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15 January 2001
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CRC
26th session
15 January 2001
Afternoon
Recommends, in Preliminary Remarks, Withdrawal of Reservation
on Child Adoption
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its review of a second periodic report of Egypt by recommending, in preliminary remarks, that the Government withdraw its reservation on child adoption.
An Expert, speaking on behalf of the Committee, said in preliminary remarks that the reservation made by the Government of Egypt with regard to articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on child adoption should be withdrawn. He said the problem of early marriage had to be dealt with, and that child complaints should be taken care of by an independent body.
Among other things, the Expert also recommended that discrimination between urban and rural children should be combatted and that child disability should be given better attention.
Final, written concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Egypt will be issued by the Committee towards the end of its three-week session which will conclude on 26 January.
The discussion this afternoon focused on the remaining clusters of issues which included civil rights and freedoms; family environment and alternative care; basic health and welfare; education, leisure and cultural activities; and special protection.
In the course of the discussion, the Egyptian delegation said that the Government was making efforts to change public attitude on the issue of female circumcision because of the harm it inflicted on women. A 1996 decree had prohibited the practice, but it still persisted in some quarters.
Egypt is among the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such it should provide periodic summaries of its efforts in implementing the provisions of the treaty. An eight-member Egyptian delegation was on hand throughout the day to introduce the report and to answer questions raised by Committee members.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 January, it will discuss, in private meeting, draft conclusions on country reports already considered last week. It will meet in public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 17 January, to start its consideration of the initial report of Lithuania.
Discussion
Committee members continued querying the Egyptian delegation on various issues concerning the best interest of the child and respect for the opinion of the child. Among other things, an Expert said that the best interest of the child should be well defined to reflect the provisions of the Convention. In addition, children should participate in the public debate and in the process of decision making, and their opinions should be taken into consideration. In schools, pupils should not be hand-picked to serve in school board membership; they should be elected by the whole school.
A number of United Nations Special Rapporteurs had been visiting Egypt on different human rights issues, the Expert said. They included the Special Rapporteurs on freedom of opinion, women, torture, religious tolerance, and impartiality of judges, among others. Did the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood assess the situation and take into consideration these visits?
Female genital mutilation was an act of torture and caused great harm to the girl child, particularly in the remote areas of Egypt where medical assistance was scarce, another Expert said. That situation contradicted the report's affirmation that "the values and religious traditions enshrined in Egyptian society ensure that a child enjoys the attention and respect of the different communities, classes and social groups".
Corporal punishment in schools had already been prohibited in 1971, but it was still used in the family as a disciplinary measure, an Expert said. According the Journal on Child Abuse and Neglect, there was no change in the general use of corporal punishment in the country.
Since Egypt had a leading role in the Arab world, it should make more efforts to withdraw the reservation it had made concerning articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on child adoption, an Expert stressed. Further, the Expert asked about the measures envisaged by the Government to combat discrimination against girls, particularly in matters of inheritance.
Responding to the questions, the delegation said great achievements had been made in the social, health and educational fields. However, a lot remained to be done to improve the conditions of children.
Members of the police force dealing with children were being trained to increase their awareness about child rights, the delegation said. Police officers who had committed torture against children had been tried in the past and had been punished for their acts. Also, disciplinary measures, including dismissals, had been taken against teachers who mistreated their pupils.
Egypt was a country where there was freedom of religion, the delegation said. With its Muslim, Coptic and other religious groups cohabiting peacefully, Egypt had proved to be a country of liberty for religious freedom and tolerance.
On female circumcision, the delegation said that the Government was making efforts to change public attitude on the issue as the practice was harmful. In addition, several non-governmental organizations were already engaged in advocacy programmes for its eradication. A 1996 decree had banned the practice, but it still persisted in some quarters.
About five non-governmental organizations were working against domestic violence, the delegation said. Additional measures were being taken by the Government to put women in the police to better listen to complaints by female victims of violence. The television was also used as an instrument to promote non-violence in the family.
A national programme had been launched to reform the whole educational system, the delegation said. The plan was to improve the quality of education, properly train teachers, and adopt the teaching methods to the requirements of the modern world.
