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29 May 2000
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CRC
24th Session
29 May 2000
Afternoon
Calls, in Preliminary Remarks, for Increased Budget for Social Programmes
The Committee on the Rights of the Child completed review this afternoon of an initial report of Surinam, saying in preliminary conclusions and recommendations that the Government, despite limited resources, should consider increasing the percentage of its budget allocated to social programmes and that it should find a way to augment child health and education programmes.
The Committee also said that better data collection was needed on child-related matters and that it recognized that poverty and a lack of financial and human resources were limiting the country's efforts to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Formal, written conclusions and recommendations on the report of Surinam will be issued before the Committee adjourns its three-week session on 2 June.
The report was introduced this morning by a three-member Government delegation whose members were on hand throughout the day to answer questions put by the Committee's 10 independent experts.
Discussion during the afternoon meeting focused on civil rights and liberties; basic health and welfare; education, leisure, and cultural activities; and special protection measures.
Responding to questions, the delegation said, among other things, that there were problems with malnutrition, teenage pregnancy, and in providing education to all children, some of whom lived in remote interior regions.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Surinam, which acceded to the international treaty in 1993, must file periodic reports with the Committee on the status of the country's children and on efforts to implement the Convention.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 30 May, to take up a report of Djibouti.
Discussion
The delegation of Surinam, responding to questions, said, among other things, that attitudes about the education of girls were changing; that recently there was less discrimination against them, and parents were more aware of the importance of education. Under the Constitution, discrimination of any sort was forbidden.
A draft bill addressing such issues as health and placement of children in institutions, and their rights to education and other services while in institutions, was being developed, the delegation said.
Surinam had not ratified the Convention against Torture, the delegation said, but it had ratified the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which prohibited torture, and it had ratified the Inter-American Convention against Torture. In addition, the Constitution of Surinam prohibited torture. Considering all that, the Government would have no difficulty ratifying the Convention against Torture if it chose to do so.
Courts took children's wishes into account in awarding custody in situations of divorce or broken homes or revocation of parental rights, if children were over age 12, the delegation said; but there was no rule for doing so if they were under age 12; however, courts nonetheless could interview younger children on such matters if it seemed germane.
Most Caribbean countries, with their pasts of slavery, had developed cultures where opinions were not freely or quickly expressed, and children had such an attitude with their 'superiors', or parents, the delegation said; there was hence a cultural reluctance to take children's opinions into account, or to hear what children had to say; the Government was trying to change these attitudes. Children in many families were still to be seen and not heard.
Legislation, including child-related legislation, could not be stampeded by the Government through Parliament, the delegation said; it often happened that the Government wished certain bills to have priority attention from Parliament, but legislators had their own agendas and their own power over what bills were considered and acted on, and of course on the contents of legislation. The legislative workload currently was very heavy. To some extent the Government could bypass legislative delay by pronouncing State decrees; through such decrees, Ministries were instructed to carry out certain activities, and these could serve in the interim between the writing of legislation and its passage.
Police brutality was monitored and investigated by the Office of the Public Prosecutor, which had a bureau for that purpose, the delegation said; the bureau could take disciplinary measures, but in more serious cases, the allegations were tried in court and penal sanctions could result.
Along with Government officials, certain NGOs and officials in rural villages were authorized to record births, the delegation said.
Efforts were being made to reduce corporal punishment, the delegation said; the frequency was not so high as suggested by the Committee; it was true that a crisis centre for child victims of domestic violence had had some problems and had been closed, but at no time was there a lack of shelter for children in need of it; the centre's staff also had continued to provide services to children. Data on child suicide was lacking, the delegation said; it was hoped to have better information in the coming months.
Several studies on education had been carried out, the delegation said; the findings would be taken into account in an upcoming National Education Congress. Among problems affecting education in the interior of the country was that many schools could only be reached by boat or by plane; there had been occasions when teachers could not fly to schools in the interior because the airlines requested additional payment. It was intended that the National Education Congress would result in formulation of a national policy on education.
Informal child care often occurred in local neighbourhoods and between families, the delegation said; it was a tradition; the practice appeared to be fading away, but it was true that there was no legal control over such arrangements and that standards of child care in those situations could not be guaranteed.
