Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD OFFERS PRELIMINARY RESPONSE TO REPORT OF VANUATU
24 September 1999
Share
AFTERNOON
HR/CRC/99/45
24 September 1999
Recommends Creation of Special Unit to Enhance Children's Rights
The Committee on the Rights of the Child offered this afternoon preliminary conclusions on a report of Vanuatu, recommending that the Government create a special unit or Ministry to enhance the rights of children and that it continue promulgation of legislation to enhance the well-being of children.
Committee members also suggested that the Government harmonize customary laws with the provisions of the Convention. Although tradition had played an important and positive role in the society of Vanuatu, some negative aspects had remained, harming the rights of the child, they said. They also recommended that the Government cooperate with churches and non-governmental organizations in disseminating information about the Convention.
Committee members further recommended that every child in Vanuatu should have equal opportunities for health care and education; that free and compulsory education should be guaranteed; that the views of the child should be respected; that corporal punishment should be totally banned in all spheres of the society and not only in schools; and that the age of marriage should be the same for boys and girls.
Formal conclusions and recommendations will be issued in writing towards the end of the Committee's three-week session on 8 October.
Discussion over the course of the afternoon meeting focussed on the general topics of definition of the child; general principles; and civil rights and freedoms.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Vanuatu must submit periodic reports to the Committee on Government efforts to improve the circumstances of the country's children. Government delegations generally appear before the Committee to discuss these reports and to answer questions raised by Committee members. The delegation of Vanuatu consisted of Gideons Mael, Officer-in-Charge of the Health Services Department of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu is made up of several islands in the Pacific Ocean and has a population of 164,900.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. Monday, 27 September, it will take up a second periodic report of Mexico.
Discussion
At the beginning of the afternoon meeting, Committee Experts raised questions, among other things, on police brutality; the establishment of a juvenile justice system; alternative means to corporal punishment for making children to "behave well"; a ban on corporal punishment in the schools, and if it was monitored; and students’ ability to raise complaints if the ban was violated by a teacher.
An Expert said girls who reached puberty had been beaten up by a whole village in the Tanna island of Tafe Province leaving scars on their bodies, to which GIDEONS MAEL, Officer-in-Charge of the Health Services Department of Vanuatu and the sole representative of the Government at the meeting, replied that he had no knowledge of the existence of this custom. Instead, he said, in one of the islands, when a girl became pregnant, everyone celebrated.
Mr. Mael said the perpetuation of the practice of corporal punishment was a way of thinking that for the child to become responsible in the future, corporal punishment should be applied each time he or she committed a mistake. Since schools were part of the community, corporal punishment was not totally banned despite its prohibition. Banning the practice of corporal punishment was a new way of thinking and the intervention of Government authorities in the "family affair" of child beating was unthinkable, he said, adding that "what the Committee thought wrong was right in the Vanuatuan society".
Mr. Mael affirmed that no children were under detention or in prisons in Vanuatu, to which one Committee member replied that in that case Vanuatu was a “heaven” for children. However, Mr. Mael said, urban children who went to school at times committed petty crimes such as stealing or other mischievous acts, while those with less education and who lived in the rural areas remained humble. He said it was possible that city environments might increase the temptation to commit crimes, which children considered “adventures”.
Mr. Mael said that in educating their children, some parents had a preference for boys, believing that girls would not bring fortune to the family. The choice of which children went to school totally depended on the parents, he said.
Although education was considered to be free of charge, it was not free as such because parents were expected pay in kind, such as by participating in catering programmes for school children, Mr. Mael said. If parents did not contribute to such programmes, they were told not to send their children to school, he added.
Sexual abuse of children in Vanuatu was an everyday happening and even girls who arrived at police stations for complaints were in turn abused by police officers, Mr. Mael said. In cities, complaints were made at police stations and courts while in rural areas, chiefs heard such complaints.
Preliminary observations and recommendations
Committee members offered a number of preliminary reactions, terming the dialogue with Mr. Mael frank and honest and saying the Government should harmonize customary laws with the provisions of the Convention. Although tradition had played an important and positive role in society, some negative aspects still remained which harmed the rights of the child, Committee Experts said. They recommended that the Government cooperate with churches and non-governmental organizations in disseminating information on the Convention.
Committee members recommended that a special unit or Ministry be established to enhance the rights of children and that the Government continue promulgation of legislation to favour of the promotion and protection of the rights of children. They suggested that health and education should be provided to all children in urban and rural areas without discrimination. In addition, they recommended that free and compulsory education should be guaranteed; that the views of the child should be respected; that corporal punishment should be totally banned in all spheres of society and not only in schools; and that the age of marriage should be the same for boys and girls.
