Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Commission on Human Rights
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUES GENERAL DEBATE ON RIGHTS OF CHILDREN
07 April 2004
Share
Commission on Human Rights
MORNING
7 April 2004
The Commission on Human Rights carried on this morning with its annual debate on the rights of the child, hearing from a series of national delegations describing Government efforts to enhance the well being of children and from several international agencies which outlined programmes and policies to aid the young.
A Representative of the World Health Organization said today was World Health Day, and the organization wished to call attention to road traffic injuries, including child road trauma, which were a growing public health problem. The burden of this trauma fell overwhelmingly on low and middle-income countries, where 97 per cent of traffic deaths occurred.
A Representative of Norway told the meeting that the establishment of the International Criminal Court had allowed the international community to hold offenders accountable for universally recognized crimes against humanity such as the conscription of children under the age of 15 and the targeting of children in armed conflicts, but sexual violence, including rape, committed against children must also constitute a crime against humanity.
And a Representative of Iceland said it was hoped that the study envisaged by the Secretary-General’s Independent Expert on violence against children would stress the importance of preventive measures and assistance to families at risk.
Addressing the meeting were officials of Bahrain, Croatia, Russian Federation, Nepal, Armenia, Qatar, Bhutan, Yemen, Iraq, Norway, Oman, the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Syria, Morocco, Iceland, Angola, Switzerland, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Office, Benin, Slovenia, Venezuela, Ghana, Mozambique, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Madagascar.
The Commission adjourned its general debate at noon for an hour-long special meeting featuring a speech by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and an observance of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide of Rwanda.
Statements on the Rights of the Child
MOHAMED ALSOWAIDI (Bahrain) said violence against children was a frightening phenomenon. In detention centres, in the streets, in refugee camps, in schools and in families, children were subjected to violence by individuals responsible for their protection. In spite of commitments entered into by States under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, millions of children continued to suffer from violence and abuse. A sociological study must be undertaken to deal comprehensively with the problem, including through addressing factors that facilitated violence against children such as difficult economic conditions, poverty and need, illiteracy and ignorance.
Bahrain had always been committed to the protection of children. The Constitution provided for equality and non-discrimination, as well as for social care for all children, for free education – especially at the primary level – and for medical care. The country’s legal system incorporated provisions from Islamic Sharia law and other provisions consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Department of Childhood coordinated Governmental and non-governmental activities for children and supervised the implementation of the Convention, and the Ministry of Health had a committee on the prevention of mistreatment of children. The National Committee for Children worked in cooperation with the Department to coordinate efforts.
GORDAN MARKOTIC (Croatia) said the country had undertaken comprehensive national reforms in the field of children’s rights, and had also developed various strategies, programmes and plans at the national level relevant to the protection of children. At the international level, there had been improvement of the universal legal framework for the protection of the rights of the child, and there was concern that the existing gap between legal norms and their effective implementation at the national level was not closed, leaving millions of children desperately deprived of basic necessities.
Special concern was felt over trafficking in persons, particularly young girls. This relatively recent phenomenon had resulted in an increased number of trafficked or exploited young girls through sex tourism or the Internet sex industry. Violence in schools was an obstacle to raising healthy and well-educated generations, and all should work together to eliminate its causes.
BORIS CHERNENKO (Russian Federation) said children came to be seen during the twentieth century as people with their own ideas, particular rights, and special interests and needs. The principles of the subsequent Convention on the Rights of the Child were shared by a majority of countries. Periodic reports were a vital element for ensuring the Convention’s implementation at the national level, and the Russian Federation had done this recently. The aims and tasks set out in the document gave special impetus for programmes and policies aimed at improving the situation of children. An important and really functional method of resolving the problems of indigenous children in the Russian Federation was a sub-programme entitled Children of the North. The Russian Government was taking further steps to enhance the social and judicial protection of children.
There were problems related to sexual and economic exploitation of minors, and substantial steps were being taken to limit the reasons for these phenomena. The Russian Federation felt the protection of children must be considered in as broad a way as possible, as there were many problems that threatened children today. Terrorism needed to be dealt with separately, however. Raising healthy, well-rounded children was only possible in an atmosphere of peace, stability and confidence, and there could be no nobler task than saving them from fear, suffering, and fear of the future.
GYAN CHANDRA ACHARYA (Nepal) said Nepal had committed itself to protecting and promoting child rights through various legal, institutional and policy initiatives. Emphasis had been laid upon developing a holistic approach encompassing necessary legislation, strengthening of institutional mechanisms and encouraging the active participation of non-governmental and community organizations. Among measures taken, the Government had ratified the International Labour Office Convention against child labour, had promulgated a National Action Plan to combat trafficking in women and girls, and had declared bonded labour – which also affected children – illegal.
There had also been recognition of the need for special treatment of juvenile crime and for rehabilitation of offenders. Targeted programmes for children’s health and development had been initiated and the country had registered improvement in the field of primary education in recent years. Net primary school enrolment now stood at about 80 per cent. An expanded immunization programme had resulted in significant reductions in the child mortality rate, and Nepal was poised to eradicate polio by 2005. The egregious violation of children’s rights in armed conflicts constituted a serious concern; violent Maoist terrorist atrocities had undermined the safety and general welfare of the population, including that of children. The Maoists had perpetrated heinous crimes by abducting children and minors from schools and by forcefully recruiting them for terrorist purposes. These children had been submitted to intimidation, violence and sexual exploitation. In response, the Government had proclaimed schools and educational institutions zones of peace and was working to maintain their security.
MARTA AYVAZYAN (Armenia) said Armenia had consolidated the human rights of the child into a wider context through the adoption of a National Plan of Action for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, which set recommendations and special programmes with clearly delegated responsibilities. While Armenia’s Constitution focused on the care and protection of the family, motherhood and childhood by society and by the State, there had been considerable progress in inter-relating and consolidating the legal framework for the pursuit of these objectives. For the first time, the Family Code had laid the foundation of a judicial definition for the protection of children from violence in families. It advocated methods of upbringing and severely condemned all forms of ill treatment, child abuse and humiliation.
It was necessary to draw up concrete international programmes to protect child victims of armed conflicts, with special attention paid to post-conflict rehabilitation measures within the framework of the United Nations and its related agencies. Children represented the future and were the most valuable asset of society; therefore they should not only be protected from the scourges of armed conflicts, violence, all forms of abuse and slavery, but should also enjoy international norms and legislation guaranteed by human rights mechanisms applied in all parts of the world.