A report had been issued recently on juvenile justice, written by a consultant, the delegation said; legislative reforms were being crafted based on the findings; the report suggested, among other things, that alternatives to imprisonment be expanded; that policemen, judges, prosecutors, and those investigating cases be further trained in child rights; and that those who incited children to criminal acts be more severely punished. Programmes also were planned to combat juvenile delinquency and to carry out the national youth policy.
Currently, education in the country's interior was in one's native tongue until age 12, the delegation said; afterward, Dutch also was taught; the system was flawed because the national language was Dutch and should be learned sooner; starting so late was a kind of discrimination because it left those who were not fluent in Dutch at a disadvantage; the matter would be discussed at the upcoming National Education Congress.
The term 'street children' could be misleading if applied to children of Surinam, based on its meaning in other countries, the delegation said; there were, it was true, many children who did not attend school, and some of them were involved in commercial activities on the street. The police were aware of them and monitored their compliance with the law. Officials of the Bureau for Family Matters pursued fathers who did not support their children to ensure that they provided financing for their families; informal resolutions to such problems were tried first, but formal court orders requiring child support could be obtained if necessary. A survey on child labour had been conducted with support from UNICEF, and a draft report on the topic had been completed.
Some 17 per cent of annual births in the country were to teenage mothers, the delegation said.
Malnutrition was a problem in Surinam, as in many developing countries, the delegation said; many were affected from infancy; mothers with malnourished infants were encouraged to take them to health centres.
Malaria and dengue occurred in Surinam, and public-health offices provided information and preventive services, the delegation said, but people did not always participate in preventive regimes. Rates of malaria lately had fallen.
Preliminary conclusions and recommendations
The Committee had several preliminary responses to the report of Surinam. Formal, written conclusions and recommendations will be issued before the Committee adjourns its three-week session on 2 June.
The Committee said, among other things, that the dialogue had been fruitful, although some answers of the delegation had been less clear than the Committee wished; that problems existed in terms of lack of financial and human resources; that the Government should consider increasing the percentage of the budget for social services; that more disaggregated data should be developed on child rights; that poverty affected children and limited provision of adequate health care and education; that a 'brain drain' through which professional personnel were leaving made it difficult for the Government to employ qualified staff; that the Government appeared clearly committed to implementing the Convention; and that more needed to be done to protect children in vulnerable situations.
* *** *
24th Session
29 May 2000
Afternoon
Calls, in Preliminary Remarks, for Increased Budget for Social Programmes
The Committee on the Rights of the Child completed review this afternoon of an initial report of Surinam, saying in preliminary conclusions and recommendations that the Government, despite limited resources, should consider increasing the percentage of its budget allocated to social programmes and that it should find a way to augment child health and education programmes.
The Committee also said that better data collection was needed on child-related matters and that it recognized that poverty and a lack of financial and human resources were limiting the country's efforts to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Formal, written conclusions and recommendations on the report of Surinam will be issued before the Committee adjourns its three-week session on 2 June.
The report was introduced this morning by a three-member Government delegation whose members were on hand throughout the day to answer questions put by the Committee's 10 independent experts.
Discussion during the afternoon meeting focused on civil rights and liberties; basic health and welfare; education, leisure, and cultural activities; and special protection measures.
Responding to questions, the delegation said, among other things, that there were problems with malnutrition, teenage pregnancy, and in providing education to all children, some of whom lived in remote interior regions.
As one of the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Surinam, which acceded to the international treaty in 1993, must file periodic reports with the Committee on the status of the country's children and on efforts to implement the Convention.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 30 May, to take up a report of Djibouti.
Discussion
The delegation of Surinam, responding to questions, said, among other things, that attitudes about the education of girls were changing; that recently there was less discrimination against them, and parents were more aware of the importance of education. Under the Constitution, discrimination of any sort was forbidden.
A draft bill addressing such issues as health and placement of children in institutions, and their rights to education and other services while in institutions, was being developed, the delegation said.
Surinam had not ratified the Convention against Torture, the delegation said, but it had ratified the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which prohibited torture, and it had ratified the Inter-American Convention against Torture. In addition, the Constitution of Surinam prohibited torture. Considering all that, the Government would have no difficulty ratifying the Convention against Torture if it chose to do so.
Courts took children's wishes into account in awarding custody in situations of divorce or broken homes or revocation of parental rights, if children were over age 12, the delegation said; but there was no rule for doing so if they were under age 12; however, courts nonetheless could interview younger children on such matters if it seemed germane.