HR/CRC/99/45
24 September 1999
Recommends Creation of Special Unit to Enhance Children's Rights
The Committee on the Rights of the Child offered this afternoon preliminary conclusions on a report of Vanuatu, recommending that the Government create a special unit or Ministry to enhance the rights of children and that it continue promulgation of legislation to enhance the well-being of children.
Committee members also suggested that the Government harmonize customary laws with the provisions of the Convention. Although tradition had played an important and positive role in the society of Vanuatu, some negative aspects had remained, harming the rights of the child, they said. They also recommended that the Government cooperate with churches and non-governmental organizations in disseminating information about the Convention.
Committee members further recommended that every child in Vanuatu should have equal opportunities for health care and education; that free and compulsory education should be guaranteed; that the views of the child should be respected; that corporal punishment should be totally banned in all spheres of the society and not only in schools; and that the age of marriage should be the same for boys and girls.
Formal conclusions and recommendations will be issued in writing towards the end of the Committee's three-week session on 8 October.
Discussion over the course of the afternoon meeting focussed on the general topics of definition of the child; general principles; and civil rights and freedoms.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Vanuatu must submit periodic reports to the Committee on Government efforts to improve the circumstances of the country's children. Government delegations generally appear before the Committee to discuss these reports and to answer questions raised by Committee members. The delegation of Vanuatu consisted of Gideons Mael, Officer-in-Charge of the Health Services Department of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu is made up of several islands in the Pacific Ocean and has a population of 164,900.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. Monday, 27 September, it will take up a second periodic report of Mexico.
Discussion
At the beginning of the afternoon meeting, Committee Experts raised questions, among other things, on police brutality; the establishment of a juvenile justice system; alternative means to corporal punishment for making children to "behave well"; a ban on corporal punishment in the schools, and if it was monitored; and students’ ability to raise complaints if the ban was violated by a teacher.
An Expert said girls who reached puberty had been beaten up by a whole village in the Tanna island of Tafe Province leaving scars on their bodies, to which GIDEONS MAEL, Officer-in-Charge of the Health Services Department of Vanuatu and the sole representative of the Government at the meeting, replied that he had no knowledge of the existence of this custom. Instead, he said, in one of the islands, when a girl became pregnant, everyone celebrated.
Mr. Mael said the perpetuation of the practice of corporal punishment was a way of thinking that for the child to become responsible in the future, corporal punishment should be applied each time he or she committed a mistake. Since schools were part of the community, corporal punishment was not totally banned despite its prohibition. Banning the practice of corporal punishment was a new way of thinking and the intervention of Government authorities in the "family affair" of child beating was unthinkable, he said, adding that "what the Committee thought wrong was right in the Vanuatuan society".
Mr. Mael affirmed that no children were under detention or in prisons in Vanuatu, to which one Committee member replied that in that case Vanuatu was a “heaven” for children. However, Mr. Mael said, urban children who went to school at times committed petty crimes such as stealing or other mischievous acts, while those with less education and who lived in the rural areas remained humble. He said it was possible that city environments might increase the temptation to commit crimes, which children considered “adventures”.
Mr. Mael said that in educating their children, some parents had a preference for boys, believing that girls would not bring fortune to the family. The choice of which children went to school totally depended on the parents, he said.
Although education was considered to be free of charge, it was not free as such because parents were expected pay in kind, such as by participating in catering programmes for school children, Mr. Mael said. If parents did not contribute to such programmes, they were told not to send their children to school, he added.
Sexual abuse of children in Vanuatu was an everyday happening and even girls who arrived at police stations for complaints were in turn abused by police officers, Mr. Mael said. In cities, complaints were made at police stations and courts while in rural areas, chiefs heard such complaints.
Preliminary observations and recommendations
Committee members offered a number of preliminary reactions, terming the dialogue with Mr. Mael frank and honest and saying the Government should harmonize customary laws with the provisions of the Convention. Although tradition had played an important and positive role in society, some negative aspects still remained which harmed the rights of the child, Committee Experts said. They recommended that the Government cooperate with churches and non-governmental organizations in disseminating information on the Convention.
Committee members recommended that a special unit or Ministry be established to enhance the rights of children and that the Government continue promulgation of legislation to favour of the promotion and protection of the rights of children. They suggested that health and education should be provided to all children in urban and rural areas without discrimination. In addition, they recommended that free and compulsory education should be guaranteed; that the views of the child should be respected; that corporal punishment should be totally banned in all spheres of society and not only in schools; and that the age of marriage should be the same for boys and girls.