MOHAMED ABDULLA AL-DUHAIMI (Qatar) said that despite international efforts, children were still involved in many conflicts where they died or were maimed for life. Trafficking in children for sexual exploitation had also continued despite efforts to eradicate it. Qatar, for its part, had carried out programmes to protect children from any form of exploitation. A series of legislative measures had been adopted and implemented. Believing in the future of children, the Government had also taken measures to improve the teaching curriculum. The State had acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to its optional protocols. A series of seminars and workshops had been organized for people dealing with the protection of the rights of the child.
The Government of Qatar was keen to learn from other countries' experiences and to adopt best practices. It believed that international experience would be useful for the effective protection and promotion of the rights of Qatari children. The plight of Palestinian children was a concern to the Government of Qatar. The international community should continue its efforts to bring about a lasting solution and end the Israeli occupation so that Palestinian children could live happily.
SONAM T. RABGYE (Bhutan) said the basic needs of children could no longer be ensured in the age-old tradition of parental and societal obligations, but had to be enshrined as a matter of right. Most of the impediments to meeting the rights of the child were also those that hampered other spheres of socio-economic development. Bhutan’s late start of the development process, its difficult geography and scattered population, all imposed formidable challenges to extending basic social services to children. Sustaining these services was equally challenging, but Bhutan had over the years invested substantially in the development of its children and much had been achieved over the last four decades of planned development.
Bhutan was fully committed to accomplishing the goals of health for all and education for all, and had set specific targets relating to primary school enrolment, adult literacy and reduction in infant, child and maternal mortality. It had promoted access to health services, had improved dietary intake, and had advocated better child care practices. Existing laws were constantly reviewed. Having presented its initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Bhutan had received concluding observations which welcomed the child-focused and holistic approach taken by the Government in formulating policies and programmes relating to children, and Bhutan remained committed to such an approach.
GHASSAN AMHED AL-QAISI (Yemen) said a national policy for children had been approved and the country had committed itself to implementing the strategy adopted at the World Summit for Children. Yemen had made integration of this strategy into its national legislation a priority.
Aware of the need to ensure education for girls, the country had conducted awareness-raising campaigns, and there was now a high rate of enrolment of girls, while absenteeism had declined. Importance had been placed upon the recruitment of teachers, especially primary school teachers, and on the provision of financial support to poor families. The Government had also sought to eliminate the educational gap between the two sexes. Yemen was grateful to all organizations working in the field of girls’ education.
OBEID MAHAL FRIEH (Iraq) said the promotion and protection of the rights and well-being of children were a pressing need. Children were Iraq's future. Recent statistical data showed a significant number of orphans. Many children had lost their fathers for various reasons, including in armed conflicts. Iraq was preventing children from taking part in armed conflicts and from becoming delinquents.
The country’s provisional administration had created a new Ministry for Human Rights aimed at promoting the human rights of citizens and of children in particular. The current period was difficult for Iraqi children because of the ongoing transitional process. However, Iraq would count on the assistance and cooperation of the international community in resolving the problems it faced in the protection and promotion of the rights of Iraqi children.
PETTER WIILE (Norway) said that through the initiative, “A World Fit for Children”, a commitment had been undertaken to change the world “for and with children”, but in order to succeed in that endeavour, children had to be given the possibility actively to participate in the conditions governing their lives and futures. Children had an essential role to play in vital and sustainable democracy and the international community must make use of their unique capabilities and resources. Combating poverty was a vital aspect of overall efforts to implement the rights of the child, and there must be renewed focus on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and on ensuring healthy lives and equal education. It was also important to combat HIV/AIDS and to protect children from abuse, exploitation and violence.
All States must, as a matter of urgency, adhere to the Convention on the Rights of the Child’s optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. All States should abolish capital punishment for juvenile offenders. Children’s special vulnerability also placed them at particular risk during times of public unrest and armed conflict. The establishment of the International Criminal Court had allowed the international community to hold offenders accountable for universally recognized crimes against humanity such as the conscription of children under the age of 15 and the targeting of children. Sexual violence, including rape, must also constitute a crime against humanity. Participation of children in peace-building processes constituted a critical element for building lasting peace and flourishing, humane and productive societies.
IDRIS AL-KHANJARI (Oman) said special attention was given to the care of Omani children, as they were the pillars of society, beneficiaries and actors for change. A comprehensive national approach had been designed to prepare them for this role, and the Sultanate had joined and ratified conventions and protocols for the protection of children. The Sultanate was dedicated to improving the situation of children, and its actions had been commended in international reports. Oman was determined to continue these efforts.
Even in the twenty-first century, children were not spared from maltreatment and ignorance of their rights. Concern was felt over the escalating frequency of violations of child rights around the world, and it was hoped the international community would expand its efforts to improve the situation. All stakeholders should mobilize in order to treat the problems endured by suffering and innocent children, for example children in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Iraq.
JUDI FAIRHOLM, of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the organization felt profound concern over the situation confronting children. The harsh reality was that child rights were being constantly and consistently violated in every country. The situation was particularly stark in terms of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and in terms of violence against children. One of the core issues of the HIV/AIDS pandemic was the number of orphans it created. There was a concomitant loss of national capacity to provide safe communities to support the growth of children. Every effort should be made by Governments, at all levels, to find ways to provide safety for children by supporting them in their communities.
Another issue which should be confronted was violence against children. In every country children were being physically, emotionally and sexually maltreated. Sexual violence against children was not only a major transmitter of HIV/AIDS but also robbed millions of children of their childhood and of their sense of self. Considering the way adults treated the next generation, all should shudder and feel ashamed. Children’s needs should be put first, and it was critical for all to work together to that end.
PATRICIA CAMPBELL (Nicaragua) said that there was greater awareness today of the need to promote and protect the rights of girls, boys and adolescents and the clear evidence of that trend had been exemplified by the near universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However there remained challenges – particularly economic challenges in developing countries – that constituted impediments to Governments’ ensuring full realization of the rights of the child. Among the challenges facing Governments were the need to improve the living conditions of the family and to promote a culture of peace and tolerance for the elimination of violence against children. Governments must seek formulae allowing them to focus on the human being. However, the establishment of policy was not sufficient to the objectives; it must be accompanied by support from the international community, including through implementation of the commitments made at the Monterrey Summit. Among its national efforts, Nicaragua, which had recently presented its third periodic report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, was implementing nationally the provisions contained therein. Another issue of concern was the sale and exploitation of children, which had grown alarmingly in several countries.
