenistan is presenting its initial report; Latvia, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, and the Marshall Islands are presenting second periodic reports; Colombia, Mexico and Lebanon are presenting their third periodic report. El Salvador is presenting its initial report under the Convention's Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict. Turkey, and Qatar are presenting their initial reports under the Convention's Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Iceland and Italy are presenting their initial reports to both Optional Protocols.
During the session, the Committee will pursue its discussion of ways and areas in which existing cooperation with various relevant bodies could be further strengthened to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of the child. The Committee will also pursue its discussion concerning the organization of its future work, as well as the procedure to be followed in the consideration of reports by States parties and their follow-up, including where necessary areas identified for technical assistance. The Committee will also pursue the elaboration of general comments based on the various principles and provisions of the Convention. Other matters related to the work of the Committee will be discussed as necessary.
The initial report of Latvia was taken up on 25 November 1998, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.142; the initial report of Uzbekistan was taken up on 9 October 2001, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.168; the initial report of Tanzania was taken up on 1 June 2001, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.156; the initial report of the Marshall Islands was taken up on 18 November 1998, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.139. The second report of Colombia was taken up on 27 September 2000, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.137; the second report of Mexico was taken up on 27 September 1999, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.112; and the second report of Lebanon was taken up on 15 January 2002, and the Committee's final conclusions on it can be found in document CRC/C/15/Add.169.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The General Assembly adopted the Convention unanimously on 20 November 1989, 30 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child. The Convention makes States, which accept it, legally accountable for their actions towards children. Work on drafting the Convention began in 1979 -- the International Year of the Child -- at the Commission on Human Rights.
The Convention was opened for signature on 26 January 1990. That day, 61 countries signed it, a record first-day response. It entered into force just seven months later, on 2 September 1990.
Ratifying the Convention entails reviewing national legislation to make sure it is in line with the provisions of the treaty. The Convention stipulates, among other things, that every child has the right to life, and that States shall ensure the maximum child survival and development; that every child has the right to a name and nationality from birth; and that when courts, welfare institutions or administrative authorities deal with children, the child's best interests shall be a primary consideration. The Convention recognizes the right of children to be heard.
Furthermore, States shall ensure that each child enjoys full rights without discrimination or distinction of any kind, and shall ensure that children should not be separated from their parents, unless by competent authorities for their well-being. In addition, States shall facilitate reunification of families by permitting travel into, or out of, their territories; and States shall protect children from physical or mental harm and neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation.
Also according to the Convention, disabled children shall have the right to special treatment, education and care; primary education shall be free and compulsory and discipline in school should respect the child's dignity; capital punishment or life imprisonment shall not be imposed for crimes committed before the age of 18; no child under 15 should take any part in hostilities and children exposed to armed conflict shall receive special protection; and children of minority and indigenous populations shall freely enjoy their own cultures, religions and languages.
In May 2000, the General Assembly adopted the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Optional Protocols entered into force in 2002. Currently, 106 countries have ratified the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict; 107 have ratified the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
At its fifty-ninth session (2004), the UN General Assembly agreed to the request of the Committee to work simultaneously in two chambers during 2006 (starting with the pre-sessional working group meeting of October 2005) in order to increase the working capacity of the Committee and decrease the existing backlog of reports (see A/59/499).
Committee Membership
The Convention requires that the members of the Committee have a high moral standing and recognized competence in the field of children's rights. The following Experts, nominated by the States parties to serve in their personal capacity, have been elected to the Committee: Ghalia Mohd Bin Hamad Al-Thani (Qatar), Joyce Aluoch (Kenya), Mary Alison Anderson (Jamaica); Jacob Egbert Doek (the Netherlands), Kamel Filali (Algeria), Moushira Khattab (Egypt), Hatem Kotrane (Tunisia), Lothar Friedrich Krappmann (Germany), Yanghee Lee (Republic of Korea), Norberto Liwski (Argentina), Rosa Maria Ortiz (Paraguay), Awa N'Deye Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), David Brent Parfitt (Canada), Awich Pollar (Uganda), Kamal Siddiqui (Bangladesh), Lucy Smith (Norway), Nevena Vuckovic-Sahovic (Serbia and Montenegro) and Jean Zermatten (Switzerland).
Mr. Doek is the Chairperson. While the Committee is meeting in two chambers, Mr. Doek is also Chairperson for Chamber A. Ms. Khattab is the Chairperson for Chamber B. Ms. Aluoch, Ms. Khattab, Ms. Lee, and Mr. Liwski are Vice Chairpersons, and Ms. Vuckovic-Sahovic is the Rapporteur.
Tentative Timetable for Consideration of Reports
Following is a tentative timetable for the consideration of reports from States parties to the Convention during this session:
Monday, 15 May Chamber A Chamber B
3 p.m. El Salvador OPAC Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict Belgium OPAC
(closed meeting- technical review)
Tuesday 16 May
10 a.m Latvia Italy OPSC‡‡ Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and OPAC
3 p.m. Latvia Italy OPSC and OPAC
Wednesday 17 May
10 a.m. Canada OPAC Turkey OPSC
(closed meeting-
technical review)
3 p.m. Czech Republic OPAC Qatar OPSC
(closed meeting-
technical review)
Friday 19 May
10 a.m. Uzbekistan Tanzania
3 p.m. Uzbekistan Tanzania
Tuesday 23 May
10 a.m. Marshall Islands Mexico
3 p.m. Marshall Islands Mexico
Wednesday 24 May
10 a.m. Lebanon Turkmenistan
3 p.m. Lebanon Turkmenistan
Friday 26 May
10 a.m. Iceland OPSC and OPAC Colombia
3 p.m. Iceland OPSC and OPAC Colombia
Friday 2 June
11.45 a.m. Closing of the session
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record