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COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD DISCUSSES COOPERATION WITH OTHER BODIES
06 October 1998
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AFTERNOON
HR/CRC/98/57
6 October 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon exchanged views on its cooperation with other bodies involved in promoting and protection of the rights of children.
During the discussion, representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said they were projecting the inclusion of at least three children from each country whose report was being considered by the Committee. When this project was realized in October 1999, ten pilot countries, whose reports were to be considered by the Committee, would include children in their respective delegations.
Sandra P. Mason, Chairperson of the Committee, presented her report on the tenth meeting of Chairpersons of Treaty Bodies, saying the Chairpersons had expressed strong concern at the geographical and gender imbalances reflected in the composition of some of the treaty bodies.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Committee that the drafting of the protocols for the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution were under way and that encouraging progress had so far been achieved. She said the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography planned to visit Belgium following the Dutroux incident.
Also participating in the discussion were representatives of the International Save the Child Alliance, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
When the Committee reconvenes in public session onaround 11.30 a.m. on Friday, 9 October, it will adopt its report and final concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Ecuador, Iraq, Bolivia, Kuwait and Thailand before ending its autumn session.
Discussion
Representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that the organization was developing a "Living Guide" of general measures on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The aim was to collect from all States detailed information on positive models and examples of how to turn the principles and provisions of the Convention into reality, and disseminate them through the Internet.
Speaking on the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001, the representatives said that it would cover a critical transition that would bridge the last years of the twentieth century and the first years of the twenty-first century. The plan was enriched by lessons learned in the process of implementing the Plan of Action of the World Summit for Children and by the near universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The representatives further said that the organization was projecting the inclusion of at least three children from each country whose report was being considered by the Committee. When this project was realized in October 1999, ten pilot countries, whose reports were to be considered by the Committee, would include children in their respective delegations. They stressed the need to encourage and allow children to participate in the preparation of country reports and to give priority to respecting their points of views. Children had their own quality, competence and independent views to which adults should pay attention.
A representative for International Save the Child Alliance said that following the recommendations of the Committee’s general discussion on disabled children, held during the previous session of the Committee, a working group was being set up with financial assistance obtained from the United Kingdom and the European Union. Both had contributed a total amount of £100,000.
A representative for the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child also told the members of the Committee that the guide for non-governmental organizations reporting to the Committee had been revised and that a new version had already been distributed in three languages.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that four regional advisory offices had been set up to deal with children. The offices were in Europe, Asia and there were two in Africa. UNHCR had to provide education and facilities for refugee children and those who were born and had grown up in camps. Due to budgetary constraints, some projects had to be revised or replaced by less costly ones.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Committee that the drafting of the protocols for the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution were under way and that encouraging progress had so far been achieved. With regard to child prostitution, the working group was attempting to reach consensus on the issue of criminalizing the persons leading children into prostitution and considering those children as victims of the act. In addition, members of the working group on the contemporary forms of slavery had stressed the need to strengthen cooperation and links with the Committee for comprehensive results on the issue.
SANDRA P. MASON, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, presented the report of the tenth meeting of Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies, saying the chairpersons had expressed strong concern at the geographical and gender imbalances reflected in the composition of some of the treaty bodies.
She said that the meeting had underlined the importance of the supportive work and fruitful cooperation with a number of United Nations specialized agencies, UN bodies and non-governmental organizations.
Mrs. Mason further said that the meeting of Chairpersons had recommended that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights develop a concerted and comprehensive programme of action to promote universal ratification of the Convention in cooperation with other agencies.
HR/CRC/98/57
6 October 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon exchanged views on its cooperation with other bodies involved in promoting and protection of the rights of children.
During the discussion, representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said they were projecting the inclusion of at least three children from each country whose report was being considered by the Committee. When this project was realized in October 1999, ten pilot countries, whose reports were to be considered by the Committee, would include children in their respective delegations.
Sandra P. Mason, Chairperson of the Committee, presented her report on the tenth meeting of Chairpersons of Treaty Bodies, saying the Chairpersons had expressed strong concern at the geographical and gender imbalances reflected in the composition of some of the treaty bodies.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Committee that the drafting of the protocols for the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution were under way and that encouraging progress had so far been achieved. She said the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography planned to visit Belgium following the Dutroux incident.
Also participating in the discussion were representatives of the International Save the Child Alliance, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
When the Committee reconvenes in public session onaround 11.30 a.m. on Friday, 9 October, it will adopt its report and final concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Ecuador, Iraq, Bolivia, Kuwait and Thailand before ending its autumn session.
Discussion
Representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that the organization was developing a "Living Guide" of general measures on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The aim was to collect from all States detailed information on positive models and examples of how to turn the principles and provisions of the Convention into reality, and disseminate them through the Internet.
Speaking on the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001, the representatives said that it would cover a critical transition that would bridge the last years of the twentieth century and the first years of the twenty-first century. The plan was enriched by lessons learned in the process of implementing the Plan of Action of the World Summit for Children and by the near universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The representatives further said that the organization was projecting the inclusion of at least three children from each country whose report was being considered by the Committee. When this project was realized in October 1999, ten pilot countries, whose reports were to be considered by the Committee, would include children in their respective delegations. They stressed the need to encourage and allow children to participate in the preparation of country reports and to give priority to respecting their points of views. Children had their own quality, competence and independent views to which adults should pay attention.
A representative for International Save the Child Alliance said that following the recommendations of the Committee’s general discussion on disabled children, held during the previous session of the Committee, a working group was being set up with financial assistance obtained from the United Kingdom and the European Union. Both had contributed a total amount of £100,000.
A representative for the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child also told the members of the Committee that the guide for non-governmental organizations reporting to the Committee had been revised and that a new version had already been distributed in three languages.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that four regional advisory offices had been set up to deal with children. The offices were in Europe, Asia and there were two in Africa. UNHCR had to provide education and facilities for refugee children and those who were born and had grown up in camps. Due to budgetary constraints, some projects had to be revised or replaced by less costly ones.
A representative for the High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Committee that the drafting of the protocols for the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution were under way and that encouraging progress had so far been achieved. With regard to child prostitution, the working group was attempting to reach consensus on the issue of criminalizing the persons leading children into prostitution and considering those children as victims of the act. In addition, members of the working group on the contemporary forms of slavery had stressed the need to strengthen cooperation and links with the Committee for comprehensive results on the issue.
SANDRA P. MASON, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, presented the report of the tenth meeting of Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies, saying the chairpersons had expressed strong concern at the geographical and gender imbalances reflected in the composition of some of the treaty bodies.
She said that the meeting had underlined the importance of the supportive work and fruitful cooperation with a number of United Nations specialized agencies, UN bodies and non-governmental organizations.
Mrs. Mason further said that the meeting of Chairpersons had recommended that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights develop a concerted and comprehensive programme of action to promote universal ratification of the Convention in cooperation with other agencies.