RABAB FATIMA (Bangladesh) said children were the future, and their welfare was the responsibility of all. Bangladesh had been making every effort to prioritise, mainstream and implement children’s rights at every level. Survival of children, their protection from killer diseases, improvement of their nutritional status and education were important priorities. Exploitation of children, particularly through trafficking or abusive forms of child labour, was high on the agenda, and Bangladesh shared the concern of the international community on the urgent need to address the problem of trafficking of persons, in particular of children. Bangladesh’s success in phasing out child labour from the clothes industry was recognized. So long as children were the victims of poverty, they could continue to be exploited and their fundamental human rights denied, and the Government was aware of, and committed to, addressing this problem. Special attention had been given to children with disabilities and those in difficult circumstances. So long as even one child was denied his or her basic rights, none could sit idle. However, lack of resources remained the greatest obstacle to fulfilling these dreams. It was owed to future generations to strengthen the struggle against all forms of abuse and exploitation of children, and to take concrete actions to promote and protect their rights.
SOUHEILA ABBAS (Syria) said her Government believed in the future of its children, and for that reason it had taken a number of measures with the view to realizing the full enjoyment of children of their rights. The Constitution and other legislation guaranteed the protection of the rights of children. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child had also added to the efforts of the State in this area. The Government of Syria had taken all the necessary measures to enhance the promotion and protection of children in the country. Additional programmes were also put in place with the aim of strengthening institutions dealing with child protection. Syria was also participating in all Arab conferences dealing with the rights of the child. The misery of children due to occupation and myriad detrimental effects against children were of concern to the Syrian authorities. Palestinian and other Arab children were living under the Israeli occupation, with their future compromised. The children were suffering from oppression and discrimination by the occupying forces. The international community should listen to the cries of the Palestinian children.
RIAD RAMZI (Morocco) said that much progress had been made internationally for the protection of the rights of the child, as exemplified by the adoption of new international instruments. The entry into force of the optional protocols on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and on children in armed conflict had reinforced the international framework for children’s legal protection. For its part, Morocco had recently adopted – in January 2004 – the Family Code, which had introduced reforms to establish new relationships between family members and constituted part of the framework to harmonize national legislation with international conventions. The National Observatory of the Rights of the Child – established in 1994 – and the Children’s Parliament constituted important measures for the implementation of the Convention in Morocco. Among other initiatives, the National Observatory had conducted an awareness-raising campaign against the sexual exploitation of children as part of the national strategy to establish an environment conducive to the protection of children’s well-being and protection. The International Programme to Abolish Child Labour had also been launched and envisaged a three-year effort designed to reinforce national mobilization for direct programmes of action to remove 5,000 children from the labour market in 40 villages in the Gharb and Taroudant regions. Furthermore, the age of mandatory recruitment had been raised from 18 to 20, in conformity with the optional protocol on children in armed conflict.
INGIBJORG DAVIDSDOTTIR (Iceland) said that the Convention on the Rights of the Child had proven a powerful tool to furthering children’s rights in many parts of the world, yet a long journey continued to lie ahead in ensuring the implementation of its basic principles and standards. Implementation could only be accomplished through the international community’s active participation to promote efforts to strengthen its commitments, in which regard Iceland reiterated support for the European Union’s call for those States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify the optional protocols of the Convention and to consider limiting the scope of their reservations to the Convention.
One of the most direct assaults on human rights was violence, whether physical or emotional, she added, and in protecting children from violence, the international community took important steps to secure human rights in the future. The United Nations Children’s Fund had made a significant contribution to that effort, including through its publication of the study on “Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations”. The Convention had defined one of the fundamental rights of the child “to grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding”. The emphasis on the family when focusing on children at risk and in care was thus self-evident. It was hoped that the study envisaged by the Independent Expert on violence against children would stress the importance of preventive measures and assistance to families at risk.
JOAQUIM BELO MANGUEIRA (Angola) said Angola was a State party to the main international and regional instruments on the rights of the child, including those of the International Labour Office, which showed the importance given by the Government to the defence, protection and promotion of the rights of the child in all aspects. Internally, the rights of the child were protected by important laws such as the Family Code, the General Labour Law, and the law on Minors, and these instruments and others were in conformity with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the last decade, the Government had been striving to deal with the situation of emergency, giving priority and assistance to children with special needs. Despite all difficulties found and other priorities within the National Programme for the rebuilding of the country, the Government, with the assistance of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Angola Lawyers Association, had begun, in 2002, to collect and analyse all dispersed legislation on the rights of the child in order to update and reform the legislation. The National Programme on the Child was not disassociated from the Government’s programme as a whole, which addressed consolidating peace, national reconciliation, and social and productive reintegration, with a view to socio-economic development of the country and strengthening democracy. The Government saw children as the future of the nation, and was aware that it needed to do more to guarantee the protection, defence, and promotion of their rights.
JEAN-DANIEL VIGNY (Switzerland) said that he had noted with satisfaction the aims and scope of the Independent Expert’s study on violence against children and hoped that cooperation between the Expert and human rights mechanisms, notably the Committee on the Rights of the Child, would be rapidly defined so as to allow for benefits from synergy as soon as possible. Switzerland also welcomed the International Labour Office’s study on the elimination of child labour and its conclusion that seven times more benefits accrued from elimination of child labour than costs. Moreover, Switzerland denounced the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and called upon the Commission to condemn such practices and to call upon States to end impunity and all forms of military assistance to those recruiting and using child soldiers. Nationally, Switzerland had continued its efforts to implement obligations under the Convention, including through recognition of the right of all children accused of crimes or infractions to the free assistance of an interpreter. In regard of the proliferation of child pornography, the federal police had established a national coordination service to fight such criminality on the Internet. Parallel initiatives undertaken by civil society and computer experts sought to prevent the Internet from being used for the exploitation of children.
TANYA NORTON (World Health Organization) said today was World Health Day. Road traffic injuries, including child road trauma, were a growing public health problem, disproportionately affecting vulnerable road users. In high-income countries, child injury and road deaths rose sharply with motorisation in the 1950s and 1960s. While many of these countries had since had great success in prevention, road traffic collisions remained a leading cause of death and injury to children. The burden of this trauma fell overwhelmingly on low and middle income countries, where 97 per cent of the deaths occurred and the burden of road trauma fell most heavily. The United Nations should acknowledge the significance of road trauma to the health and well-being of children, and, in support of children’s right to life, health, and safety, urge States to implement the recommendations of the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention.
