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04 October 2000
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CRC
25th session
4 October 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its consideration of an initial report of the Comoros on how that country implements the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In preliminary remarks, a Committee expert said the serious problem of poverty in the Comoros had created difficulties in the fields of education, health and in the labour market. The Comoros had a long way to go to satisfy the obligations it was required to discharge under the Convention.
The expert urged the Comoros to take more action concerning the family code and to solve the problem of children born out of wedlock. The Comoros should make efforts to execute its obligations under the treaty.
Formal, written conclusions on the report of the Comoros will be issued by the Committee on Friday, 6 October, when it concludes its three-week autumn session.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention, the Comoros has the obligation to submit periodic summaries of the efforts undertaken in the country to give effect to the provisions of the treaty. A two-member Government delegation was on hand throughout the day to answer questions raised by Committee experts.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 5 October, it will hold a private meeting to consider its draft conclusions on country reports examined during the current session.
Discussion
In response to questions by Committee experts on juvenile crimes, the members of the Comoros delegation said law-offending children were not put in prisons because such facilities were not the right place for them. Instead, those children were kept in centres where they were educated before they were reintegrated into the society.
Polygamy was fading away because of financial and economic considerations, the delegation said. Young people, in particular, did not have time to contemplate a second spouse, and because of the modernization of the society and the social structure of the country, the institution of polygamy had become undermined.
Due to economic difficulties, some Comoros medical doctors were not employed, thus the health care area was not fully functional, the delegation said. In the reproductive health field, the Government had undertaken an awareness raising campaign. The use of contraceptive methods were encouraged to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
The Comoros law severely punished rape as a criminal act, the delegation said. Nevertheless, it was very rare to find girls lodging complaints against the perpetrators because of fear and doubt about the outcome of the judgement. Although sexually abused children could bring their complaints before the judicial authorities through their parents, it was also rare that such steps were taken.
Concerning malaria and cholera, the Government had taken measures to teach people about their harmfulness and mosquito eradication activities had been taken in collaboration with international organizations. With regard to cholera, people had been regularly informed of the dangers and were told to take the necessary hygienic measures.
Comoros was not a self-sufficient country with regard to food, the delegation said; the land available for agricultural activities was scarce, and fishing was becoming difficult because of the disappearance of certain kinds of fish in the nearby seas; fishermen had to go a long distance to fish, and they still came back with less fish. With the fall in the value of exports and the high price of staple food, almost the entire population was forced to live on a meagre diet.
The economic circumstances of parents had been among the obstacles which hampered children from going to school, the delegation said. Many families were poor and unable to provide three meals, let alone pay their children's tuition fees. The number of children dropping from school had significantly increased recently, and unemployment and juvenile delinquency were rising.
Conventional social institutions and structures did not exist in the Comoros, the delegation said. No benefits were provided by a State-run or private medical insurance agency of any kind; there were no day-care centres very few kindergartens, and no unemployment or family benefits.
A question was raised on alcohol consumption to which the delegation said the issue was a problem, including people getting drunk. Any alcoholic drinks could be procured from any place by anyone without restriction. Although drinking was prohibited in public places, youngsters continued to get drunk in public. The use of drugs had also become common among the youth despite the law prohibiting their use. However, the Government had no data base on the two issues to measure how widespread they were.
Children between 14 and 18 years of age had been involved in the civil strife that took place in August and September 1999 and in earlier years, the delegation said. Despite the Government's effort to rehabilitate those children, the problem of the embargo on the Anjouan island, which was part of the Comoros, did not have a solution.
Preliminary Remarks
A Committee expert said that the Comoros was a small country which had been facing one coup d'etat after another and had been experiencing economic difficulties. The serious problem of poverty had created difficulties in the fields of education and health and in the labour market. The Comoros had a long way to go to satisfy the obligations it was required to discharge.
The Comoros had to take more action concerning the family code and had to solve the problem of children born out of wedlock; measures had to be taken in the areas of health and education; and the Convention should be disseminated widely, the expert concluded.