Most Caribbean countries, with their pasts of slavery, had developed cultures where opinions were not freely or quickly expressed, and children had such an attitude with their 'superiors', or parents, the delegation said; there was hence a cultural reluctance to take children's opinions into account, or to hear what children had to say; the Government was trying to change these attitudes. Children in many families were still to be seen and not heard.
Legislation, including child-related legislation, could not be stampeded by the Government through Parliament, the delegation said; it often happened that the Government wished certain bills to have priority attention from Parliament, but legislators had their own agendas and their own power over what bills were considered and acted on, and of course on the contents of legislation. The legislative workload currently was very heavy. To some extent the Government could bypass legislative delay by pronouncing State decrees; through such decrees, Ministries were instructed to carry out certain activities, and these could serve in the interim between the writing of legislation and its passage.
Police brutality was monitored and investigated by the Office of the Public Prosecutor, which had a bureau for that purpose, the delegation said; the bureau could take disciplinary measures, but in more serious cases, the allegations were tried in court and penal sanctions could result.
Along with Government officials, certain NGOs and officials in rural villages were authorized to record births, the delegation said.
Efforts were being made to reduce corporal punishment, the delegation said; the frequency was not so high as suggested by the Committee; it was true that a crisis centre for child victims of domestic violence had had some problems and had been closed, but at no time was there a lack of shelter for children in need of it; the centre's staff also had continued to provide services to children. Data on child suicide was lacking, the delegation said; it was hoped to have better information in the coming months.
Several studies on education had been carried out, the delegation said; the findings would be taken into account in an upcoming National Education Congress. Among problems affecting education in the interior of the country was that many schools could only be reached by boat or by plane; there had been occasions when teachers could not fly to schools in the interior because the airlines requested additional payment. It was intended that the National Education Congress would result in formulation of a national policy on education.
Informal child care often occurred in local neighbourhoods and between families, the delegation said; it was a tradition; the practice appeared to be fading away, but it was true that there was no legal control over such arrangements and that standards of child care in those situations could not be guaranteed.
A report had been issued recently on juvenile justice, written by a consultant, the delegation said; legislative reforms were being crafted based on the findings; the report suggested, among other things, that alternatives to imprisonment be expanded; that policemen, judges, prosecutors, and those investigating cases be further trained in child rights; and that those who incited children to criminal acts be more severely punished. Programmes also were planned to combat juvenile delinquency and to carry out the national youth policy.
Currently, education in the country's interior was in one's native tongue until age 12, the delegation said; afterward, Dutch also was taught; the system was flawed because the national language was Dutch and should be learned sooner; starting so late was a kind of discrimination because it left those who were not fluent in Dutch at a disadvantage; the matter would be discussed at the upcoming National Education Congress.
The term 'street children' could be misleading if applied to children of Surinam, based on its meaning in other countries, the delegation said; there were, it was true, many children who did not attend school, and some of them were involved in commercial activities on the street. The police were aware of them and monitored their compliance with the law. Officials of the Bureau for Family Matters pursued fathers who did not support their children to ensure that they provided financing for their families; informal resolutions to such problems were tried first, but formal court orders requiring child support could be obtained if necessary. A survey on child labour had been conducted with support from UNICEF, and a draft report on the topic had been completed.
Some 17 per cent of annual births in the country were to teenage mothers, the delegation said.
Malnutrition was a problem in Surinam, as in many developing countries, the delegation said; many were affected from infancy; mothers with malnourished infants were encouraged to take them to health centres.
Malaria and dengue occurred in Surinam, and public-health offices provided information and preventive services, the delegation said, but people did not always participate in preventive regimes. Rates of malaria lately had fallen.
Preliminary conclusions and recommendations
The Committee had several preliminary responses to the report of Surinam. Formal, written conclusions and recommendations will be issued before the Committee adjourns its three-week session on 2 June.
The Committee said, among other things, that the dialogue had been fruitful, although some answers of the delegation had been less clear than the Committee wished; that problems existed in terms of lack of financial and human resources; that the Government should consider increasing the percentage of the budget for social services; that more disaggregated data should be developed on child rights; that poverty affected children and limited provision of adequate health care and education; that a 'brain drain' through which professional personnel were leaving made it difficult for the Government to employ qualified staff; that the Government appeared clearly committed to implementing the Convention; and that more needed to be done to protect children in vulnerable situations.
* *** *