ANITA AMORIM (International Labour Office) said the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention and Minimum Age Convention continued to see a steady increase in their ratification thanks to the firm and still-growing commitment of the international community to the fight against child labour. A number of countries had translated such commitments into action by engaging in what were called Time-Bound Programmes with the assistance of ILO/IPEC. This was a programme approach of comprehensive policies and interventions with clear goals, specific targets and a defined time frame, aimed at preventing and eliminating a country’s worst forms of child labour. In the field of research, a study published recently by ILO/IPEC on the costs and benefits of eliminating child labour concluded that such an objective could indeed be realized over the next 15 to 20 years. Gender aspects should not be overlooked either in action against child labour, because girls and boys were not always affected by child labour in the same way. The ILO was also well aware of the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on child labour, and had carried out research on this subject which had been consolidated into one synthesis report.
SAMUEL AMEHOU (Benin) said that the child was the most vulnerable human person who should be protected and defended from any attacks. The principle of non-discrimination, best interest of the child, the right to survival and to development, and the respect for the opinion of the child had found a place in the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In fact, they constituted, through different provisions, a legal instrument for the promotion and protection of the rights of children. His delegation had followed with much interest the report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography concerning the child and the plan of action for the prevention of such incidents. It was also said that the well-being of the child should satisfy the essential needs for education, health, adequate and healthy food, family care and affection, and security of the society. In that context, the activities of States, Governments, civil society, UN agencies and social actors aimed at achieving the goals set by the Millennium Summit needed to be pursued and periodically evaluated.
The creation of a legal and institutional framework, which would provide response to the problems of children, as well as the strengthening of international cooperation, remained to be an essential goal. Today, Benin was disseminating the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child through the mass media, traditional information channels, newsletters, leaflets, and seminars. In February 2004, the Government had set up a national observatory for the fight against trafficking and child labour.
ALJAZ GOSNAR (Slovenia) said the promotion and protection of children’s rights was of particular concern to Slovenia and child protection figured at the top of the country’s foreign policy priorities in the fields of human rights and socio-economic development. Among its initiatives, Slovenia had established a foundation named “Together” – the Southeast Europe Centre for the Psychosocial Well-being of Children. The Centre paid particular attention to the psychosocial rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflicts, post-war poverty and other negative social processes.
The Centre’s basic principles were to strengthen local structures in the field of child care and to develop new mechanisms for the protection and empowerment of children. Trafficking in children also deserved special attention, as it was linked to the sexual and economic exploitation of children. Given the lack of data, there was a growing need to overcome common problems such as the identification of victims and the obtainment of statistics. For that reason, Slovenia supported the establishment of a special procedure for the prevention of trafficking, with a substantial part of its activities addressing the plight of children.
MADAL HERNANDEZ (Venezuela) said the Convention on the Rights of the Child had been part of the national law of Venezuela for more than 10 years, and the Convention’s optional protocols had been ratified. The country’s legal framework had been adapted to the provisions of the Convention and contained considerable provisions for the protection of children. It recognized the rights of boys, girls and adolescents.
State councils for the protection of children’s rights had been established as well. In spite of the obstacles encountered, there had been progress. Among other things, child mortality had been reduced nationally by 25 per cent, and there had been improvements in vaccination rates and in neo-natal care. The country’s national plan had also recognized the need for a major rethinking of access to health care services, education and food. As 50 per cent of the country’s population was under 18, Venezuela was working vigorously to address the needs of its younger citizens.
GLORIA A AKUFFO (Ghana) said that in Ghana, the concept of child development had changed and the welfare of Ghanaian children had improved remarkably. Working in cooperation with several partners, Ghana had passed legislation criminalizing child trafficking, female genital mutilation, child labour and violence against children, including domestic abuse. By those legal instruments, the Government aimed to give every Ghanaian child the right start in life. Economic and cultural constraints that impeded the full enjoyment of the rights of children were being addressed. To demonstrate political commitment to the cause of children, a Ministry for Women and Children's Affairs had been created in 2001. It was vigorously spearheading the promotion of child-friendly policies and the review of relevant laws to enhance protection for Ghanaian children, consistent with the Convention. Enslaved children were being freed and reconciled with their parents and capital was provided for mothers of the freed children to enable them to provide the necessary parental support.
Ghana had created unique police units called Women and Juvenile Units in all 10 regions of the country to ensure information and support and to coordinate counselling services for children. The units also investigated and prosecuted crimes committed against women and children. Although violations of the rights of children still occurred, the Government was resolute in its pursuit of measures to minimize and eventually eradicate such crimes and to punish perpetrators.
ALEXANDRE DA CONCEIÇAO ZANDAMELA (Mozambique) said the quest for the welfare of the 46 per cent of the country’s population that consisted of children had always been at the top of Government priorities in all of its development programmes. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, as well as the ratification of International Labour Office Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour, attested to the firm commitment of the Government to the well-being and the betterment of living conditions of the country's children. The Government had vigorously pursed the effective realization of the objectives set forth in the Convention.
The Government, in close partnership with civil society and its development cooperation partners, had embarked on a process of reviewing national legislation to incorporate into domestic law the main provisions contained in international legal instruments on human rights. Those reforms included the recently approved Family Law, changes to the Constitution, and revision of the Civil and Political Code.
LESLEY MILLER, of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said the organization was encouraged that the Convention on the Rights of the Child had been embraced by almost all members of the United Nations. It was also inspiring that the majority of States parties to the Convention had fulfilled their reporting obligations under the Convention. The Convention had provided a special opportunity to work for and with children in promoting action and advocating in their favour.
UNICEF welcomed recent efforts to advance the rights of particularly vulnerable groups of children. Those included steps towards the development of a new Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. UNICEF was also encouraged by the visibility the situation of indigenous children had gained in recent years. It would like to highlight the important contribution made by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in providing guidance to the United Nations system, and the high priority the Permanent Forum placed on children. UNICEF urged the Commission to take additional steps to ensure that children's rights were at the centre of its agenda.
CLARAH ANDRIANJAKA (Madagascar) said that in countries where the majority of the population was juvenile or infantile, the issue of the promotion and protection of the rights of the child was undoubtedly of capital importance. This was the case in Madagascar, where 55 per cent of the population was under 20, and 43 per cent under 15. This was why, with the aim of securing the future, Government authorities had adopted a range of measures destined to promote and protect the rights of the child, both at the national and international levels. These measures included, at the national level, Constitutional, legislative and administrative measures, and at the international level, the ratification of a number of Conventions and Protocols. Despite efforts already made, much remained to be done. Future actions in the favour of children involved the main goal of eliminating poverty, regarding which Madagascar favoured bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation.
Concern was felt over the increasing amounts of violence committed against children across the globe. The international community would undoubtedly do all it could to cause the concerned countries to increase their efforts to end this violence, whether it involved armed conflicts, kidnapping, the sale of children, prostitution, or other offences. State, international aid, and civil society synergy could form an efficient platform for the protection of children.
