COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF IRAQ'S REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CONVENTION

MORNING
HR/CRC/98/44
24 September 1998




The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning continued its consideration of the initial report of Iraq on how that country implements the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Iraqi delegation said the welfare of disabled children formed part of Iraq's comprehensive concern for child care, adding that currently, there were 45 institutions aimed at accommodating such children. The institutions offered educational and rehabilitative programmes suited to the nature and type of the disability and the physical and mental capacities of the disabled person. Additional efforts were also being made to increase resources in order to integrate disabled children into the society.

A number of the Committee's 10 independent human rights experts raised further questions on such issues as illiteracy, discrimination against the girl child, the age of sexual consent, child adoption, children in armed conflict, non-discrimination against non-citizens, and respect of the views of the child.

Iraq, as one of 191 States parties to the Convention, is required to submit periodic reports to the Committee on how it complies with the instrument.

The Committee will conclude its consideration of the report of Iraq at 3 p.m. by offering its preliminary concluding observations and recommendations on the report.

Discussion of Report

In response to questions raised by Committee members during the previous session, the Iraqi delegation affirmed that there was a general framework of law in which the Convention was implemented. In addition, there was a central body that monitored the proper implementation of the provisions of the Convention. In general, Iraqi laws were compatible with the treaty.

With regard to the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the delegation said that organizations such as Doctors without Borders and World Council of Churches were actively participating in programmes aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of children and young persons. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and NGOs participated in implementing joint projects for children.

UNICEF, in particular, had contributed a lot to the campaign to vaccinate children, the delegation said. For example, 3 million children were vaccinated each year against poliomyelitis and another campaign was being launched against measles. Among the local NGOs, the General Federation of Iraqi Women and the Iraqi Child Support Association participated in preparing the initial report of Iraq to the Committee.

Committee experts raised additional questions on such topics as illiteracy, discrimination against the girl child, the age of sexual consent, child adoption, children in armed conflict, non-discrimination against non-citizens, and respect of the views of the child.

The Iraqi delegation said that minorities had the right to enjoy their cultures and use their own languages. In addition, minorities enjoyed the same rights as other Iraqi citizens. The Iraqi Constitution guaranteed the cultural rights of minorities. It stipulated that the Iraqi people consisted of two main ethnic groups: Arabs and Kurds. The ethnic rights of the Kurdish people, as well as the legitimate cultural rights of the Syriac-speaking minorities, were ensured.

A question was asked on the treatment of foreign children residing in Iraq. The delegation said that these children could exercise their civil and political rights; could attend schools of their choice; and received medical treatment without any discrimination. The fact that patients were not asked about their nationality while under medical treatment prevented possible discrimination.

As a State party to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Iraq had affirmed its respect for the equality of women in all sectors of the country, the delegation went on to say. Recognition of the principle of equality between men and women also applied to boys and girls. Children of both sexes from 6 to 15 years of age had an obligation to complete the primary stage of education. Moreover, every illiterate citizen, male or female, in the 15 to 45 age group had an obligation to enrol at a centre for the eradication of illiteracy.

On the question of abortion, the delegation said that its practice was strictly prohibited and that any person committing the act was punished by law. Similarly, women who had abortions were also punished. However, abortion could be carried out in special cases when the life of the woman or the unborn child was jeopardized.

The welfare of disabled children formed part of Iraq's comprehensive concern for child care, the delegation affirmed, adding that currently, there were 45 institutions aimed at accommodating such children. The institutions offered educational and rehabilitative programmes suited to the nature and type of the disability and the physical and mental capacities of the disabled person. In 1995, the number of persons benefiting from the services of those institutions throughout the country amounted to 3,300. The Government was making efforts to increase resources to intensify the integration of disabled children within the society.

An expert asked about the age limit for voluntary service in the army. The delegation said that although persons above the age of 14 and below the age of 28 could join the voluntary service, the consent of the father was required for persons under 18 years. In addition, one should be over 18 to be drafted into the regular army.

The process of adoption was strictly monitored by Government agencies in order to guarantee the best interests of the child, the delegation. Although adoption was not known in the Islamic Shari'a and tradition, courts could decide on the adoption of any child and could determine the capacity of the adopting parents. In the event of adoption, a probation period of six months was required before a couple could definitively adopt a child.

Marriage was regulated by Islamic Shari'a and various values, customary practices and traditions on which the Iraqi society was based, the delegation said. The age of marriage for both boys and girls was fixed at 18 years. Although marriages were concluded with minors in some regions, the Government, particularly the General Federation of Iraqi Women, had been conducting public awareness campaigns concerning the dangers of the early marriage of children under 18 years.