* *** *
25th session
4 October 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its consideration of an initial report of the Comoros on how that country implements the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In preliminary remarks, a Committee expert said the serious problem of poverty in the Comoros had created difficulties in the fields of education, health and in the labour market. The Comoros had a long way to go to satisfy the obligations it was required to discharge under the Convention.
The expert urged the Comoros to take more action concerning the family code and to solve the problem of children born out of wedlock. The Comoros should make efforts to execute its obligations under the treaty.
Formal, written conclusions on the report of the Comoros will be issued by the Committee on Friday, 6 October, when it concludes its three-week autumn session.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention, the Comoros has the obligation to submit periodic summaries of the efforts undertaken in the country to give effect to the provisions of the treaty. A two-member Government delegation was on hand throughout the day to answer questions raised by Committee experts.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 5 October, it will hold a private meeting to consider its draft conclusions on country reports examined during the current session.
Discussion
In response to questions by Committee experts on juvenile crimes, the members of the Comoros delegation said law-offending children were not put in prisons because such facilities were not the right place for them. Instead, those children were kept in centres where they were educated before they were reintegrated into the society.
Polygamy was fading away because of financial and economic considerations, the delegation said. Young people, in particular, did not have time to contemplate a second spouse, and because of the modernization of the society and the social structure of the country, the institution of polygamy had become undermined.
Due to economic difficulties, some Comoros medical doctors were not employed, thus the health care area was not fully functional, the delegation said. In the reproductive health field, the Government had undertaken an awareness raising campaign. The use of contraceptive methods were encouraged to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
The Comoros law severely punished rape as a criminal act, the delegation said. Nevertheless, it was very rare to find girls lodging complaints against the perpetrators because of fear and doubt about the outcome of the judgement. Although sexually abused children could bring their complaints before the judicial authorities through their parents, it was also rare that such steps were taken.
Concerning malaria and cholera, the Government had taken measures to teach people about their harmfulness and mosquito eradication activities had been taken in collaboration with international organizations. With regard to cholera, people had been regularly informed of the dangers and were told to take the necessary hygienic measures.
Comoros was not a self-sufficient country with regard to food, the delegation said; the land available for agricultural activities was scarce, and fishing was becoming difficult because of the disappearance of certain kinds of fish in the nearby seas; fishermen had to go a long distance to fish, and they still came back with less fish. With the fall in the value of exports and the high price of staple food, almost the entire population was forced to live on a meagre diet.
The economic circumstances of parents had been among the obstacles which hampered children from going to school, the delegation said. Many families were poor and unable to provide three meals, let alone pay their children's tuition fees. The number of children dropping from school had significantly increased recently, and unemployment and juvenile delinquency were rising.
Conventional social institutions and structures did not exist in the Comoros, the delegation said. No benefits were provided by a State-run or private medical insurance agency of any kind; there were no day-care centres very few kindergartens, and no unemployment or family benefits.
A question was raised on alcohol consumption to which the delegation said the issue was a problem, including people getting drunk. Any alcoholic drinks could be procured from any place by anyone without restriction. Although drinking was prohibited in public places, youngsters continued to get drunk in public. The use of drugs had also become common among the youth despite the law prohibiting their use. However, the Government had no data base on the two issues to measure how widespread they were.
Children between 14 and 18 years of age had been involved in the civil strife that took place in August and September 1999 and in earlier years, the delegation said. Despite the Government's effort to rehabilitate those children, the problem of the embargo on the Anjouan island, which was part of the Comoros, did not have a solution.
Preliminary Remarks
A Committee expert said that the Comoros was a small country which had been facing one coup d'etat after another and had been experiencing economic difficulties. The serious problem of poverty had created difficulties in the fields of education and health and in the labour market. The Comoros had a long way to go to satisfy the obligations it was required to discharge.
The Comoros had to take more action concerning the family code and had to solve the problem of children born out of wedlock; measures had to be taken in the areas of health and education; and the Convention should be disseminated widely, the expert concluded.
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