* *** *
MORNING
7 April 2004
The Commission on Human Rights carried on this morning with its annual debate on the rights of the child, hearing from a series of national delegations describing Government efforts to enhance the well being of children and from several international agencies which outlined programmes and policies to aid the young.
A Representative of the World Health Organization said today was World Health Day, and the organization wished to call attention to road traffic injuries, including child road trauma, which were a growing public health problem. The burden of this trauma fell overwhelmingly on low and middle-income countries, where 97 per cent of traffic deaths occurred.
A Representative of Norway told the meeting that the establishment of the International Criminal Court had allowed the international community to hold offenders accountable for universally recognized crimes against humanity such as the conscription of children under the age of 15 and the targeting of children in armed conflicts, but sexual violence, including rape, committed against children must also constitute a crime against humanity.
And a Representative of Iceland said it was hoped that the study envisaged by the Secretary-General’s Independent Expert on violence against children would stress the importance of preventive measures and assistance to families at risk.
Addressing the meeting were officials of Bahrain, Croatia, Russian Federation, Nepal, Armenia, Qatar, Bhutan, Yemen, Iraq, Norway, Oman, the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Syria, Morocco, Iceland, Angola, Switzerland, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Office, Benin, Slovenia, Venezuela, Ghana, Mozambique, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Madagascar.
The Commission adjourned its general debate at noon for an hour-long special meeting featuring a speech by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and an observance of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide of Rwanda.
Statements on the Rights of the Child
MOHAMED ALSOWAIDI (Bahrain) said violence against children was a frightening phenomenon. In detention centres, in the streets, in refugee camps, in schools and in families, children were subjected to violence by individuals responsible for their protection. In spite of commitments entered into by States under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, millions of children continued to suffer from violence and abuse. A sociological study must be undertaken to deal comprehensively with the problem, including through addressing factors that facilitated violence against children such as difficult economic conditions, poverty and need, illiteracy and ignorance.
Bahrain had always been committed to the protection of children. The Constitution provided for equality and non-discrimination, as well as for social care for all children, for free education – especially at the primary level – and for medical care. The country’s legal system incorporated provisions from Islamic Sharia law and other provisions consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Department of Childhood coordinated Governmental and non-governmental activities for children and supervised the implementation of the Convention, and the Ministry of Health had a committee on the prevention of mistreatment of children. The National Committee for Children worked in cooperation with the Department to coordinate efforts.
GORDAN MARKOTIC (Croatia) said the country had undertaken comprehensive national reforms in the field of children’s rights, and had also developed various strategies, programmes and plans at the national level relevant to the protection of children. At the international level, there had been improvement of the universal legal framework for the protection of the rights of the child, and there was concern that the existing gap between legal norms and their effective implementation at the national level was not closed, leaving millions of children desperately deprived of basic necessities.
Special concern was felt over trafficking in persons, particularly young girls. This relatively recent phenomenon had resulted in an increased number of trafficked or exploited young girls through sex tourism or the Internet sex industry. Violence in schools was an obstacle to raising healthy and well-educated generations, and all should work together to eliminate its causes.
BORIS CHERNENKO (Russian Federation) said children came to be seen during the twentieth century as people with their own ideas, particular rights, and special interests and needs. The principles of the subsequent Convention on the Rights of the Child were shared by a majority of countries. Periodic reports were a vital element for ensuring the Convention’s implementation at the national level, and the Russian Federation had done this recently. The aims and tasks set out in the document gave special impetus for programmes and policies aimed at improving the situation of children. An important and really functional method of resolving the problems of indigenous children in the Russian Federation was a sub-programme entitled Children of the North. The Russian Government was taking further steps to enhance the social and judicial protection of children.
There were problems related to sexual and economic exploitation of minors, and substantial steps were being taken to limit the reasons for these phenomena. The Russian Federation felt the protection of children must be considered in as broad a way as possible, as there were many problems that threatened children today. Terrorism needed to be dealt with separately, however. Raising healthy, well-rounded children was only possible in an atmosphere of peace, stability and confidence, and there could be no nobler task than saving them from fear, suffering, and fear of the future.
GYAN CHANDRA ACHARYA (Nepal) said Nepal had committed itself to protecting and promoting child rights through various legal, institutional and policy initiatives. Emphasis had been laid upon developing a holistic approach encompassing necessary legislation, strengthening of institutional mechanisms and encouraging the active participation of non-governmental and community organizations. Among measures taken, the Government had ratified the International Labour Office Convention against child labour, had promulgated a National Action Plan to combat trafficking in women and girls, and had declared bonded labour – which also affected children – illegal.
There had also been recognition of the need for special treatment of juvenile crime and for rehabilitation of offenders. Targeted programmes for children’s health and development had been initiated and the country had registered improvement in the field of primary education in recent years. Net primary school enrolment now stood at about 80 per cent. An expanded immunization programme had resulted in significant reductions in the child mortality rate, and Nepal was poised to eradicate polio by 2005. The egregious violation of children’s rights in armed conflicts constituted a serious concern; violent Maoist terrorist atrocities had undermined the safety and general welfare of the population, including that of children. The Maoists had perpetrated heinous crimes by abducting children and minors from schools and by forcefully recruiting them for terrorist purposes. These children had been submitted to intimidation, violence and sexual exploitation. In response, the Government had proclaimed schools and educational institutions zones of peace and was working to maintain their security.
MARTA AYVAZYAN (Armenia) said Armenia had consolidated the human rights of the child into a wider context through the adoption of a National Plan of Action for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, which set recommendations and special programmes with clearly delegated responsibilities. While Armenia’s Constitution focused on the care and protection of the family, motherhood and childhood by society and by the State, there had been considerable progress in inter-relating and consolidating the legal framework for the pursuit of these objectives. For the first time, the Family Code had laid the foundation of a judicial definition for the protection of children from violence in families. It advocated methods of upbringing and severely condemned all forms of ill treatment, child abuse and humiliation.
It was necessary to draw up concrete international programmes to protect child victims of armed conflicts, with special attention paid to post-conflict rehabilitation measures within the framework of the United Nations and its related agencies. Children represented the future and were the most valuable asset of society; therefore they should not only be protected from the scourges of armed conflicts, violence, all forms of abuse and slavery, but should also enjoy international norms and legislation guaranteed by human rights mechanisms applied in all parts of the world.