According to the Islamic Shari'a, since the man had to take care of the financial aspect of the family, girls got half the share of boys in matters of inheritance, the delegation said. The law on inheritance was stipulated by the Koran, and could not be modified, the delegation said. The male received double the inheritance of females according to the Koran which was the "law of God".
The Ministry of Education had expanded the kindergarten system in collaboration with the private sector, the delegation said. The private sector was active in setting up nurseries in many parts of the country.
Not many other countries were as democratically engaged in allowing the freedom of expression by children as Egypt, the delegation said. Students elected their own councils, maintained their unions, and participated in the debate concerning the educational curriculum.
In follow-up questions, an Expert wanted to know about an allegation of sale of child organs after 25 children died in one orphanage at a given moment.
Another Expert said the phenomenon of school drop-outs had led to juvenile delinquency. What measures were envisaged by the Government to improve the situation?
Other Committee members also queried the delegation, among other things, on such issues as breast-feeding; sexual education for children; child disability; child labour; primary health care services; begging; rights of refugee children; and commercial sexual exploitation.
In response to questions raised by Committee Experts, the delegation said that some children had to work in agricultural fields for 20 hours per week, and they also worked during seasonal periods to help with the harvest.
Children with mild disabilities were integrated into normal schools while those with serious handicaps were separately treated, the delegation said. Non-governmental organizations were also involved in projects for disabled persons.
The request by the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of expression to visit Egypt had been sent to the Government through the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the delegation said. The Special Rapporteurs on torture and on the independence of the judiciary had also made requests to visit Egypt.
Preliminary Remarks
On behalf of the Committee, an Expert welcomed the fruitful dialogue with the delegation. The Expert said, among other things, that the reservation made by Egypt with regard to articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on child adoption should be withdrawn. The problem of early marriage had to be dealt with, and child complaints should be taken care of by an independent body.
In addition, the Expert recommended that discrimination between urban and rural children should be combatted; the legal difficulties of nationality and naturalization of children born of foreign fathers and Egyptian mothers should be resolved; problems of child begging should be dealt with and the cause corrected; sexual exploitation should be fought; child disability should be given better attention; and the penitential system should be improved.
* *** *
26th session
15 January 2001
Afternoon
Recommends, in Preliminary Remarks, Withdrawal of Reservation
on Child Adoption
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its review of a second periodic report of Egypt by recommending, in preliminary remarks, that the Government withdraw its reservation on child adoption.
An Expert, speaking on behalf of the Committee, said in preliminary remarks that the reservation made by the Government of Egypt with regard to articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on child adoption should be withdrawn. He said the problem of early marriage had to be dealt with, and that child complaints should be taken care of by an independent body.
Among other things, the Expert also recommended that discrimination between urban and rural children should be combatted and that child disability should be given better attention.
Final, written concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Egypt will be issued by the Committee towards the end of its three-week session which will conclude on 26 January.
The discussion this afternoon focused on the remaining clusters of issues which included civil rights and freedoms; family environment and alternative care; basic health and welfare; education, leisure and cultural activities; and special protection.
In the course of the discussion, the Egyptian delegation said that the Government was making efforts to change public attitude on the issue of female circumcision because of the harm it inflicted on women. A 1996 decree had prohibited the practice, but it still persisted in some quarters.
Egypt is among the 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such it should provide periodic summaries of its efforts in implementing the provisions of the treaty. An eight-member Egyptian delegation was on hand throughout the day to introduce the report and to answer questions raised by Committee members.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 January, it will discuss, in private meeting, draft conclusions on country reports already considered last week. It will meet in public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 17 January, to start its consideration of the initial report of Lithuania.
Discussion
Committee members continued querying the Egyptian delegation on various issues concerning the best interest of the child and respect for the opinion of the child. Among other things, an Expert said that the best interest of the child should be well defined to reflect the provisions of the Convention. In addition, children should participate in the public debate and in the process of decision making, and their opinions should be taken into consideration. In schools, pupils should not be hand-picked to serve in school board membership; they should be elected by the whole school.
A number of United Nations Special Rapporteurs had been visiting Egypt on different human rights issues, the Expert said. They included the Special Rapporteurs on freedom of opinion, women, torture, religious tolerance, and impartiality of judges, among others. Did the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood assess the situation and take into consideration these visits?
