Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
Default title
04 October 2000
Share
CRC
25th session
4 October 2000
Morning
Report Regrets Comorans Place Value
on Economic Utility of Children
The Committee on the Rights of the Child started this morning its consideration of an initial report of the Comoros by querying the Government delegation on the belief that "the only good child is a useful child"; why the role of children was based on economic utility; and about discrimination against Christian children, among other things.
The report said many Comorans believed that although a child might be socially useful, much greater value was placed on his or her economic utility. Particularly in rural areas, children were made to help out in the field or around the house at a very tender age. That situation gave rise to serious abuses, the report regretted, for example when a child was not permitted to attend school because he or she was economically useful to the family.
The delegation of the Comoros Government was made up of Toyb Zahara, Secretary-General of the State Council of the Comoros; and Djaffar Ahmed, Magistrate at the Court of Appeal.
Discussion over the course of the morning focused on the main clusters of the general measures of implementation; definition of the child; general principles; and civil rights and freedoms.
The Comoros is among the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such it is obligated to submit periodic reports to the Committee on efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee will continue its consideration of the report of the Comoros at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
Report of Comoros
The initial report of the Comoros (document CRC/C/28/Add.13) enumerates the measures taken by the Government to implement the provisions of the Convention. It says that the ratification of the Convention in July 1993 has to date failed to yield any urgent or priority measures flowing from the commitments implicitly entered into. It further notes that neither the necessary conditions nor the means exist to comprehensively translate into practical action the significant concern for children's welfare arising from the ratification of the Convention.
The report says that Comorans regard children as a precious asset. However, it regretted that this asset is largely based on a very utilitarian view of children, as reflected in a number of popular sayings including the widely quoted saying "the only good child is a useful child". Many Comorans believed that although a child may be socially useful, much greater value is placed on his or her economic utility. Particularly in rural areas, children are made to help out in the field or around the house at a very tender age. This situation gives rise to serious abuses, for example when a child is not permitted to attend school because he or she is economically useful to the family.
In its conclusion, the report notes that the Government of the Comoros remains committed to policies to implement the Convention by adopting statutes and promoting programmes to strengthen the rights of the child; by creating a multi-sectoral follow-up committee on the issue; and by developing measures needed to enhance Comoran children's access to education and basic health care to the most vulnerable groups, information, freedom of opinion, leisure, sports and participation in cultural and artistic activities, among other things.
Discussion
At the beginning of the meeting, Committee experts raised a series of questions in connection to the contents of the report. Experts wondered, among other things, about why Comorans believed that "the only good child is a useful child"; why the role of children was based on economic utility; about the practice of discrimination against children of religious minorities, mainly Christians; how the process of adoption was carried out if Islamic law prohibited it; and when the family code bill would be enacted.
An expert said that the way in which Christians were treated in the Comoros was disturbing; the expert said Islam was known for its tolerance and in many societies Muslims and Christians lived together. But in the Comoros, Christians were marginalized, particularly in the rural areas. The delegation was asked to comment on this situation.
In response to a number of questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said that three years ago, there had been a separatist problem in the country which led to a negotiated settlement. The leaders of the separatist island had come to the capital to sign the agreement and the right to freedom of movement had been restored.
On 16 October, the Day of African Child, the provision of the Convention was widely discussed and programmes would be launched with the involvement children, the delegation said. As done every year, the deputies of the Federal Assembly would yield their seats and their roles to children who were allowed to challenge ministers in the manner of parliamentarians. In the normal course of events, the prominence of adults over children was never open to question.
Non-governmental organizations were committed to awareness-raising programmes to combat discrimination against women and children, the delegation said. Since the Comoros population was composed of 99 per cent of
the Islamic confession, the large majority of children were naturally Muslim. Only one per cent of the population was Christian, mainly foreigners living in the Comoros.
The Islamic law -- the Shari'a -- did not permit the adoption of children, the delegation said. However, children could live with their relatives or somebody could take care of the child without necessarily adopting the child. Parental authority could also be given by a decision of a court concerning children with no parents. The Comoros had no family code but the Islamic law was widely used in all aspects, including the situation of children.
In response to follow-up questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said that despite the 99 per cent Muslim population, there was a very tolerant attitude towards Christians. There had been no problem of discrimination against any group living in the country, and the information provided by the Committee expert could not be substantiated. The right to freedom of opinion was fully guaranteed and no one feared using it.
Concerning corporal punishment, the Comoros, since its adoption of democratic rules in 1990, had prohibited its practice and any complaints could lead to court proceedings, the delegation said. Teachers in the Koranic school who used corporal punishment could find themselves taken to court. Koranic teachers had perpetuated a tradition which viewed the child as a wayward being who needed to be subdued through the use of force or corporal punishment.
The issue of discrimination against little girls had been the main campaign of several non-governmental organizations for many years, the delegation said. Traditionally, the girl child remained in the house to help her mother while boys went out to play; and that tendency was being reverted in favour of girls.
The age of majority was fixed at 18 for both girls and boys, the delegation said; however, since Islamic law influenced civil law, the age of puberty was considered to be majority age. The minimum age of marriage was 18 years, and girls were more and more independent of their parents in accepting or choosing their partners.