MOHAMED ABDULLA AL-DUHAIMI (Qatar) said that despite international efforts, children were still involved in many conflicts where they died or were maimed for life. Trafficking in children for sexual exploitation had also continued despite efforts to eradicate it. Qatar, for its part, had carried out programmes to protect children from any form of exploitation. A series of legislative measures had been adopted and implemented. Believing in the future of children, the Government had also taken measures to improve the teaching curriculum. The State had acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to its optional protocols. A series of seminars and workshops had been organized for people dealing with the protection of the rights of the child.
The Government of Qatar was keen to learn from other countries' experiences and to adopt best practices. It believed that international experience would be useful for the effective protection and promotion of the rights of Qatari children. The plight of Palestinian children was a concern to the Government of Qatar. The international community should continue its efforts to bring about a lasting solution and end the Israeli occupation so that Palestinian children could live happily.
SONAM T. RABGYE (Bhutan) said the basic needs of children could no longer be ensured in the age-old tradition of parental and societal obligations, but had to be enshrined as a matter of right. Most of the impediments to meeting the rights of the child were also those that hampered other spheres of socio-economic development. Bhutan’s late start of the development process, its difficult geography and scattered population, all imposed formidable challenges to extending basic social services to children. Sustaining these services was equally challenging, but Bhutan had over the years invested substantially in the development of its children and much had been achieved over the last four decades of planned development.
Bhutan was fully committed to accomplishing the goals of health for all and education for all, and had set specific targets relating to primary school enrolment, adult literacy and reduction in infant, child and maternal mortality. It had promoted access to health services, had improved dietary intake, and had advocated better child care practices. Existing laws were constantly reviewed. Having presented its initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Bhutan had received concluding observations which welcomed the child-focused and holistic approach taken by the Government in formulating policies and programmes relating to children, and Bhutan remained committed to such an approach.
GHASSAN AMHED AL-QAISI (Yemen) said a national policy for children had been approved and the country had committed itself to implementing the strategy adopted at the World Summit for Children. Yemen had made integration of this strategy into its national legislation a priority.
Aware of the need to ensure education for girls, the country had conducted awareness-raising campaigns, and there was now a high rate of enrolment of girls, while absenteeism had declined. Importance had been placed upon the recruitment of teachers, especially primary school teachers, and on the provision of financial support to poor families. The Government had also sought to eliminate the educational gap between the two sexes. Yemen was grateful to all organizations working in the field of girls’ education.
OBEID MAHAL FRIEH (Iraq) said the promotion and protection of the rights and well-being of children were a pressing need. Children were Iraq's future. Recent statistical data showed a significant number of orphans. Many children had lost their fathers for various reasons, including in armed conflicts. Iraq was preventing children from taking part in armed conflicts and from becoming delinquents.
The country’s provisional administration had created a new Ministry for Human Rights aimed at promoting the human rights of citizens and of children in particular. The current period was difficult for Iraqi children because of the ongoing transitional process. However, Iraq would count on the assistance and cooperation of the international community in resolving the problems it faced in the protection and promotion of the rights of Iraqi children.
PETTER WIILE (Norway) said that through the initiative, “A World Fit for Children”, a commitment had been undertaken to change the world “for and with children”, but in order to succeed in that endeavour, children had to be given the possibility actively to participate in the conditions governing their lives and futures. Children had an essential role to play in vital and sustainable democracy and the international community must make use of their unique capabilities and resources. Combating poverty was a vital aspect of overall efforts to implement the rights of the child, and there must be renewed focus on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and on ensuring healthy lives and equal education. It was also important to combat HIV/AIDS and to protect children from abuse, exploitation and violence.
All States must, as a matter of urgency, adhere to the Convention on the Rights of the Child’s optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. All States should abolish capital punishment for juvenile offenders. Children’s special vulnerability also placed them at particular risk during times of public unrest and armed conflict. The establishment of the International Criminal Court had allowed the international community to hold offenders accountable for universally recognized crimes against humanity such as the conscription of children under the age of 15 and the targeting of children. Sexual violence, including rape, must also constitute a crime against humanity. Participation of children in peace-building processes constituted a critical element for building lasting peace and flourishing, humane and productive societies.
IDRIS AL-KHANJARI (Oman) said special attention was given to the care of Omani children, as they were the pillars of society, beneficiaries and actors for change. A comprehensive national approach had been designed to prepare them for this role, and the Sultanate had joined and ratified conventions and protocols for the protection of children. The Sultanate was dedicated to improving the situation of children, and its actions had been commended in international reports. Oman was determined to continue these efforts.
Even in the twenty-first century, children were not spared from maltreatment and ignorance of their rights. Concern was felt over the escalating frequency of violations of child rights around the world, and it was hoped the international community would expand its efforts to improve the situation. All stakeholders should mobilize in order to treat the problems endured by suffering and innocent children, for example children in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Iraq.
JUDI FAIRHOLM, of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the organization felt profound concern over the situation confronting children. The harsh reality was that child rights were being constantly and consistently violated in every country. The situation was particularly stark in terms of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and in terms of violence against children. One of the core issues of the HIV/AIDS pandemic was the number of orphans it created. There was a concomitant loss of national capacity to provide safe communities to support the growth of children. Every effort should be made by Governments, at all levels, to find ways to provide safety for children by supporting them in their communities.
Another issue which should be confronted was violence against children. In every country children were being physically, emotionally and sexually maltreated. Sexual violence against children was not only a major transmitter of HIV/AIDS but also robbed millions of children of their childhood and of their sense of self. Considering the way adults treated the next generation, all should shudder and feel ashamed. Children’s needs should be put first, and it was critical for all to work together to that end.
PATRICIA CAMPBELL (Nicaragua) said that there was greater awareness today of the need to promote and protect the rights of girls, boys and adolescents and the clear evidence of that trend had been exemplified by the near universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However there remained challenges – particularly economic challenges in developing countries – that constituted impediments to Governments’ ensuring full realization of the rights of the child. Among the challenges facing Governments were the need to improve the living conditions of the family and to promote a culture of peace and tolerance for the elimination of violence against children. Governments must seek formulae allowing them to focus on the human being. However, the establishment of policy was not sufficient to the objectives; it must be accompanied by support from the international community, including through implementation of the commitments made at the Monterrey Summit. Among its national efforts, Nicaragua, which had recently presented its third periodic report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, was implementing nationally the provisions contained therein. Another issue of concern was the sale and exploitation of children, which had grown alarmingly in several countries.