Female genital mutilation was an act of torture and caused great harm to the girl child, particularly in the remote areas of Egypt where medical assistance was scarce, another Expert said. That situation contradicted the report's affirmation that "the values and religious traditions enshrined in Egyptian society ensure that a child enjoys the attention and respect of the different communities, classes and social groups".
Corporal punishment in schools had already been prohibited in 1971, but it was still used in the family as a disciplinary measure, an Expert said. According the Journal on Child Abuse and Neglect, there was no change in the general use of corporal punishment in the country.
Since Egypt had a leading role in the Arab world, it should make more efforts to withdraw the reservation it had made concerning articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on child adoption, an Expert stressed. Further, the Expert asked about the measures envisaged by the Government to combat discrimination against girls, particularly in matters of inheritance.
Responding to the questions, the delegation said great achievements had been made in the social, health and educational fields. However, a lot remained to be done to improve the conditions of children.
Members of the police force dealing with children were being trained to increase their awareness about child rights, the delegation said. Police officers who had committed torture against children had been tried in the past and had been punished for their acts. Also, disciplinary measures, including dismissals, had been taken against teachers who mistreated their pupils.
Egypt was a country where there was freedom of religion, the delegation said. With its Muslim, Coptic and other religious groups cohabiting peacefully, Egypt had proved to be a country of liberty for religious freedom and tolerance.
On female circumcision, the delegation said that the Government was making efforts to change public attitude on the issue as the practice was harmful. In addition, several non-governmental organizations were already engaged in advocacy programmes for its eradication. A 1996 decree had banned the practice, but it still persisted in some quarters.
About five non-governmental organizations were working against domestic violence, the delegation said. Additional measures were being taken by the Government to put women in the police to better listen to complaints by female victims of violence. The television was also used as an instrument to promote non-violence in the family.
A national programme had been launched to reform the whole educational system, the delegation said. The plan was to improve the quality of education, properly train teachers, and adopt the teaching methods to the requirements of the modern world.
According to the Islamic Shari'a, since the man had to take care of the financial aspect of the family, girls got half the share of boys in matters of inheritance, the delegation said. The law on inheritance was stipulated by the Koran, and could not be modified, the delegation said. The male received double the inheritance of females according to the Koran which was the "law of God".
The Ministry of Education had expanded the kindergarten system in collaboration with the private sector, the delegation said. The private sector was active in setting up nurseries in many parts of the country.
Not many other countries were as democratically engaged in allowing the freedom of expression by children as Egypt, the delegation said. Students elected their own councils, maintained their unions, and participated in the debate concerning the educational curriculum.
In follow-up questions, an Expert wanted to know about an allegation of sale of child organs after 25 children died in one orphanage at a given moment.
Another Expert said the phenomenon of school drop-outs had led to juvenile delinquency. What measures were envisaged by the Government to improve the situation?
Other Committee members also queried the delegation, among other things, on such issues as breast-feeding; sexual education for children; child disability; child labour; primary health care services; begging; rights of refugee children; and commercial sexual exploitation.
In response to questions raised by Committee Experts, the delegation said that some children had to work in agricultural fields for 20 hours per week, and they also worked during seasonal periods to help with the harvest.
Children with mild disabilities were integrated into normal schools while those with serious handicaps were separately treated, the delegation said. Non-governmental organizations were also involved in projects for disabled persons.
The request by the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of expression to visit Egypt had been sent to the Government through the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the delegation said. The Special Rapporteurs on torture and on the independence of the judiciary had also made requests to visit Egypt.
Preliminary Remarks
On behalf of the Committee, an Expert welcomed the fruitful dialogue with the delegation. The Expert said, among other things, that the reservation made by Egypt with regard to articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on child adoption should be withdrawn. The problem of early marriage had to be dealt with, and child complaints should be taken care of by an independent body.
In addition, the Expert recommended that discrimination between urban and rural children should be combatted; the legal difficulties of nationality and naturalization of children born of foreign fathers and Egyptian mothers should be resolved; problems of child begging should be dealt with and the cause corrected; sexual exploitation should be fought; child disability should be given better attention; and the penitential system should be improved.
* *** *