* *** *
25th session
4 October 2000
Morning
Report Regrets Comorans Place Value
on Economic Utility of Children
The Committee on the Rights of the Child started this morning its consideration of an initial report of the Comoros by querying the Government delegation on the belief that "the only good child is a useful child"; why the role of children was based on economic utility; and about discrimination against Christian children, among other things.
The report said many Comorans believed that although a child might be socially useful, much greater value was placed on his or her economic utility. Particularly in rural areas, children were made to help out in the field or around the house at a very tender age. That situation gave rise to serious abuses, the report regretted, for example when a child was not permitted to attend school because he or she was economically useful to the family.
The delegation of the Comoros Government was made up of Toyb Zahara, Secretary-General of the State Council of the Comoros; and Djaffar Ahmed, Magistrate at the Court of Appeal.
Discussion over the course of the morning focused on the main clusters of the general measures of implementation; definition of the child; general principles; and civil rights and freedoms.
The Comoros is among the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such it is obligated to submit periodic reports to the Committee on efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee will continue its consideration of the report of the Comoros at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
Report of Comoros
The initial report of the Comoros (document CRC/C/28/Add.13) enumerates the measures taken by the Government to implement the provisions of the Convention. It says that the ratification of the Convention in July 1993 has to date failed to yield any urgent or priority measures flowing from the commitments implicitly entered into. It further notes that neither the necessary conditions nor the means exist to comprehensively translate into practical action the significant concern for children's welfare arising from the ratification of the Convention.
The report says that Comorans regard children as a precious asset. However, it regretted that this asset is largely based on a very utilitarian view of children, as reflected in a number of popular sayings including the widely quoted saying "the only good child is a useful child". Many Comorans believed that although a child may be socially useful, much greater value is placed on his or her economic utility. Particularly in rural areas, children are made to help out in the field or around the house at a very tender age. This situation gives rise to serious abuses, for example when a child is not permitted to attend school because he or she is economically useful to the family.
In its conclusion, the report notes that the Government of the Comoros remains committed to policies to implement the Convention by adopting statutes and promoting programmes to strengthen the rights of the child; by creating a multi-sectoral follow-up committee on the issue; and by developing measures needed to enhance Comoran children's access to education and basic health care to the most vulnerable groups, information, freedom of opinion, leisure, sports and participation in cultural and artistic activities, among other things.
Discussion
At the beginning of the meeting, Committee experts raised a series of questions in connection to the contents of the report. Experts wondered, among other things, about why Comorans believed that "the only good child is a useful child"; why the role of children was based on economic utility; about the practice of discrimination against children of religious minorities, mainly Christians; how the process of adoption was carried out if Islamic law prohibited it; and when the family code bill would be enacted.
An expert said that the way in which Christians were treated in the Comoros was disturbing; the expert said Islam was known for its tolerance and in many societies Muslims and Christians lived together. But in the Comoros, Christians were marginalized, particularly in the rural areas. The delegation was asked to comment on this situation.
In response to a number of questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said that three years ago, there had been a separatist problem in the country which led to a negotiated settlement. The leaders of the separatist island had come to the capital to sign the agreement and the right to freedom of movement had been restored.
On 16 October, the Day of African Child, the provision of the Convention was widely discussed and programmes would be launched with the involvement children, the delegation said. As done every year, the deputies of the Federal Assembly would yield their seats and their roles to children who were allowed to challenge ministers in the manner of parliamentarians. In the normal course of events, the prominence of adults over children was never open to question.
Non-governmental organizations were committed to awareness-raising programmes to combat discrimination against women and children, the delegation said. Since the Comoros population was composed of 99 per cent of
the Islamic confession, the large majority of children were naturally Muslim. Only one per cent of the population was Christian, mainly foreigners living in the Comoros.
The Islamic law -- the Shari'a -- did not permit the adoption of children, the delegation said. However, children could live with their relatives or somebody could take care of the child without necessarily adopting the child. Parental authority could also be given by a decision of a court concerning children with no parents. The Comoros had no family code but the Islamic law was widely used in all aspects, including the situation of children.
In response to follow-up questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said that despite the 99 per cent Muslim population, there was a very tolerant attitude towards Christians. There had been no problem of discrimination against any group living in the country, and the information provided by the Committee expert could not be substantiated. The right to freedom of opinion was fully guaranteed and no one feared using it.
Concerning corporal punishment, the Comoros, since its adoption of democratic rules in 1990, had prohibited its practice and any complaints could lead to court proceedings, the delegation said. Teachers in the Koranic school who used corporal punishment could find themselves taken to court. Koranic teachers had perpetuated a tradition which viewed the child as a wayward being who needed to be subdued through the use of force or corporal punishment.
The issue of discrimination against little girls had been the main campaign of several non-governmental organizations for many years, the delegation said. Traditionally, the girl child remained in the house to help her mother while boys went out to play; and that tendency was being reverted in favour of girls.
The age of majority was fixed at 18 for both girls and boys, the delegation said; however, since Islamic law influenced civil law, the age of puberty was considered to be majority age. The minimum age of marriage was 18 years, and girls were more and more independent of their parents in accepting or choosing their partners.
* *** *