RABAB FATIMA (Bangladesh) said children were the future, and their welfare was the responsibility of all. Bangladesh had been making every effort to prioritise, mainstream and implement children’s rights at every level. Survival of children, their protection from killer diseases, improvement of their nutritional status and education were important priorities. Exploitation of children, particularly through trafficking or abusive forms of child labour, was high on the agenda, and Bangladesh shared the concern of the international community on the urgent need to address the problem of trafficking of persons, in particular of children. Bangladesh’s success in phasing out child labour from the clothes industry was recognized. So long as children were the victims of poverty, they could continue to be exploited and their fundamental human rights denied, and the Government was aware of, and committed to, addressing this problem. Special attention had been given to children with disabilities and those in difficult circumstances. So long as even one child was denied his or her basic rights, none could sit idle. However, lack of resources remained the greatest obstacle to fulfilling these dreams. It was owed to future generations to strengthen the struggle against all forms of abuse and exploitation of children, and to take concrete actions to promote and protect their rights.
SOUHEILA ABBAS (Syria) said her Government believed in the future of its children, and for that reason it had taken a number of measures with the view to realizing the full enjoyment of children of their rights. The Constitution and other legislation guaranteed the protection of the rights of children. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child had also added to the efforts of the State in this area. The Government of Syria had taken all the necessary measures to enhance the promotion and protection of children in the country. Additional programmes were also put in place with the aim of strengthening institutions dealing with child protection. Syria was also participating in all Arab conferences dealing with the rights of the child. The misery of children due to occupation and myriad detrimental effects against children were of concern to the Syrian authorities. Palestinian and other Arab children were living under the Israeli occupation, with their future compromised. The children were suffering from oppression and discrimination by the occupying forces. The international community should listen to the cries of the Palestinian children.
RIAD RAMZI (Morocco) said that much progress had been made internationally for the protection of the rights of the child, as exemplified by the adoption of new international instruments. The entry into force of the optional protocols on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and on children in armed conflict had reinforced the international framework for children’s legal protection. For its part, Morocco had recently adopted – in January 2004 – the Family Code, which had introduced reforms to establish new relationships between family members and constituted part of the framework to harmonize national legislation with international conventions. The National Observatory of the Rights of the Child – established in 1994 – and the Children’s Parliament constituted important measures for the implementation of the Convention in Morocco. Among other initiatives, the National Observatory had conducted an awareness-raising campaign against the sexual exploitation of children as part of the national strategy to establish an environment conducive to the protection of children’s well-being and protection. The International Programme to Abolish Child Labour had also been launched and envisaged a three-year effort designed to reinforce national mobilization for direct programmes of action to remove 5,000 children from the labour market in 40 villages in the Gharb and Taroudant regions. Furthermore, the age of mandatory recruitment had been raised from 18 to 20, in conformity with the optional protocol on children in armed conflict.
INGIBJORG DAVIDSDOTTIR (Iceland) said that the Convention on the Rights of the Child had proven a powerful tool to furthering children’s rights in many parts of the world, yet a long journey continued to lie ahead in ensuring the implementation of its basic principles and standards. Implementation could only be accomplished through the international community’s active participation to promote efforts to strengthen its commitments, in which regard Iceland reiterated support for the European Union’s call for those States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify the optional protocols of the Convention and to consider limiting the scope of their reservations to the Convention.
One of the most direct assaults on human rights was violence, whether physical or emotional, she added, and in protecting children from violence, the international community took important steps to secure human rights in the future. The United Nations Children’s Fund had made a significant contribution to that effort, including through its publication of the study on “Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations”. The Convention had defined one of the fundamental rights of the child “to grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding”. The emphasis on the family when focusing on children at risk and in care was thus self-evident. It was hoped that the study envisaged by the Independent Expert on violence against children would stress the importance of preventive measures and assistance to families at risk.
JOAQUIM BELO MANGUEIRA (Angola) said Angola was a State party to the main international and regional instruments on the rights of the child, including those of the International Labour Office, which showed the importance given by the Government to the defence, protection and promotion of the rights of the child in all aspects. Internally, the rights of the child were protected by important laws such as the Family Code, the General Labour Law, and the law on Minors, and these instruments and others were in conformity with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the last decade, the Government had been striving to deal with the situation of emergency, giving priority and assistance to children with special needs. Despite all difficulties found and other priorities within the National Programme for the rebuilding of the country, the Government, with the assistance of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Angola Lawyers Association, had begun, in 2002, to collect and analyse all dispersed legislation on the rights of the child in order to update and reform the legislation. The National Programme on the Child was not disassociated from the Government’s programme as a whole, which addressed consolidating peace, national reconciliation, and social and productive reintegration, with a view to socio-economic development of the country and strengthening democracy. The Government saw children as the future of the nation, and was aware that it needed to do more to guarantee the protection, defence, and promotion of their rights.
JEAN-DANIEL VIGNY (Switzerland) said that he had noted with satisfaction the aims and scope of the Independent Expert’s study on violence against children and hoped that cooperation between the Expert and human rights mechanisms, notably the Committee on the Rights of the Child, would be rapidly defined so as to allow for benefits from synergy as soon as possible. Switzerland also welcomed the International Labour Office’s study on the elimination of child labour and its conclusion that seven times more benefits accrued from elimination of child labour than costs. Moreover, Switzerland denounced the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and called upon the Commission to condemn such practices and to call upon States to end impunity and all forms of military assistance to those recruiting and using child soldiers. Nationally, Switzerland had continued its efforts to implement obligations under the Convention, including through recognition of the right of all children accused of crimes or infractions to the free assistance of an interpreter. In regard of the proliferation of child pornography, the federal police had established a national coordination service to fight such criminality on the Internet. Parallel initiatives undertaken by civil society and computer experts sought to prevent the Internet from being used for the exploitation of children.
TANYA NORTON (World Health Organization) said today was World Health Day. Road traffic injuries, including child road trauma, were a growing public health problem, disproportionately affecting vulnerable road users. In high-income countries, child injury and road deaths rose sharply with motorisation in the 1950s and 1960s. While many of these countries had since had great success in prevention, road traffic collisions remained a leading cause of death and injury to children. The burden of this trauma fell overwhelmingly on low and middle income countries, where 97 per cent of the deaths occurred and the burden of road trauma fell most heavily. The United Nations should acknowledge the significance of road trauma to the health and well-being of children, and, in support of children’s right to life, health, and safety, urge States to implement the recommendations of the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention.
ANITA AMORIM (International Labour Office) said the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention and Minimum Age Convention continued to see a steady increase in their ratification thanks to the firm and still-growing commitment of the international community to the fight against child labour. A number of countries had translated such commitments into action by engaging in what were called Time-Bound Programmes with the assistance of ILO/IPEC. This was a programme approach of comprehensive policies and interventions with clear goals, specific targets and a defined time frame, aimed at preventing and eliminating a country’s worst forms of child labour. In the field of research, a study published recently by ILO/IPEC on the costs and benefits of eliminating child labour concluded that such an objective could indeed be realized over the next 15 to 20 years. Gender aspects should not be overlooked either in action against child labour, because girls and boys were not always affected by child labour in the same way. The ILO was also well aware of the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on child labour, and had carried out research on this subject which had been consolidated into one synthesis report.
SAMUEL AMEHOU (Benin) said that the child was the most vulnerable human person who should be protected and defended from any attacks. The principle of non-discrimination, best interest of the child, the right to survival and to development, and the respect for the opinion of the child had found a place in the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In fact, they constituted, through different provisions, a legal instrument for the promotion and protection of the rights of children. His delegation had followed with much interest the report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography concerning the child and the plan of action for the prevention of such incidents. It was also said that the well-being of the child should satisfy the essential needs for education, health, adequate and healthy food, family care and affection, and security of the society. In that context, the activities of States, Governments, civil society, UN agencies and social actors aimed at achieving the goals set by the Millennium Summit needed to be pursued and periodically evaluated.
The creation of a legal and institutional framework, which would provide response to the problems of children, as well as the strengthening of international cooperation, remained to be an essential goal. Today, Benin was disseminating the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child through the mass media, traditional information channels, newsletters, leaflets, and seminars. In February 2004, the Government had set up a national observatory for the fight against trafficking and child labour.
ALJAZ GOSNAR (Slovenia) said the promotion and protection of children’s rights was of particular concern to Slovenia and child protection figured at the top of the country’s foreign policy priorities in the fields of human rights and socio-economic development. Among its initiatives, Slovenia had established a foundation named “Together” – the Southeast Europe Centre for the Psychosocial Well-being of Children. The Centre paid particular attention to the psychosocial rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflicts, post-war poverty and other negative social processes.
The Centre’s basic principles were to strengthen local structures in the field of child care and to develop new mechanisms for the protection and empowerment of children. Trafficking in children also deserved special attention, as it was linked to the sexual and economic exploitation of children. Given the lack of data, there was a growing need to overcome common problems such as the identification of victims and the obtainment of statistics. For that reason, Slovenia supported the establishment of a special procedure for the prevention of trafficking, with a substantial part of its activities addressing the plight of children.
MADAL HERNANDEZ (Venezuela) said the Convention on the Rights of the Child had been part of the national law of Venezuela for more than 10 years, and the Convention’s optional protocols had been ratified. The country’s legal framework had been adapted to the provisions of the Convention and contained considerable provisions for the protection of children. It recognized the rights of boys, girls and adolescents.
State councils for the protection of children’s rights had been established as well. In spite of the obstacles encountered, there had been progress. Among other things, child mortality had been reduced nationally by 25 per cent, and there had been improvements in vaccination rates and in neo-natal care. The country’s national plan had also recognized the need for a major rethinking of access to health care services, education and food. As 50 per cent of the country’s population was under 18, Venezuela was working vigorously to address the needs of its younger citizens.
GLORIA A AKUFFO (Ghana) said that in Ghana, the concept of child development had changed and the welfare of Ghanaian children had improved remarkably. Working in cooperation with several partners, Ghana had passed legislation criminalizing child trafficking, female genital mutilation, child labour and violence against children, including domestic abuse. By those legal instruments, the Government aimed to give every Ghanaian child the right start in life. Economic and cultural constraints that impeded the full enjoyment of the rights of children were being addressed. To demonstrate political commitment to the cause of children, a Ministry for Women and Children's Affairs had been created in 2001. It was vigorously spearheading the promotion of child-friendly policies and the review of relevant laws to enhance protection for Ghanaian children, consistent with the Convention. Enslaved children were being freed and reconciled with their parents and capital was provided for mothers of the freed children to enable them to provide the necessary parental support.
Ghana had created unique police units called Women and Juvenile Units in all 10 regions of the country to ensure information and support and to coordinate counselling services for children. The units also investigated and prosecuted crimes committed against women and children. Although violations of the rights of children still occurred, the Government was resolute in its pursuit of measures to minimize and eventually eradicate such crimes and to punish perpetrators.
ALEXANDRE DA CONCEIÇAO ZANDAMELA (Mozambique) said the quest for the welfare of the 46 per cent of the country’s population that consisted of children had always been at the top of Government priorities in all of its development programmes. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, as well as the ratification of International Labour Office Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour, attested to the firm commitment of the Government to the well-being and the betterment of living conditions of the country's children. The Government had vigorously pursed the effective realization of the objectives set forth in the Convention.
The Government, in close partnership with civil society and its development cooperation partners, had embarked on a process of reviewing national legislation to incorporate into domestic law the main provisions contained in international legal instruments on human rights. Those reforms included the recently approved Family Law, changes to the Constitution, and revision of the Civil and Political Code.
LESLEY MILLER, of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said the organization was encouraged that the Convention on the Rights of the Child had been embraced by almost all members of the United Nations. It was also inspiring that the majority of States parties to the Convention had fulfilled their reporting obligations under the Convention. The Convention had provided a special opportunity to work for and with children in promoting action and advocating in their favour.
UNICEF welcomed recent efforts to advance the rights of particularly vulnerable groups of children. Those included steps towards the development of a new Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. UNICEF was also encouraged by the visibility the situation of indigenous children had gained in recent years. It would like to highlight the important contribution made by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in providing guidance to the United Nations system, and the high priority the Permanent Forum placed on children. UNICEF urged the Commission to take additional steps to ensure that children's rights were at the centre of its agenda.
CLARAH ANDRIANJAKA (Madagascar) said that in countries where the majority of the population was juvenile or infantile, the issue of the promotion and protection of the rights of the child was undoubtedly of capital importance. This was the case in Madagascar, where 55 per cent of the population was under 20, and 43 per cent under 15. This was why, with the aim of securing the future, Government authorities had adopted a range of measures destined to promote and protect the rights of the child, both at the national and international levels. These measures included, at the national level, Constitutional, legislative and administrative measures, and at the international level, the ratification of a number of Conventions and Protocols. Despite efforts already made, much remained to be done. Future actions in the favour of children involved the main goal of eliminating poverty, regarding which Madagascar favoured bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation.
Concern was felt over the increasing amounts of violence committed against children across the globe. The international community would undoubtedly do all it could to cause the concerned countries to increase their efforts to end this violence, whether it involved armed conflicts, kidnapping, the sale of children, prostitution, or other offences. State, international aid, and civil society synergy could form an efficient platform for the protection of children.
* *** *
Tags
VIEW THIS PAGE IN: