UNITED NATIONS		CRC
	Convention on the Rights of the Child	Distr. GENERAL   CRC/C/118 3 September 2002   Original:  ENGLISH

COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Thirtieth session

21 May-7 June 2002

REPORT ON THE THIRTIETH SESSION

(Geneva, 21 May-7 June 2002)

GE.02-44335  (E)    260902

CONTENTS

Chapter                                                                                                            Paragraphs       Page

       I.   RECOMMENDATION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON

            THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ......................................................................................        4

      II.   ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS ...................................           1 - 23              6

            A.  States parties to the Convention ..........................................................           1 - 4                6

            B.  Opening and duration of the session ......................................................             5                   6

            C.  Membership and attendance ...............................................................           6 - 11              6

            D.  Agenda ................................................................................................             12                 8

            E.  Meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner

                  for Human Rights ..............................................................................         13 - 18              8

            F.  Pre-sessional working group .............................................................         19 - 21              9

            G.  Organization of work ............................................................................             22               10

            H.  Future regular meetings .........................................................................             23               10

     III.   REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER

            ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION ...............................................         24 - 591          10

                 

            A.  Submission of reports .......................................................................         24 - 30            10

            B.  Consideration of reports ...................................................................         31 - 591          12

                      Concluding observations:  Guinea-Bissau .......................................         31 - 91            12

                      Concluding observations:  Belgium ................................................         92 - 125          29

                      Concluding observations:  Niger ..................................................       126 - 200          37

                      Concluding observations:  Belarus ...............................................       201 - 256          54

                      Concluding observations:  Tunisia ................................................       257 - 304          68

                      Concluding observations:  Switzerland .........................................       305 - 366          78

                      Concluding observations:  United Arab Emirates ..........................       367 - 411          90

                      Concluding observations:  St. Vincent and the Grenadines ............       412 - 467        101

                      Concluding observations:  Spain ..................................................       468 - 523        117

                      Concluding observations:  Netherlands

                                                                 (Netherlands Antilles) ......................       524 - 591        129

CONTENTS (continued)

Chapter                                                                                                            Paragraphs       Page

     IV.   INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ...............       592 - 599        145

      V.   COOPERATION WITH UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER

            COMPETENT BODIES .....................................................................       600 - 603        146

     VI.   WORKING METHODS ...........................................................................             604           147

   VII.   GENERAL COMMENTS ........................................................................             605           147

  VIII.   DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE

            THIRTY-FIRST SESSION .......................................................................             606           148

     IX.   ADOPTION OF THE REPORT ...............................................................             607           148

Annexes

       I.   States which have signed, ratified or acceded to the Convention on the

            Rights   of the Child as at 7 June 2002 (191).................................................................    149

      II.   States which have signed (109), or ratified or acceded to (33) the Optional

            Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement

            of children in armed conflict as at 7 June 2002 ..............................................................    155

     III.   States which have signed (103) or ratified or acceded to (33) the Optional

            Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of

            children, child prostitution and child pornography as at 7 June 2002 ..............................    159

     IV.   Membership of the Committee on the Rights of the Child ..............................................    163

      V.   List of initial and second periodic reports considered by the Committee on

            the Rights of the Child as at 7 June 2002 ......................................................................    164

     VI.   Provisional list of reports scheduled for consideration at the Committee's

            thirty-first and thirty-second sessions ............................................................................    174

                        I.  Recommendation adopted by the Committee

                             on the Rights of the Child

Organization of work

Thirtieth session, recommendation

            The Committee on the Rights of the Child,

            Noting with appreciation the exceptionally high number of States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (191) and the rapid pace of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (33), and the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (33),

            Welcoming the relatively high reporting rate for initial reports by States parties under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (167 out of 191),

            Stressing the generally satisfactory quality of initial and periodic reports, as well as written responses to the list of issues, submitted by States parties under the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

            Concerned about the workload of the Committee, including the forthcoming challenge generated by new reporting obligations under the two Optional Protocols,

            Concerned in particular about the excessive length of some periodic reports submitted under the Convention,

            1.         Decides to review in the near future its guidelines for periodic reporting (CRC/C/58) in order to encourage States parties not to submit overly lengthy periodic reports;

            2.         Requests all States parties to the Convention to submit periodic reports that are concise, analytical and focus on key implementation issues, the length of which shall not exceed 120 standard pages;

            3.         Also requests all States parties to focus their periodic reports under the Convention in particular on two aspects of implementation aimed at:

            (a)        In the light of article 44 of the Convention, informing the Committee about progress made in the enjoyment of human rights by children, factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the Convention, and measures taken to implement the Committee's concluding observations - by explicitly referring them - adopted with respect to the previous report of a State party and the ensuing dialogue;

            (b)        Informing the Committee about fundamental developments in the State party during the reporting period with regard to the human rights of children.  In this regard, States parties should avoid repeating information already contained in previous reports submitted to the Committee, in the light of article 44, paragraph 3, of the Convention;

            4.         Recommends that, in addition to providing information on legislative developments and the situation de jure, States parties give due attention in their periodic reports to analysing the situation de facto in the State party, including information on concrete measures taken to enhance the implementation of domestic and international legal provisions and principles and, if any, related limitations and obstacles.

804th meeting

7 June 2002

II.  ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS

A.  States parties to the Convention

B.  Opening and duration of the session

C.  Membership and attendance

           

            General consultative status

International Council of Women, International Movement ATD Fourth World, Zonta International.

            Special consultative status

Arab Organization for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Coalition against Trafficking in Women, Defence for Children International, Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers), International Commission of Jurists, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, International Confederation of Social Workers, International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, International Federation Terre des Hommes, International Service for Human Rights, International Social Service, World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, World Organization against Torture.

            Others

NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, NGO Working Group for Nutrition, International Baby Food Action Network, Basque Observatory for Human Rights, Pflegekinder-Aktion Schweiz, Swiss National Committee for UNICEF, Institut

international des droits de l'enfant, Société suisse de la protection de l'enfance, Défense des enfants international-section suisse, Fondation Village d'Enfants Pestalozzi, Ghent University, Coordination belge des ONG pour les droits de l'enfant.

D.  Agenda

            1.         Adoption of the agenda.

            2.         Organizational matters.

            3.         Submission of reports by States parties.

            4.         Consideration of reports of States parties.

5.         Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies.

            6.         Methods of work of the Committee.

            7.         General comments.

            8.         Future meetings.

            9.         Other matters.

E.  Meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

F.  Pre-sessional working group

G.  Organization of work

H.  Future regular meetings

                         III.  REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES

                                UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION

A.  Submission of reports

            (a)        Notes by the Secretary-General on initial reports by States parties due in 1992 (CRC/C/3), 1993 (CRC/C/8/Rev.3), 1994 (CRC/C/11/Rev.3), 1995 (CRC/C/28),

1996 (CRC/C/41), 1997 (CRC/C/51), 1998 (CRC/C/61) and 1999 (CRC/C/78); and on periodic reports of States parties due in 1997 (CRC/C/65), 1998 (CRC/C/70), 1999 (CRC/C/83),

2000 (CRC/C/93), 2001 (CRC/C/104) and 2002 (CRC/C/117);

            (b)        Note by the Secretary-General on the States parties to the Convention and the status of submission of reports (CRC/C/116);

            (c)        Note by the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the consideration of initial reports by States parties to the Convention (CRC/C/27/Rev.11);

            (d)        Note by the Secretary-General on areas in which the need for technical advice and advisory services has been identified in the light of the observations adopted by the Committee (CRC/C/40/Rev.20);

            (e)        Methods of work of the Committee:  Compilation of the conclusions and recommendations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC/C/19/Rev.10).

Concluding observations:  Guinea-Bissau

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive factors

            (a)        The initiation of the process of ratification by Parliament in December 2001, of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts, and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography;

            (b)        The ratification in 2000, of the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and their Destruction, and the creation of the National Council for Anti-Mines Action.

            (a)        The creation of the Institute for Women and Children in 2000;

            (b)        The fact that the Committee against Harmful Practices has been legally institutionalized;

            (c)        The prohibition, under law, of corporal punishment in the family and schools and other contexts.

            (a)        Efforts to consult children through the "children's fortnight" mechanism, which places emphasis on children's views over a two-week period, and the holding of a children's parliament;

            (b)        Development of the "FIRKIDJA" programme in support of basic education and focusing on access to education, the quality of education and strengthening education management;

            (c)        Efforts to improve understanding and knowledge of children's rights among the general public and children through information campaigns, including the "children's voice" radio programme as described in the State party report in, inter alia, paragraphs 67, 97 and 123.

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation

                                    of the Convention

D.  Principal subjects of concern, suggestions and recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Legislation

            (a)        There is "an absence of specific legislation on the implementation of the Convention", as indicated in paragraph 61 of the State party's report;

            (b)        The Law on Children's and Women's Protection, which was approved by Parliament in 1997, has not been implemented and that the status of this law, according to the delegation, is unclear;

            (c)        The review of, inter alia, penal law and family and labour legislation has not produced concrete results so far;

            (d)        Customary law which does not fully comply with the Convention is applied much more often than national legislation, particularly on issues relevant to children, girls/women and the family.

            (a)        To strengthen and speed up the process of revision and harmonization of national laws in the light of and in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention;

            (b)        Take the necessary steps, including involving the community and traditional leaders, to bring customary law practices into compliance with the provisions and principles of the Convention;

            (c)        Seek technical assistance from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Implementation, coordination, monitoring and national plan of action

            (a)        The lack of a well defined and comprehensive children's rights policy and an up‑to‑date national plan of action for the implementation of the Convention;

            (b)        The many difficulties encountered in the coordination and evaluation of the implementation of the Convention;

            (c)        The lack of monitoring of the implementation of the Convention.

            (a)        Develop and implement a comprehensive child rights policy and National Plan of Action, to replace the 1992 Plan;

            (b)        Provide the National Council for Childhood or the Institute for Women and Children with the necessary financial and human resources in order to allow one of these bodies to perform the role of promoting and coordinating activities for the implementation of the rights of women and children;

            (c)        The Committee urgently recommends that the State party establish an independent and effective mechanism in accordance with the Paris Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (General Assembly resolution 48/134), provided with adequate human and financial resources and easily accessible to children;

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF and OHCHR.

Resources for children

            (a)        Establish a clear policy on the allocation of resources in favour of children, including those resources allocated by international agencies or bilateral assistance;

            (b)        Prioritize budgetary allocations to ensure implementation of the rights of children to the maximum extent of available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation;

            (c)        Ensure the payment of salaries to State employees whose work is essential for the respect of children's rights.

Data collection

            (a)        Systematically collect disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data on all the areas covered by the Convention and all children below the age of 18 years;

            (b)        Give particular attention to data on children in need of special protection;

            (c)        Use the data collected to support monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Convention;

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNICEF.

Cooperation with NGOs

            (a)        Continue and further strengthen its systematic collaboration with NGOs;

            (b)        Improve coordination of State party activities with those of NGOs with regard to the implementation of the Convention, including through the establishment of a coordination mechanism for this purpose.

Dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention, as a means of sensitizing society to children's rights;

            (b)        Involve local communities in its programmes in order to prevent and combat customs and traditions that impede the implementation of the Convention, and ensure that dissemination efforts reach, inter alia, parents, persons who are illiterate and children themselves;

            (c)        Undertake systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal and local workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists and paediatricians, and social workers;

            (d)        Consider introducing human rights education, including on the rights of the child, into the curricular and extracurricular activities of all schools;

2.  Definition of the child

            (a)        Differences in the minimum legal age of marriage for girls (14) and boys (16) is discriminatory and that, in practice, the marriage of girls at age 13 or 14 is common;

            (b)        Boys under the age of 16 are legally permitted to join the armed forces if they have parental agreement and that children well under the age of 16 were recruited into armed forces in 1998 and 1999, during the internal armed conflict.

            (a)        Raise the minimum legal age of marriage of girls so that it is the same as for boys and enforce respect for this minimum age;

            (b)        Clearly define the legal minimum age at which children can be recruited into the armed forces, raising the age limit to comply, at a minimum, with the standards set in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and ensure enforcement of these standards.

3.  General principles

Discrimination

            (a)        The list of criteria for which discrimination is prohibited under the Constitution, as described in the State party's report (para. 146), is limited in relation to article 2 of the Convention and omits, notably, discrimination on the grounds of political belief;

            (b)        As noted in the State party's report (para. 140) "girls are highly penalized not only at the level of the family but in society in general";

            (c)        Discrimination against children with disabilities is prevalent.

            (a)        Amend the legislation to ensure that it fully corresponds with the provisions of article 2 of the Convention;

            (b)        Formulate policies and programmes with a view to addressing discrimination against specific groups of children, in particular girls and children with disabilities.

Best interests of the child

            (a)        The principle of the "best interests of the child" has not been fully implemented by the State party or reflected in legislation, policy, programmes or activities;

            (b)        As indicated by the State party in its replies to the list of issues, the principle of the best interests of the child is not reflected at all in customary law.

            (a)        Urgently implement the principle of the best interests of the child in all of its activities relating to children and the implementation of the Convention, including legislation, policy, programmes and activities;

            (b)        Ask for international assistance to undertake a study on the best interest principle and its implementation, in order to ensure the wide application of this principle by the Government and throughout society.

Respect for the views of the child

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Name and nationality

            (a)        Review its birth registration procedures, consider the abolition of sanctions for late registration and continue to use creative means of increasing birth registration (such as the use of mobile registration units in rural areas and sensitization campaigns), with a view to ensuring the systematic registration of all births;

            (b)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF.

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Ill-treatment and abuse

            (a)        Sexual abuse of children within the family, including the extended family is a regular occurrence;

            (b)        Corporal punishment is widely practised in the family;

            (c)        Domestic violence, particularly against women, is widespread and frequently used as a way to resolve family conflicts, and that this violence, even when not directly inflicted upon children, has a very negative impact on their development.

            (a)        Undertake a study on the extent of abuse and ill-treatment of children in the family;

            (b)        Take steps to end the sexual abuse of children, including through improving the access of children and adults to reporting mechanisms, and increasing the investigation of cases and the prosecution of the persons responsible;

            (c)        Combat the practice of corporal punishment of children in the family, including through the use of information campaigns on the harm it can cause and on the importance of alternative measures of discipline;

            (d)        Take all appropriate measures to address and prevent domestic violence, whether physical or mental, within the family and to ensure the full protection of children against this type of violence;

            (e)        Raise awareness among the public of the problem of domestic violence, with a view to changing traditions that inhibit victims, particularly women and girls, from reporting it;

            (f)        Investigate cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse, through a child‑sensitive judicial procedure, and that sanctions be applied to perpetrators with due regard given to guaranteeing the right to privacy of the child;

            (g)        In the light of articles 19 and 39 of the Convention, implement measures for reporting, referral and intervention and for the rehabilitation of victims, with a view to ensuring the recovery and reintegration of victims;

            (h)        Take note of the recommendations of the Committee's days of general discussion on violence against children.

Separation from parents and alternative care

            (a)        As noted in the State party's report, there are insufficient administrative and judicial mechanisms through which children's rights can be protected when they are separated from their parents;

            (b)        Alternative care for these children is insufficient;

            (c)        The common use of "informal adoption" procedures can lead to the violation of children's rights.

            (a)        Strengthen the existing child protection structure or, if necessary, establish new structures through which the rights of the child are well protected;

            (b)        Establish or strengthen alternative care services (such as kinship, foster care and family type homes), avoiding institutional care as far as possible, and ensure that informal adoption procedures respect and contribute to the protection of the principles and provisions of the Convention;

            (c)        Provide child protection workers (professionals and volunteers) with training (including on the Convention) and sufficient financial resources to fulfil their role;

            (d)        Seek assistance through international cooperation, including from UNICEF.

6.  Basic health and welfare

            (a)        The limited access to, capacity and quality of health-care services, including in terms of distance between people's homes and health facilities, cost and the insufficient number of hospital beds and the limited availability of affordable and appropriate medication;

            (b)        The high rates of infant and maternal mortality, malnutrition inadequate immunization and high mortality from malaria;

            (c)        The limited proportion of the population with access to safe water and adequate sanitation, including in schools, and related cholera and meningitis epidemics;

            (d)        Low levels of health education within communities.

            (a)        Significantly increase its expenditure on health;

            (b)        Significantly improve children's access to health services and to medication including by strengthening the quality and capacity of the health infrastructure, providing financial assistance or free medical care to children in need of such support and their families and addressing the access concerns of those children living in isolated rural communities;

            (c)        Take action to address specific concerns, including infant and maternal mortality, malnutrition, inadequate immunization, malaria rates and cholera and meningitis epidemics;

            (d)        Take action to ensure that all children have access to drinking water and adequate sanitation, including in schools, and to ensure adequate waste disposal arrangements;

            (e)        Seek assistance through international cooperation in this regard.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        The rights of children with disabilities are very poorly respected (see report, para. 187), societal discrimination is prevalent against children with disabilities, including children with Down's syndrome, and there are cases of the killing of newborn children who have physical disabilities;

            (b)        As indicated in the State party's report, the law does not prohibit discrimination against the disabled specifically, there is no law mandating accessibility for persons with disabilities and existing legislation with regard to children with disabilities is not implemented;

            (c)        There is a lack of health, educational or professional training facilities for children with disabilities (see report, para. 147) and, in particular, children with disabilities have very limited access to formal education;

            (d)        Children with disabilities often have serious difficulty in gaining access to public buildings, including hospitals and schools.

            (a)        Develop or amend legislation to ensure that discrimination on the grounds of disability is prohibited and that children with disabilities have access to public transportation and public buildings, including all schools and hospitals;

            (b)        Ensure the implementation of all legislative measures of protection for children with disabilities, in particular with regard to non-discrimination, giving attention to practices such as the killing of newborn children with disabilities;

            (c)        Significantly strengthen its assistance to children with disabilities and ensure, inter alia, that they have access to health, educational and professional facilities;

            (d)        Review the recommendations made at the First National Conference on Disabled People (see report, para. 190) and implement those recommendations which remain valid;

            (e)        Revive services established to assist persons with disabilities in the past, but which are no longer functioning, or functioning only in part (see report, paras. 195-198);

            (f)        Seek international cooperation in this regard.

Adolescent health

HIV/AIDS

            (a)        Integrate respect for the rights of the child into the development and implementation of its HIV/AIDS policies and strategies on behalf of children infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as their families, including by making use of the Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights (E/CN.4/1997/37, annex I) and with particular reference to children's rights to non-discrimination, health, education, food and housing, as well as to information and freedom of expression;

            (b)        Make every effort to provide for the treatment of children and their parents infected by HIV/AIDS;

            (c)        Strengthen programmes to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and to ensure protection of the rights of AIDS orphans;

            (d)        Take note of the results of the Committee's day of general discussion on children living in a world with AIDS (5th October 1998);

            (e)        Seek international cooperation in this regard.

Harmful traditional practices

            (a)        As indicated in the State party's report, the early marriage of girls - often around the age of 13 or 14 - is common (see report, para. 33) and can lead to poor health for girls;

            (b)        Female genital mutilation is practised widely within certain ethnic groups, especially the Fulas and the Mandinkas;

            (c)        As indicated in the State party's report (para. 202), traditional food taboos are common and thought to be one cause of malnutrition among children and mothers.

            (a)        Make every effort to combat practices involving the early marriage of girls, including through the involvement of community leaders and the use of education campaigns;

            (b)        Continue and strengthen its efforts to end practices of female genital mutilation, for example through legislative prohibition, through the implementation and enforcement of legislation and through public awareness campaigns;

            (c)        Take steps to end the practise of harmful traditional food taboos by children and mothers;

            (d)        Strengthening and further supporting the work of the Committee against harmful practices;

            (e)        Seek cooperation with countries in the region that have positive experience of combating these harmful practices.

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

            (a)        Literacy rates and primary and secondary school enrolment rates among children are extremely low;

            (b)        There are major differences in the access of children to education across the country;

            (c)        Literacy and enrolment among girls are much lower than the already worrying rates for boys;

            (d)        Primary education, where available, is of a low quality and many schools offer only the 1st and 2nd grades and few offer more than four years of education;

            (e)        Schools lack adequate books and materials;

            (f)         Only 1 per cent of children have access to nurseries, kindergartens or similar institutions (see report, para. 217);

            (g)        Many teachers have not received any formal training;

            (h)        The number and quality of special education institutions are extremely limited;

            (i)         Ninety per cent of education costs are supported by external assistance (see report, para. 216).

            (a)        Raise the State party's contribution to the education budget to the maximum of available resources, while also continuing to seek support through international cooperation;

            (b)        Strengthen education infrastructure, including with regard to administration, management, educational planning, the quality of education in general, the training of teachers and other staff, the construction of additional schools and classrooms, and the provision and quality of textbooks and other school materials and equipment;

            (c)        Consider strengthening the quality of primary and secondary school curricula, taking into consideration the Committee's General Comment on article 29.1 of the Convention and the aims of education (CRC/GC/2001/1);

            (d)        Urgently take action to increase the proportion of children enrolling in primary school and completing compulsory education;

            (e)        Urgently give special attention to raising the proportion of girls completing their primary and secondary education, including through affirmative action and similar special measures, and by ensuring that girls have the same opportunities as boys to attend formal education, that the education of girls is seen by parents, families and communities, as being of equal importance to that of boys and that education is seen as the right of all children;

            (f)        Make every effort to ensure that compulsory education is free for all children, including with regard to textbooks and uniforms for disadvantaged children and families;

            (g)        Increase the number, capacity and quality of special education institutions;

            (h)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF and UNESCO in this regard.

Leisure

            (a)        Ensure the existence of areas, such as parks, within urban centres, which may be used by children for leisure activities;

            (b)        Consider the adoption of legislation or administrative rules, and the allocation of an appropriate budget, to ensure that leisure areas for children are maintained as a priority in urban planning decisions.

8.  Special protection measures

Children in armed conflict

            (a)        Children were involved in the recent internal armed conflict, inter alia, as combatants, and that many children may have suffered from psychological trauma as a result;

            (b)        Child soldiers may not have received support towards demobilization and family and social reintegration;

            (c)        There continue to be a considerable number of landmines that place children at risk.

            (a)        Ensure the demobilization of all under-age soldiers, providing such children with assistance to this end and in family and social reintegration;

            (b)        Take steps to assess and respond to the needs of child soldiers in terms of psychological assistance;

            (c)        Continue its landmine detection programme;

            (d)        Seek international assistance in the form of technical support, including from UNICEF, in this regard.

Commercial exploitation

            (a)        Combat the economic exploitation of children through labour, with particular regard to the informal work sector;

            (b)        Ensure respect for the minimum age of employment, in accordance with international standards;

            (c)        Ensure that working children above the age of 14 benefit from adequate and full protection, including with regard to conditions of work and pay;

            (d)        Make every effort to ensure that children who work continue to have access to education;

            (e)        Ratify and implement ILO Conventions 138 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and 182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

Street children

Sexual exploitation, trafficking

            (a)        Undertake a study to assess the situation of children not attending school and to implement, based on the results of the study, all appropriate measures to protect effectively children from all forms of exploitation, including through prevention and the rehabilitation and recovery of child victims;

            (b)        Prepare a plan of action to address the sexual exploitation of children, taking note of the recommendations made in the Declaration and Agenda for Action and the Global Commitment adopted at the 1996 and 2001 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children;

            (c)        Seek regional cooperation in this regard.

Substance abuse

Administration of justice

            (a)        With regard to "the judicial level of services" legislation is insufficient and ineffective, and that the judicial system lacks courts and trained staff to deal with juveniles in conflict with the law (para. 106);

            (b)        There are no institutions for the prevention of crime among minors and for their rehabilitation (para. 241);

            (c)        Minors are sometimes held with other persons (for example, adults or convicted persons) from whom they should normally be separated;

            (d)        The rights of children are not fully respected in instances where customary law is applied.

            (a)        Amend and/or adopt and implement legislation providing for the full application of the juvenile justice infrastructure and system, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and other international standards;

            (b)        In this regard, develop mechanisms and provide adequate resources, including with regard to the establishment of juvenile justice courts, to ensure the full implementation of juvenile justice standards, and in particular, articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention, as well the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines);

            (c)        Ensure that detention or imprisonment of children is used only as a measure of last resort and that children are detained or imprisoned separately from adults;

            (d)        Make efforts to ensure that the practise of traditional law, where it involves children, is in full accordance with the rights afforded to children under the Convention;

            (e)        Seek assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the United Nations Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance in Juvenile Justice.

Dissemination of the report

Reporting

Concluding observations:  Belgium

A.  Introduction

B.  Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party

The adoption of article 22 bis of the Constitution on the protection of children;

The adoption of new laws by the State party concerning the protection of children, child

labour, guardianship and family mediation;

The numerous initiatives to combat trafficking and child sexual exploitation, among others:  the introduction of Joint Actions under the Europol Convention; the establishment of a national commission of experts to study sexual exploitation of children; the establishment of Child Focus, a European centre for missing and exploited children; the adoption of three Acts in 1995 to combat sexual exploitation; and the reform of the Criminal Code;

The ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict; and

The ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

C.  Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

The Committee's previous recommendations

• The Committee regrets that some of the concerns it expressed and the recommendations it made (CRC/C/15/Add.38) after its consideration of the State party's initial report (CRC/C/11/Add.4) have been insufficiently addressed, particularly those contained in paragraphs 8, 9, 11 and 13 to 16.  Those concerns and recommendations are reiterated in the present document.
• The Committee urges the State party to make every effort to address the previous recommendations that have not yet been implemented and the list of concerns contained in the present concluding observations.

1.  General measures of implementation

Reservations and declarations

Legislation

            (a)        Rigorously review these laws and ensure that they and other laws concerning children, as well as administrative regulations, are rights-based and conform to international human rights standards, including the Convention;

            (b)        Ensure that adequate provision is made for their effective implementation, including budgetary allocation;

            (c)        Ensure their speedy promulgation.

Coordination

            (a)        Expedite the formal approval and full implementation of the above‑mentioned agreement in order to establish a national commission for the rights of the child and provide it with adequate human and financial services;

            (b)        Assign coordination of the implementation of the Convention to a highly visible and easily identifiable permanent body with an adequate mandate and adequate resources;

            (c)        Prepare and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the implementation of the Convention, paying special attention to children belonging to the most vulnerable groups (e.g. poor households, asylum-seekers), through an open, consultative and participatory process;

            (d)        Continue and expand the use of child impact assessments in the formulation of budgets and policies.

Monitoring structures

            (a)        Establish independent human rights institutions in the German-speaking Community and at the federal level, in accordance with the Paris Principles (General Assembly resolution 48/134), to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention.  They should be accessible to children and empowered to receive and investigate complaints of violations of child rights in a child-sensitive manner and to address them effectively;

            (b)        Ensure that all the human rights institutions have formal advisory functions with the respective legislative bodies and that they establish formal links with each other.

Data collection

Training/dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen and make ongoing its programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation among children and parents, civil society and all sectors and levels of government, including initiatives to reach vulnerable groups, such as new immigrants;

            (b)        Develop systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children's rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel).

2.  General principles

The right to non-discrimination

            (a)        Take all appropriate measures, such as comprehensive public education campaigns, to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes, and implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March 2002);

            (b)        Take all necessary measures to ensure that all children within its jurisdiction enjoy all the rights set out in the Convention without discrimination;

            (c)        Continue to prioritize and target resources and social services to children belonging to the most vulnerable groups;

            (d)        Review existing policies and practice in relation to children with disabilities, including draft legislation, with due regard to the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and to the Committee's recommendations adopted at its day of general discussion on children with disabilities (see CRC/C/69).

Respect for the views of the child

3.  Civil rights and freedoms

Violence/abuse/neglect/maltreatment

            (a)        Take legislative measures to prohibit corporal punishment of children in the family, in schools and in institutions;

            (b)        Continue to carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of corporal punishment and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline;

            (c)        Establish effective procedures and mechanisms to receive, monitor and investigate complaints, and to intervene where necessary;

            (d)        Prosecute in cases of ill‑treatment, ensuring that the abused child is not victimized in legal proceedings and his/her privacy is protected;

            (e)        Provide for the care, recovery and reintegration for victims;

            (f)        Strengthen the reporting system, through full support of the confidential centres for abused children, and train teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of cases of ill‑treatment.

Human rights education

4.  Special measures of protection

Unaccompanied minors

            (a)        Expedite efforts to establish special reception centres for unaccompanied minors, with special attention to those who are victims of trafficking and/or sexual exploitation;

            (b)        Ensure that the stay in those centres is for the shortest time possible and that access to education and health is guaranteed during and after the stay in the reception centres;

            (c)        Approve as soon as possible the draft law on the creation of a guardianship service, in order to ensure the appointment of a guardian for an unaccompanied minor from the beginning of the asylum process and thereafter as long as necessary, and make sure that this service is fully independent, allowing it to take any action it considers to be in the best interests of this minor;

            (d)        Ensure unaccompanied minors are informed of their rights and have access to legal representation in the asylum process;

            (e)        Improve cooperation and exchange of information among all the actors involved, including the Aliens Office and other relevant authorities, police services, tribunals, reception centres and NGOs;

            (f)        Ensure that, if family reunification is carried out, it is done in the best interests of the child;

            (g)        Expand and improve follow-up of returned unaccompanied minors.

Sexual exploitation and trafficking

            (a)        Fully implement the recommendations of the national commission of experts;

            (b)        Continue to implement policies and programmes in accordance with the Declaration and Agenda for Action, and the Global Commitment adopted at the 1996 and 2001 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children;

            (c)        Continue to recruit female police officers to improve communication and contacts with foreign girls and women working in prostitution;

            (d)        Ensure that adequate resources (human and financial) are allocated to policies and programmes in this area;

            (e)        Continue to undertake awareness-raising campaigns in countries of origin;

            (f)        Expand cooperation with countries of origin and transit;

            (g)        Continue to cooperate with the International Organization for Migration.

Administration of juvenile justice

the 1965 Act, persons under the age of 18 may be tried as adults.  Overall, the Committee is concerned that the holistic approach to addressing the problem of juvenile crime advocated in the Convention, including with respect to prevention, procedures and sanctions, has not been sufficiently taken into consideration by the State party.

            (a)        Establish a system of juvenile justice that fully integrates into its legislation and practice the provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 39 and 40, as well as other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, and the Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System;

            (b)        Ensure that persons under 18 are not tried as adults;

            (c)        With respect to the law of March 2002, and its review in October 2002, ensure, in accordance with article 37 of the Convention, that the deprivation of liberty is only used as a measure of last resort, for the shortest possible time, that guarantees of due process are fully respected and that persons under 18 are not detained with adults.

5.  Optional protocols

6.  Dissemination of the reports

Concluding observations:  Niger

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive aspects

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention

D.  Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Legislation

            (a)        Strengthen the implementation of the Constitution as far as children's rights are concerned;

            (b)        Undertake all the necessary steps to harmonize existing legislation and customary law with the Convention;

            (c)        Integrate the principles of the Convention from a rights-based approach in the National Programme of Action for the Survival, Protection and Development of Children;

            (d)        Consider the adoption of a comprehensive children's code which will reflect the general principles of the Convention;

            (e)        Consider the elaboration and adoption of a comprehensive family code.

Coordination

that the State party coordinate and implement programmes established under international cooperation.  Finally, the Committee recommends that the State party reinforce coordination at national, regional and local levels.

Data collection

Independent/monitoring structures

Resources for children

expresses its concern that, in spite of efforts undertaken by the State party, insufficient attention has been paid to article 4 of the Convention regarding the implementation to the "maximum extent of … available resources of economic, social and cultural rights of children".

Cooperation with civil society

Dissemination/training on the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention as a means of sensitizing society about children's rights through social mobilization;

            (b)        Publish the text of the Convention in the two languages for which this has not been done;

            (c)        Systematically involve community leaders in its programmes in order to fight against customs and traditions which impede the implementation of the Convention, and adopt creative communication measures for illiterate people;

            (d)        Provide systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal and local workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists, and social workers;

            (e)        Introduce education on human rights, including the rights of the child, into the school curricula;

            (f)        Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF.

2.  Definition of the child

3.  General principles

Right to non-discrimination

Right to life, survival and development

Respect for the views of the child

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Birth registration

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Parental responsibilities

Separation from parents

Children deprived of their family environment

Adoption

Abuse and neglect

            (a)        Undertake studies on domestic violence, ill-treatment and abuse (including sexual abuse within the family) in order to adopt policies which will help to change attitudes and improve the prevention and treatment of cases of violence against children;

            (b)        Prohibit corporal punishment at home, in schools, in institutions and in the penal procedures;

            (c)        Consider introducing an effective system for reporting cases of abuse, including sexual abuse, of children;

            (d)        Investigate properly within a child-sensitive judicial procedure cases of domestic violence, ill-treatment and abuse of children, and sanction perpetrators, due regard being given to protecting the right to privacy of the child;

            (e)        In accordance with article 39 of the Convention, take measures to ensure the reintegration of victims as well as perpetrators;

            (f)        Make efforts to prevent the criminalization and stigmatization of child victims of abuse;

            (g)        Take into consideration the recommendations of the Committee adopted on its days of general discussion on children and violence (CRC/C/100, para. 688, and CRC/C/111, paras. 701-745);

            (h)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF and UNDP.

6.  Basic health and welfare

            (a)        Reinforce its efforts to allocate appropriate resources and develop and implement comprehensive policies and programmes to improve the health situation of children, particularly in rural areas;

            (b)        Facilitate greater access to primary health services; reduce the incidence of maternal, child and infant mortality; prevent and combat malnutrition, especially among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of children; and promote proper breastfeeding practices;

            (c)        Develop high-quality and affordable health care;

            (d)        Increase the rate of vaccination and carry out campaigns similar to that for polio;

            (e)        Establish midwifery training programmes to assure safe home delivery;

            (f)        Pursue additional avenues for cooperation and assistance for child health improvement with, inter alia, WHO and UNICEF.

Adolescent health

            (a)        Undertake a comprehensive study to assess the nature and extent of adolescent health problems and, with the full participation of adolescents, use this as a basis to formulate adolescent health policies and programmes with a particular focus on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS and early pregnancies, especially through reproductive health education;

            (b)        Strengthen adolescent-sensitive mental health counselling services and make them known and accessible to adolescents.

HIV/AIDS

            (a)        Increase its efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and take into consideration the recommendations the Committee adopted at its day of general discussion on children living in a world with HIV/AIDS (CRC/C/80, para. 243);

            (b)        Urgently consider ways of minimizing the impact upon children of HIV/AIDS-related deaths of parents, teachers and others in terms of children's reduced access to a family life, to adoption, to emotional care and education;

            (c)        Involve children in formulating and implementing preventive policies and programmes;

            (d)        Seek further technical assistance from, inter alia, UNAIDS.

Harmful traditional practices

            (a)        Adopt the bill to prohibit female genital mutilation;

            (b)        Take legislative and awareness raising measures to prohibit and eradicate all kinds of traditional practices harmful to the health, survival and development of children, boys as well as girls;

            (c)        Reinforce its sensitization programmes, with the involvement of traditional leaders, practitioners and the general public, to change traditional attitudes and discourage harmful practices, in particular in rural areas;

            (d)        Find alternative employment for practitioners.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        Take effective measures to collect adequate statistical data on children with disabilities and to ensure the use of such data in the development of policies and programmes for these children;

            (b)        Reinforce its efforts to develop early detection programmes to prevent disabilities;

            (c)        Establish special education programmes for children with disabilities and, where feasible, integrate them into mainstream schools and public life;

            (d)        Undertake awareness-raising campaigns to sensitize the public about the rights and special needs of children with disabilities, as well as children with mental health concerns;

            (e)        Increase the resources, both financial and human, allocated to special education and enhance the support given to children with disabilities;

            (f)        Seek technical cooperation for the training of professional staff, including teachers, working with and for children with disabilities from, inter alia, WHO and UNESCO.

Standard of living

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

            (a)        Progressively ensure that girls and boys, from urban, rural and least developed areas, all have equal access to educational opportunities;

            (b)        Take necessary measures to remedy the low quality of education and to ensure better internal efficiency in the management of education;

            (c)        Build better infrastructure for schools and provide appropriate training for teachers;

            (d)        Improve the education system with a view to achieving the aims mentioned in article 29.1 of the Convention and the Committee's General Comments on the aims of education, and introduce human rights, including children's rights, into the school curricula;

            (e)        Raise awareness of the importance of early childhood education and introduce it into the general framework of education;

            (f)        Encourage the participation of children at all levels of school life;

            (g)        Seek assistance from UNICEF and UNESCO.

8.  Special protection measures

Refugee, asylum-seeking children and unaccompanied children

Children affected by armed conflict

Economic exploitation

            (a)        Adopt and implement the national plan of action to prevent and combat child labour;

            (b)        Provide adequate human and other resources and training to the labour inspectorate and other law enforcement agencies in order to strengthen further their capacity to monitor effectively the implementation of child labour legislation and relevant ILO Conventions;

            (c)        Take all necessary measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour, including slavery, in the State party, in conformity with article 12 of the Constitution, and raise awareness among the population on this issue, involving traditional leaders;

            (d)        Seek innovative approaches, such as alternative education or non-formal education, to give educational opportunities to children who are older and have to work;

            (e)        Seek assistance from ILO.

Child beggars

Sexual exploitation and trafficking

Administration of justice

            (a)        Undertake all necessary measures to ensure the establishment of juvenile courts and the appointment of trained juvenile judges in all regions of the country;

            (b)        Consider deprivation of liberty only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible time, limit by law the length of pre-trial detention and ensure that the lawfulness of this detention is reviewed by the judge without delay and then regularly;

            (c)        Develop alternative measures to deprivation of liberty;

            (d)        Provide children with legal and other assistance at an early stage of the procedure;

            (e)        Provide children with basic services (e.g. health care, schooling);

            (f)        Protect the rights of children deprived of their liberty and improve their conditions of detention and imprisonment, in particular by establishing special prisons for

children with conditions suited to their age and needs and by ensuring the provision of social services in all detention centres in the country, and, in the meantime, by guaranteeing separation of children from adults in all prisons and in pre-trail detention places throughout the country;

            (g)        Ensure that children remain in regular contact with their families while in the juvenile justice system;

            (h)        Introduce regular medical examination of children by independent medical staff;

            (i)         Establish an independent child-sensitive and accessible complaints system for children;

            (j)         Introduce training programmes on relevant international standards for all professionals involved with the system of juvenile justice;

            (k)       Make every effort to establish a programme of recovery and social reintegration for juveniles in conflict with the law;

            (l)         Take into consideration the recommendations of the Committee presented during its day of general discussion on juvenile justice (CRC/C/46, paras. 203-238);

            (m)       Consider requesting technical assistance in the area of juvenile justice and police training from, inter alia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights, the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the United Nations Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance on Juvenile Justice.

9.  Optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child

10.  Dissemination of the report

11.  Next report

Concluding observations:  Belarus

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive aspects

• The adoption in 1998 of the International Treaties Act by which norms of international treaties, such as the Convention, become part of current law and can therefore be directly invoked in courts, is welcomed by the Committee. 
• The Committee notes that, in light of its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.17 of 7 February 1994, para. 11), the National Commission on the Rights of the Child was established in 1996.

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding progress in

                                           the implementation of the Convention

D.  Principal areas of concern and recommendation

1.  General measures of implementation

Previous recommendations

Legislation

            (a)        Continue its comprehensive review of existing legislation from a rights-based perspective, in order to ensure its full conformity with the principles and provisions of the Convention;

            (b)        In this regard, consider seeking assistance from, among others, UNICEF.

Coordination

Independent monitoring

            (a)        Monitors the implementation of the Convention;

            (b)        Deals with complaints from children in a child-sensitive and expeditious manner; and

            (c)        Provides remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention.

In this regard, the Committee further recommends that the State party consider seeking technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF and OHCHR.

Resources for children

            (a)        To continue its efforts to prevent, including through a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy, the decline in living standards of families, in particular those with many children, those living in rural areas and single parent families;

            (b)        To identify clearly its priorities with respect to child rights issues in order to ensure that funds are allocated to the maximum extent of available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation for the full implementation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children, in particular for children belonging to the most vulnerable groups in society; and

            (c)        To identify the amount and proportion of the budget spent on children at the national and local levels in order to evaluate the impact and effect of the expenditures on children.

Data collection

            (a)        Strengthen its mechanism to collect and analyse systematically disaggregated data on all persons under 18 for all areas covered by the Convention, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable groups, including children of economically disadvantaged households, children living in rural areas, children in institutions, children with disabilities, and children affected by the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster;

            (b)        Use these indicators and data effectively for the formulation and evaluation of policies and programmes for the implementation and monitoring of the Convention;

            (c)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF in this regard.

Cooperation with civil society

            (a)        Consider involving non-governmental organizations, especially rights-based ones, and other sectors of civil society working with and for children more systematically throughout all stages of the implementation of the Convention, in particular with respect to civil rights and freedoms;

            (b)        In line with the Human Rights Committee's recommendation (CCPR/C/79/Add.86, para. 19), review without delay laws, regulations and administrative practices in order to facilitate the registration and activities of non-governmental organizations.

Training/dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Develop more creative methods to promote the Convention, including through audiovisual aids such as picture books and posters, in particular at the local level and through the media;

            (b)        Continue and strengthen its efforts to provide adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization on children's rights of professional groups working with and for children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement and health personnel, teachers and school administrators;

            (c)        In particular provide adequate training to the judiciary on the impact of the International Treaties Act of 1998 and the possibility of directly invoking the Convention in courts; and

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF, UNESCO and OHCHR with a view to involving non-governmental organizations and other sectors of civil society.

2.  General principles

General principles

            (a)        Appropriately integrate general principles of the Convention, namely articles 2, 3, 6 and 12, in all relevant legislation concerning children;

            (b)        Apply them in all political, judicial and administrative decisions, as well as in projects, programmes and services which have an impact on all children; and

            (c)        Apply these principles in planning and policy-making at every level, as well as in actions taken by social and health welfare and educational institutions, courts of law and administrative authorities.

Non-discrimination

            (a)        Monitor the situation of children, in particular those belonging to the above‑mentioned vulnerable groups, who are exposed to discrimination; and

            (b)        Develop, on the basis of the results of this monitoring, comprehensive strategies containing specific and well-targeted actions aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination.

Respect for the views of the child

            (a)        Make sure that all children mature enough to express their views are heard in all judicial and administrative procedures affecting them; and

            (b)        Undertake campaigns to make parents, professionals working with and for children and the public at large aware that children have the right to be heard and to have their views taken seriously.

3.  Civil rights and freedoms

4.  Family environment and alternative care

Parental responsibilities

            (a)        Continue to develop measures for the prevention of family disintegration and the strengthening of family development; 

            (b)        Improve social assistance and support to families to help them with their child-rearing responsibilities, including through parental education, counselling and community-based programmes;

            (c)        Provide adequate training to social workers;

            (d)        Seek international assistance from, among others, UNICEF.

Children deprived of a family environment

            (a)        Take effective measures, including the development of strategies and awareness-raising activities, to prevent and reduce the abandonment of children;

            (b)        Take effective measures to increase and strengthen foster care, family-type foster homes and other family-based alternative care;

            (c)        Place children in institutions only as a measure of last resort;

            (d)        Take all necessary measures to improve conditions in institutions;

            (e)        Provide support and training for personnel in institutions, including social workers;

            (f)        Establish effective mechanisms to receive and address complaints from children in care, to monitor standards of care and, in light of article 25 of the Convention, to establish periodic review of placements;

            (g)        Provide adequate follow-up and reintegration support and services for children who leave institutional care.

Abuse and neglect

            (a)        Undertake studies on domestic violence, violence against children, ill‑treatment and abuse, including sexual abuse, and implement the statistical system created to keep a record of incidents of physical and mental violence and neglect against children, in order to assess the extent, scope and nature of these practices;

            (b)        Adopt and implement effectively adequate measures and policies to prevent and combat ill-treatment and abuse of children, including public campaigns, and to contribute to changing attitudes;

            (c)        Investigate effectively cases of domestic violence and ill-treatment and abuse of children, including sexual abuse within the family, within a child-sensitive inquiry and judicial procedure in order to ensure better protection of child victims, including the protection of their right to privacy;

            (d)        Prohibit all forms of corporal punishment at home, in schools and other institutions and develop measures to raise awareness on the harmful effects of corporal punishment, and promote alternative forms of discipline in families to be administered in a manner consistent with the child's dignity and in conformity with the Convention;

            (e)        Take measures to provide support services to children in legal proceedings and for the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of the victims of rape, abuse, neglect, ill-treatment and violence, in accordance with article 39 of the Convention;

            (f)        Take into account the Committee's recommendations, adopted at its days of general discussion on "Violence against children within the family and in schools" (see CRC/C/111) and on "State violence against children" (see CRC/C/100); and

            (g)        Seek, in this regard, international cooperation and technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF and WHO.

5.  Basic health and welfare

Health and health services

            (a)        Continue to implement the WHO Strategy on Promoting Effective Perinatal Care in order to further decrease maternal, perinatal and infant mortality;

            (b)        Ensure that all children, in particular children from the most vulnerable groups, have access to free basic health care of good quality;

            (c)        Develop a national policy in order to ensure an integrated and multidimensional approach to early childhood development, with a focus on health and nutrition;

            (d)        Address the increase in HIV in newborns, focusing on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission;

            (e)        In order to prevent childhood injuries, develop adequate legislation to protect children from accidents and injuries, include the prevention of injuries in national policy priorities and objectives, and develop injury-control programmes;

            (f)        Undertake a comprehensive and multidisciplinary study to assess the extent of and reasons for suicide among children and develop adequate policies and programmes to prevent and combat this phenomenon; and

            (g)        Continue technical assistance from, among others, WHO and UNICEF.

Adolescent health

            (a)        Implement in an effective way the comprehensive nationwide programme "Medical and recuperative activities targeted at adolescents" for the period 1999-2003 and the National Strategic Plan for HIV Prevention for 2001-2003, and increase its efforts to promote adolescent health, including mental health, policies.  Particular attention should be given to reproductive health and substance abuse, and the programme of health education in schools should be further strengthened;

            (b)        Undertake a comprehensive and multidisciplinary study to assess the scope and nature of adolescent health problems, including the negative impact of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, and continue to develop adequate policies and programmes;

            (c)        Undertake further measures, including the allocation of adequate human and financial resources, to evaluate the effectiveness of training programmes in health education, in particular as regards reproductive health, and to develop youth-sensitive and confidential counselling, care and rehabilitation facilities that are accessible without parental consent when this is in the best interests of the child; and

            (d)        Seek technical cooperation from, among others, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and UNAIDS.

Environmental health

            (a)        Continue to improve the specialized health care provided to children affected by the Chernobyl disaster, including its psychosocial aspect;

            (b)        Strengthen its efforts at early detection and prevention of diseases related to nuclear contamination;

            (c)        Focus more on a long-term developmental approach to assistance to people.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        Undertake studies to determine the causes of and ways to prevent disabilities in children;

            (b)        Undertake measures to ensure that the situation of children with disabilities is monitored in order to assess their situation and address their needs effectively;

            (c)        Conduct public awareness campaigns to raise awareness of the situation and the rights of children with disabilities;

            (d)        Allocate the necessary resources for programmes and facilities for all children with disabilities, especially the ones living in rural areas, and strengthen community-based programmes to enable them to stay at home with their families;

            (e)        Support the parents of children with disabilities with counselling and, when necessary, financial support;

            (f)        In light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and the Committee's recommendations adopted at its day of general discussion on "The rights of children with disabilities" (CRC/C/69, paras. 310-339), further encourage their integration into the regular educational system and inclusion into society, including by providing special training to teachers and by making schools more accessible.

6.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

Education

            (a)        Ensure the availability of education in the Belarusian language and the accessibility for Roma children and those belonging to other minorities to good quality education;

            (b)        Improve the quality of education in the whole country in order to achieve the goals mentioned in article 29, paragraph 1, in line with the Committee's general comment No. 1 on the aims of education.

7.  Special protection measures

Trafficking, sexual and other forms of exploitation

• The Committee is concerned about the information that Belarus is a country of origin and transit for the trafficking of children, in particular girls, for the purpose of sexual and other forms of exploitation.  The Committee notes that there is a lack of information and knowledge about this phenomenon and about problems such as sexual exploitation, drug abuse and the involvement of children in the drug trade, and economic exploitation, often related to trafficking.
• In light of articles 32 to 36 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:

            (a)        Undertake a study on the issue of trafficking and trafficking-related problems, such as sexual exploitation, drug abuse and the involvement of children in the drug trade, and economic exploitation, in order to assess their scope and causes, and develop and implement effective monitoring and other measures to prevent them;

            (b)        Combat and eliminate child trafficking, sexual exploitation, drug abuse and trade and economic exploitation, including by developing social integration programmes; and

            (c)        Develop and adopt a national plan of action against sexual and commercial exploitation of children, taking into account the Declaration and Agenda for Action and the Global Commitment adopted at the 1996 and 2001 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Administration of juvenile justice

            (a)        Expedite the establishment of a specific system of juvenile justice, and ensure its full independence and adequate human and financial resources;

            (b)        Continue to review laws and practices regarding the juvenile justice system in order to bring it as soon as possible into full compliance with the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39, as well as with other relevant international standards in this area, such as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines);

            (c)        Ensure that all persons under 18 benefit from special protection measures in the field of the administration of juvenile justice;

            (d)        Use detention, including pre-trial detention, only as a measure of last resort, for as short a time as possible and for no longer than the period prescribed by law, and ensure that children are always separated from adults;

            (e)        Use alternative measures to pre-trial detention and other forms of deprivation of liberty whenever possible;

            (f)        Strengthen preventive measures, such as supporting the role of families and communities in order to help eliminate the social conditions leading to such problems as delinquency, crime and drug addiction;

            (g)        Incorporate into its legislation and practices the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Their Liberty, in particular to guarantee them access to effective complaints procedures covering all aspects of their treatment;

            (h)        In light of article 39, take appropriate measures to promote the recovery and social reintegration of the children involved in the juvenile justice system;

            (i)         Seek assistance from, among others, OHCHR, the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the United Nations Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance on Juvenile Justice.

8.  Dissemination of reports

9.  Periodicity for submission of reports

Concluding observations:  Tunisia

A.  Introduction

B.  Follow-up measures undertaken and

                                                  progress achieved by the State party

• In light of the previous recommendations (ibid., para. 10), the Committee notes with satisfaction the withdrawal, on 1 March 2002, of the reservation with regard to article 40, paragraph 2 (b) (v), and the declaration in which the State party declared that "its undertaking to implement the provisions of this Convention shall be limited by the means at its disposal".
• The Committee welcomes the ratification by the State party in 1995 of the ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the ratification in 2000 of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

C.  Principal subjects of concern and Committee recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Previous recommendations of the Committee

Reservations

Coordination

Data collection

            (a)        Conduct impact assessments regarding the annual report on the situation of the child, incorporating all areas of the Convention;

            (b)        Develop an integrated approach to data collection and monitoring;

            (c)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP in this regard.

Independent monitoring structures

            (a)        To establish an independent national human rights institution in accordance with the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (General Assembly resolution 48/134) to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention at the national and, if appropriate, at the local levels, including implementation by the private sector and NGOs as providers of services to children.  This institution should be empowered to receive and investigate individual complaints of violations of child rights in a child-sensitive manner, and address them effectively; and

            (b)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, OHCHR and UNICEF.

Training/dissemination of the Convention

2.  Definition of the child

3.  General principles

Non-discrimination

            (a)        Make concerted efforts at all levels to address discrimination, notably discrimination based on the political and human rights activities, expressed opinions or beliefs of children or their parents, legal guardians or family members; disability; national, ethnic, or social origin, by means of a review and a reorientation of policies, including increased budgetary allocations for programmes targeting the most vulnerable groups;

            (b)        Enhance efforts to close gaps in the enjoyment of rights between different regions, and between urban and rural communities;

            (c)        Ensure effective law enforcement, undertake studies and launch comprehensive public information campaigns to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination, in line with previous recommendations (ibid., para. 7).

Respect for the views of the child

            (a)        Promote and facilitate, within the family, the schools, the courts and administrative bodies, respect for the views of children and their participation in all matters affecting them, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention;

            (b)        Develop skills-training programmes in community settings for teachers, social workers, local officials and religious leaders to enable them to assist children to express their informed views and opinions and to have them taken into consideration; and

            (c)        Seek assistance from UNICEF, among others.

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly

Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion

Right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

            (a)        Enforce, or, when appropriate, review existing legislation and investigate in an effective way reported cases of torture and ill-treatment of children;

            (b)        Ensure that alleged perpetrators are transferred from active duty or suspended while they are under investigation, dismissed and punished if convicted, and that court proceedings and sentences are publicized;

            (c)        Train law enforcement personnel on child rights issues;

            (d)        In the light of article 39, take all appropriate measures to ensure the physical and psychological recovery and social integration of child victims of torture and/or ill‑treatment.

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Violence/abuse/neglect/maltreatment

recommendation has been initiated to protect children from ill-treatment (ibid., para. 17).  The Committee is furthermore concerned that there is insufficient information about and awareness of domestic violence and its harmful impact on children.

            (a)        Take all legislative measures to prohibit in the most effective way possible all forms of physical and mental violence, including corporal punishment and sexual abuse, against children in the family, in the schools and in institutions;

and furthermore recommends that the State party:

            (b)        Conduct a study to assess the nature and extent of ill-treatment and abuse of children, and design policies and programmes to address it;

            (c)        Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of ill‑treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment;

            (d)        Establish effective procedures and mechanisms to receive, monitor and investigate complaints, including intervening where necessary;

            (e)        Investigate and prosecute instances of ill-treatment, ensuring that the abused child is not victimized in legal proceedings and that his/her privacy is protected;

            (f)        Provide care, recovery and reintegration for victims;

            (g)        Train teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of ill-treatment cases;

            (h)        Take into consideration the recommendations of the Committee adopted at its days of general discussion on children and violence (CRC/C/100, para. 688 and CRC/C/111, paras. 701-745);

            (i)         Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and WHO.

6.  Basic health and welfare

Children with disabilities

            (a)        Review existing policies and practices in relation to children with disabilities, taking due regard of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and of the Committee's recommendations adopted on its day of general discussion (see CRC/C/69);

            (b)        Undertake greater efforts to promote community-based rehabilitation programmes and inclusive education;

            (c)        Undertake greater efforts in the area of prevention by reviewing, inter alia, health programmes and policies relating to pregnancy, birth and child health; and

            (d)        Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF, WHO, and relevant NGOs.

Right to health and health care

            (a)        To reinforce its efforts to allocate appropriate resources, and develop and adopt policies and programmes to improve and protect the health situation of children, particularly in the rural regions showing the highest mortality indicators;

            (b)        Ensure equal access to and the quality of health care for all children, independent of socio-economic factors;

            (c)        Reinforce the capacity of the health services to address adolescent‑specific needs;

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, WHO and UNICEF.

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

Education

            (a)        Take all appropriate measures, including the allocation of adequate financial, human and technical resources, to further improve education, as stipulated in articles 28 and 29 of the Convention, both with regard to quality as well as relevance, taking into account general comment No. 1 on article 29, paragraph 1 (aims of education), and to ensure that all children enjoy the right to education;

            (b)        Seek to implement additional measures to promote early childhood education and to encourage children to stay in school, and adopt effective measures to reduce illiteracy rates;

            (c)        Continue cooperation with UNESCO and UNICEF in improving the education sector.

8.  Special measures of protection

Economic exploitation

            (a)        Take all necessary measures to effectively prevent and combat child labour; and

            (b)        Report in the next periodic report on the nature and magnitude of child labour as well as the measures taken for the implementation of ILO Conventions Nos. 138 and 182.

Sexual exploitation

Administration of justice

            (a)        Ensure the full implementation of the legislation governing the juvenile justice system, in accordance with articles 37, 40 and 39 and all other relevant provisions of the Convention, as well as other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty and the Vienna Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System;

            (b)        Ensure that deprivation of liberty is used only as a measure of last resort; that children have access to legal aid and independent and effective complaints mechanisms; and that persons under 18 are not detained with adults;

            (c)        Treat children or juveniles in conflict with the law and children or juveniles at risk in a different and distinct manner so that they are not placed in the same institutions with the same regime or restrictions; and

            (d)        Seek assistance from, among others, OHCHR, the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice.

9.  Optional Protocols to the Convention

10.  Dissemination of documentation

Concluding observations:  Switzerland

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive aspects

            (a)        The new Constitution of 1999 which enshrines provisions on the rights of the child, notably in its article 11;

            (b)        The new Act on divorce and filiation (entered into force in 2000);

            (c)        The amendments to the Penal Code which introduce the prohibition of possession of hard-core pornography, including child pornography (entered into force in 2002);

            (d)        The revision of the Federal Act concerning Assistance to Victims of Offences (entered into force in 2002);

            (e)        The Act on Medically Assisted Procreation (entered into force in 2001).

C.  Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Reservations

            (a)        Expedite as much as possible the process for the withdrawal of the reservations regarding the provision of an interpreter free of charge (art. 40 (2) (b) (vi)) and use this process to withdraw as soon as possible the reservation to article 5, given the fact that this reservation is, according to the State party, only an interpretative declaration that is not intended to affect the meaning of article 5;

            (b)        Expedite the current revision of the naturalization law and withdraw as soon as possible after the approval of this revision the reservation made to article 7;

            (c)        Expedite the current revision of the Foreign Nationals Act (formerly Federal Act concerning the Permanent and Temporary Residence of Foreigners) and withdraw as soon as possible after the approval of the revision the reservation made to article 10, paragraph 1, regarding family reunification;

            (d)        Expedite the approval and enactment of the new Juvenile Penal Law in order to start as soon as possible thereafter the withdrawal of the reservation to article 40 (2) (b) (ii) regarding legal assistance and to article 37 (c) regarding separation of juveniles deprived of their liberty from adults;

            (e)        Reconsider the reservation made with regard to the possibility of having the same juvenile judge as an investigating and a sentencing judge since the requirement of an independent and impartial authority or judicial body (art. 40 (2) (b) (iii)) does not necessarily and under all circumstances mean that investigating and sentencing juvenile judges cannot be the same person;

            (f)        Expedite the current legal reform which abolishes the competence of the Federal Tribunal as a court of first instance and withdraw as soon as possible after approval of that reform the reservation made to article 40 (2) (b) (v).

Legislation

            (a)        Ensure, through an appropriate mechanism, that national and cantonal laws conform with the Convention in order to avoid discrimination which may arise from existing disparities in the State party;

            (b)        Rigorously review and ensure that these and other laws concerning children as well as administrative regulations, both at the federal and at the cantonal level, are rights based and conform to the Convention and other international human rights instruments and standards;

            (c)        Ensure that adequate provision is made for their effective implementation, including budgetary allocation; and

            (d)        Ensure their smooth and rapid promulgation.

Coordination

Monitoring structures

Data collection

Training/dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen and continue its programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation among children and parents, civil society, and all sectors and levels of Government, including initiatives to reach vulnerable groups, especially migrant and asylum‑seeking children;

            (b)        Translate the Convention into Romansh;

            (c)        Develop and disseminate systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children's rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. federal and cantonal parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel).

2.  General principles

Non-discrimination

Best interests of the child

Respect for the views of the child

3.  Civil rights and freedoms

The right to know one's identity

Torture and ill‑treatment

• The Committee is deeply concerned about allegations of instances of ill‑treatment by law enforcement officers against foreign children and at the prevalence of abuse.
• The Committee endorses the recommendations made by the Committee against Torture in that regard (A/53/44, para. 94) and, in light of article 37 of the Convention, recommends that the State party:

            (a)        Set up child‑sensitive mechanisms in all cantons to receive complaints against law‑enforcement officers regarding ill‑treatment during arrest, questioning and police custody; and

            (b)        Systematically train the police force on the human rights of children.

Corporal punishment

4.  Family environment and alternative care

Childcare services for children of working parents

            (a)        Take measures to establish more childcare services to meet the needs of working parents; and

            (b)        Ensure that the childcare services provided promote early childhood development, in light of the principles and provisions of the Convention.

Adoption

Abuse and neglect/violence

            (a)        Undertake studies on violence, ill‑treatment and abuse against children, especially vulnerable groups of children and, including sexual abuse, particularly within the family, and bullying in schools in order to assess the extent, scope and nature of these practices;

            (b)        Develop awareness‑raising campaigns with the involvement of children in order to prevent and combat child abuse;

            (c)        Evaluate the work of existing structures and provide training to the professionals involved in these types of cases; and

            (d)        Investigate effectively cases of domestic violence and ill‑treatment and abuse of children, including sexual abuse, within the family through a child‑sensitive inquiry and judicial procedure, in order to ensure better protection of child victims, including of their right to privacy.

5.  Basic health and welfare

Adolescent health

            (a)        Pursue its efforts to decrease the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and take all necessary measures to prevent suicides among adolescents, including the collection and analysis of information, the launching of awareness‑raising campaigns, and the establishment of specific programmes and counselling services;

            (b)        Increase its efforts to promote adolescent health policies, particularly with respect to alcohol consumption and tobacco use;

            (c)        Pursue its efforts to decrease the number of child victims of road traffic accidents; and

            (d)        Develop awareness campaigns targeted at the relevant population to put an end to the practice of female genital mutilation and to conduct a comprehensive study on this issue.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        Reinforce the collection of data regarding children with disabilities;

            (b)        Undertake an assessment of the existing disparities in the integration of disabled children in mainstream education across the country and take all necessary measures to eliminate these differences which may amount to discrimination;

            (c)        Review its home care support system in order to eliminate de facto discrimination between children born with disability and children who become disabled as a result of disease or an accident.

Health insurance

Standard of living/social welfare

6.  Education

7.  Special protection measures

Refugee, asylum‑seeking and unaccompanied children

Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse

Drug abuse

Administration of juvenile justice

            (a)        Raise the minimum age for criminal responsibility to above 10 years and amend accordingly the federal bill on the criminal status of minors;

            (b)        Systematize the provision of legal assistance to all children in pre‑trial detention;

            (c)        Separate children from adults in pre‑trial detention or detention;

            (d)        Introduce systematic training programmes on relevant international standards for all professionals involved with the system of juvenile justice;

            (e)        Take into consideration the deliberations of the Committee during its day of general discussion on juvenile justice (CRC/C/46, paras. 203‑238).

Children belonging to a minority group

8.  Optional Protocols to the Convention

9.  Dissemination of documentation

Concluding observations:  United Arab Emirates

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive aspects

            (a)        The establishment of the Sharjah Supreme Council for the Family;

            (b)        The establishment of a committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

            (c)        The creation of the Children's City;

            (d)        The establishment of a children's parliament in Sharjah;

            (e)        Information on the State party's participation in regional meetings on the implementation of the Convention;

            (f)         The dissemination of the UNESCO Passport to Equality, concerning non‑discrimination of women, to several schools in the country;

            (g)        The State party's significant efforts in promoting the inclusion of disabled children in society;

            (h)        The State party's participation in international development assistance programmes.

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention

D.  Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Reservations

            (a)        That the exercise of the rights in articles 7 and 17 are subject to their compatibility with domestic law; and

            (b)        That the broad and imprecise nature of the reservation to article 14 potentially gives rise to infringements of the freedoms of thought, conscience and religion.

            (a)        Withdraw its reservations to articles 7 and 21; and

            (b)        Study its reservation to article 14 with a view to narrowing it, taking account of the Human Rights Committee's general comment No. 22 and in the long term, to withdraw it in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights (1993).

Legislation

            (a)        Gaps in federal and local legislation may result in irregularities and disparities in the outcomes of the judicial process;

            (b)        Discrepancies may occur between Shariah judges' decisions, and between Shariah court decisions and decisions of other types of courts in the State party;

            (c)        Personal status law remains uncodified;

            (d)        Shariah courts are not regulated by uniform procedural rules, including in the area of criminal matters; and

            (e)        In Shariah courts federal and local laws are considered as secondary sources, and Shariah judges allegedly do not follow Supreme Court interpretation of United Arab Emirates law.

            (a)        Conduct a comprehensive review of its domestic laws, including customary laws, administrative regulations and legal procedural rules, to ensure that they conform to international human rights standards, including the Convention;

            (b)        Ensure the speedy promulgation of legislation relating to child rights and its effective implementation; and

            (c)        Ensure that laws are sufficiently clear and precise, are published, and are accessible to the public.

Coordination

            (a)        Establish a central mechanism by strengthening the role of the national committee for the Convention on the Rights of the Child in intersectoral coordination and cooperation at and between national and local levels of government; and

            (b)        Ensure the preparation and implementation of a national plan of action for children, including the implementation of the Convention, which is comprehensive, human rights based and undertaken through an open, consultative and participatory process.

Data collection

            (a)        Establish a system such that disaggregated data are collected on all persons under 18 years for all areas covered by the Convention,  including the most vulnerable groups (i.e. non-nationals, children living in remote areas, children with disabilities, children of economically disadvantaged households, etc.), and use these data to assess progress and design policies to implement the Convention; and

            (b)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF.

Monitoring structures

            (a)        Establish an independent national human rights institution in accordance with the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (General Assembly resolution 48/134) to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention at the national and at the local levels.  This institution should be accessible to children and empowered to receive and investigate complaints of violations of child rights in a child-sensitive manner and to address them effectively; and

            (b)        Seek technical assistance from, among others, OHCHR and UNICEF.

Resource allocation

            (a)        Strengthen its efforts to allocate resources for programmes and policies to promote the civil and political rights of children; and

            (b)        Systematically assess the impact of budgetary allocations on the implementation of child rights.

Cooperation with civil society

            (a)        Consider a systematic approach to involving civil society, especially children's associations, throughout all stages in the implementation of the Convention, including with respect to civil rights and freedoms; and

            (b)        Ensure that legislation regulating NGOs conforms to article 15 of the Convention and other international standards on freedom of association, as a step in facilitating and strengthening their participation.

Training/dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen, expand and continue its programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation among children and parents, civil society and all sectors and levels of Government, including initiatives to reach those vulnerable groups who are illiterate or without formal education;

            (b)        Develop systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children's rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel); and

            (c)        Seek assistance from, among others, OHCHR and UNICEF.

2.  General principles

Non-discrimination

            (a)        Take effective measures, including enacting or rescinding legislation where necessary, to prevent and eliminate discrimination on grounds of sex and birth in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life;

            (b)        Undertake all possible measures to reconcile the interpretation of Islamic texts with fundamental human rights;

            (c)        Take all appropriate measures, such as comprehensive public education campaigns, to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes in this regard, particularly within the family;

            (d)        Train members of the legal profession, especially the judiciary, to be gender sensitive.  Religious leaders should be mobilized to support such efforts; and

            (e)        To continue and strengthen efforts to address these issues at the regional level, such as the Gulf Cooperation Council.

            (a)        Take all necessary measures to ensure that all children within its jurisdiction enjoy all the rights set out in the Convention without discrimination, in accordance with article 2; and

            (b)        Consider ratifying the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Action adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, and taking account of general comment No. 1 on article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention (aims of education).

Best interests of the child

Respect for the views of the child

            (a)        Continue to promote and facilitate, within the family, the school, institutions, the courts, and administrative bodies, respect for the views of children and their participation in all matters affecting them, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention;

            (b)        Strengthen the mandate of the social service units to allow students to submit complaints about violations of their rights in the school setting;

            (c)        Develop skills-training programmes in community settings for parents, teachers, social workers and local officials to support children to express their informed views and opinions and to have them taken into consideration; and

            (d)        Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF.

3.  Civil rights and freedoms

Nationality

Protection from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 

4.  Family environment and alternative care

Violence/abuse/neglect/maltreatment

            (a)        Conduct a study to assess the nature and extent of ill-treatment and abuse of children, and design policies and programmes to address it;

            (b)        Take legislative measures to prohibit all forms of physical and mental violence, including corporal punishment and sexual abuse of children in the family, schools and in institutions;

            (c)        Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of ill‑treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment;

            (d)        Establish effective procedures and mechanisms to receive, monitor and investigate complaints, including intervening where necessary;

            (e)        Investigate and prosecute instances of ill‑treatment, ensuring that the abused child is not victimized in legal proceedings and that his/her privacy is protected;

            (f)        Provide care, recovery and reintegration for victims;

            (g)        Train teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of cases of ill-treatment; and

            (h)        Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and WHO.

5.  Health

Adolescent health

            (a)        Ensure that adolescents have access to and are provided with education on reproductive health and other adolescent health issues, as well as with child-sensitive and confidential counselling services;

            (b)        Strengthen efforts in the area of adolescent health education within the school system; and

            (c)        Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and WHO.

6.  Education

Education

            (a)        The system of public education continues to emphasize rote learning rather than analytical skills development, and is not child-centred;

            (b)        The choice of some preparatory, secondary and higher education programmes may be restricted for girls; and

            (c)        The development and respect for human rights, tolerance and equality of the sexes and religious and ethnic minorities is not explicitly part of the curricula.

            (a)        Undertake a process of curriculum and teaching methodology reform - with the full participation of children - which stresses the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving skills development;

            (b)        Direct education towards the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;

            (c)        Include human rights education, including children's rights, in the curricula, particularly with respect to the development of and respect for human rights, tolerance and equality of the sexes and of religious and ethnic minorities; and

            (d)        Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and UNESCO.

7.  Special measures of protection

Economic exploitation

            (a)        Take immediate and effective steps to ensure the implementation of article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ILO Convention Nos. 138 and 182, taking into account ILO Recommendations Nos. 146 and 190;

            (b)        Undertake awareness-raising campaigns on trafficking in countries of origin and strengthen cooperation with those countries;

            (c)        Undertake a regional initiative (e.g. through the Gulf Cooperation Council) in this regard, including bilateral and multilateral cooperation; and

           

            (d)        Seek assistance from ILO and UNICEF.

Administration of juvenile justice

            (a)        Raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention;

            (b)        Ensure that its system of juvenile justice includes the establishment of juvenile courts and that it fully integrates the provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 39 and 40, as well as with other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, and the Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System;

            (c)        Expedite the promulgation of the draft juvenile justice law, ensuring that it is  applicable to all persons under 18 and that adequate resources are allocated for its effective implementation;

            (d)        Ensure that deprivation of liberty is only used as a measure of last resort, for the shortest possible time, is authorized by the court, and that persons under 18 are not detained with adults;

            (e)        Ensure that children have access to legal aid and independent and effective complaints mechanisms;

            (f)        Consider alternative measures to deprivation of liberty, such as probation, community service or suspended sentences;

            (g)        Train professionals in the area of rehabilitation and social recovery of children; and

            (h)        Seek assistance from, among others, the OHCHR, the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance on Juvenile Justice.

8.  Optional Protocols

9.  Dissemination of documentation

Concluding observations:  St. Vincent and the Grenadines

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive factors

            (a)        The State party's abolition of the death penalty for all persons below age 18;

            (b)        The setting up of a family court under the Domestic Violence Act of 1995 to deal specifically and speedily with cases of domestic violence;

            (c)        The programme to strengthen parental skills and empower the family.

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention

            (a)        The difficult geographic and demographic conditions of the State party;

            (b)        That difficult socio‑economic conditions place limitations upon the State party's financial and human resources;

            (c)        That severe unemployment has led to high emigration, leaving many single parent and grandparent headed households;

            (d)        That poverty and long‑standing economic and social disparities have a negative impact on respect for the rights of individual children.

D.  Subjects of concern and the Committee's recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Legislation

            (a)        Continue and strengthen its ongoing efforts to conduct a general review of the conformity of its legislation with the principles and provisions of the Convention;

            (b)        Where needed, amend existing legislation or adopt new legislation with a view to strengthening the legislative framework for the implementation of the Convention and, in this context, make every effort to proceed with the OECS (and partners') programme for the harmonization of laws relating to families and children (as described in the replies to the list of issues);

            (c)        Proceed with the commitment, as mentioned by the delegation, to consider the adoption by Parliament of a rights‑based children's code, compiling the main elements of domestic legislation of direct relevance to children and incorporating the provisions and principles of the Convention, including the best interests principle;

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF and OHCHR.

Implementation, coordination, national plan of action and monitoring

coordination of governmental bodies working to implement the Convention, and the State party's adoption of a new programme of action in cooperation with UNICEF for the period 2003‑2008 with a set of defined priorities, the Committee remains concerned that:

            (a)        The State party lacks a clearly defined and comprehensive child rights policy and plan of action for implementation of the Convention;

            (b)        Coordination of implementation of the Convention between different government ministries remains insufficient;

            (c)        There is no effective independent mechanism which can receive and act upon complaints of child rights violations, including complaints from children.

            (a)        With a view to integrating the child rights perspective of the Convention into all relevant programmes and activities, strengthen its children's rights policy and develop a national plan of action for the implementation of the Convention, ensuring that it is prepared through an open, consultative and participatory process;

            (b)        Strengthen the coordination of State party efforts to implement the Convention, including through strengthening the resources of those organs with a coordinating role and through the use of multisectoral programmes;

            (c)        Establish an independent structure to receive complaints of violations of children's rights which has the authority and capacity to receive and investigate individual complaints in a child‑sensitive manner and address them effectively, such as through empowerment of the National Human Rights Association;

            (d)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF and OHCHR.

Resources for children

Data collection

            (a)        Establish an effective mechanism for the systematic collection of disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data incorporating all the areas covered by the Convention and covering all children below the age of 18 years;

            (b)        Make use of indicators and data in the formulation of policies and programmes for the effective implementation of the Convention;

            (c)        Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF.

Dissemination of the Convention

            (a)        Strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention, as a means of sensitizing society on children's rights;

            (b)        Undertake systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular administrative personnel, parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials,

civil servants, municipal and local workers, relevant personnel working in institutions and places of detention, teachers and health personnel, including psychologists and paediatricians, and social workers;

            (c)        Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF.

2.  Definition of the child

            (a)        A variety of different ages and related terms are applied to children within the State party and that these can lead to confusion with regard to the implementation of the Convention;

            (b)        The difference in the minimum legal age of marriage for girls (15) and boys (16) is discriminatory and both ages are low.

            (a)        Clarify the ages and terms applied to children;

            (b)        Raise the minimum legal age of marriage of girls to the one of boys (16).

3.  General principles

Discrimination

            (a)        The Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines does not fully reflect the provisions of article 2 of the Convention and, in particular, does not specifically prohibit discrimination on the grounds of language, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status;

            (b)        With reference, inter alia, to the findings of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, there are occurrences of racial discrimination affecting children, including the children of some minorities, such as the Amerindians and Asians, who form a disproportionate proportion of the population with lower‑income levels;

            (c)        Children with disabilities are de facto discriminated against by the absence of specific legislation to cater for their special needs and to provide them with appropriate facilities, and by the absence of effective policies and programmes to facilitate their integration into regular schools;

            (d)        Children who are known to be infected with HIV/AIDS are discriminated against at school by some teachers.

            (a)        Amend its legislation, including the Constitution, to ensure that it fully corresponds with the provisions of article 2 of the Convention and to ensure the full implementation of non‑discrimination provisions, giving special attention to children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, to children with disabilities and to racial discrimination;

            (b)        Adopt legislation providing for the protection of the rights of children with disabilities, including with regard to the provision of special services and facilities for children in need of such support.

Best interests of the child

Respect for the views of the child

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Name and nationality

Ill‑treatment and other forms of violence

            (a)        Prohibit through legislative and administrative provisions the use of corporal punishment in all contexts, including in schools, in the administration of justice, in other institutions and within the family;

            (b)        Make use of information and education campaigns to sensitize parents, professionals working with children and the public in general to the harm caused by corporal punishment and to the importance of alternative, non‑violent, forms of discipline, as provided for in article 28.2 of the Convention.

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Family environment

            (a)        A large proportion of Vicentian families are living in poverty;

            (b)        The difficult domestic employment situation has obliged many parents, and sometimes both parents, to migrate, leaving children in the care of grandparents or under the responsibility of an older child;

            (c)        Almost half of all families are headed by women single parents and their related poverty places children in these families at particular risk of violations of their rights;

            (d)        Mothers are only able to claim child maintenance for a child aged over 5 if the claim process was initiated before the child reached the age of 5, and there are disparities between the child maintenance awards made to the children of unmarried mothers (domestic court) and married mothers (magistrates court).

            (a)        Make every effort to provide support to children within the context of the family and consider, inter alia, means of improving employment prospects within the State party for parents;

            (b)        Give particular attention to the situation of children in single parent families, especially families headed by mothers, and to grandparent and child‑headed families;

            (c)        Strengthen its efforts to secure child maintenance payments in adequate amounts, ensuring also that there are no disparities between those accorded to the children of married and unmarried mothers;

            (d)        Implement the recommendations made in paragraphs 238 to 240 of the State party's report;

            (e)        Consider ratifying the 1973 Hague Convention No. 23 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions relating to Maintenance Obligations.

Alternative care

            (a)        There is no legislative basis for foster care procedures;

            (b)        The alternative care services for children who have been abandoned by, or who are otherwise separated from, their parents are not sufficient;

            (c)        In some instances of "adoption" (especially international adoption), children are handed over for money or with promises of financial assistance to those giving up the child.

            (a)        Establish a legal basis for alternative care, including foster care;

            (b)        Make use of existing structures, urgently establish alternative care procedures which can provide support, including long‑term solutions where needed, for children separated from their parents;

            (c)        Give particular attention to the possibility of abuse of adoption procedures for trafficking in children and consider, inter alia, strengthening monitoring of intercountry adoption and ratifying the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption;

            (d)        Seek assistance through international cooperation, including from UNICEF.

6.  Basic health and welfare

            (a)        The lack of basic medicines to meet the needs of sick children;

            (b)        Infant mortality rates;

            (c)        Levels of undernutrition;

            (d)        The gradual rise in obesity;

            (e)        The lack of an adequate number of dentists available to children.

            (a)        Continue and strengthen its ongoing efforts to establish community health clinics in the countryside, and ensure that these and all other medical facilities are adequately stocked with appropriate basic medicines;

            (b)        Continue and strengthen efforts to reduce infant mortality and undernutrition and take preventive action to avoid a rise in the rates of obesity among children;

            (c)        Increase the numbers of dentists available to treat children.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        The State party's statistics on the numbers of children with disabilities may be incomplete and, in particular, do not take into consideration those children who hardly ever leave their homes;

            (b)        Children with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are not integrated, as a matter of policy, into regular schools and that an insufficient number of teachers have received specialized training in this regard;

            (c)        Some children with disabilities are often obliged to remain at home and do not have access to many public buildings as a result of physical barriers such as stairs.

            (a)        Conduct a survey to identify the exact number of children with disabilities, including children who stay at home, and the causes of, and ways to prevent, disabilities in children;

            (b)        Ensure the integration within the State party's child rights policy of the rights of children with disabilities with regard to, inter alia, non‑discrimination, participation, survival and development, health, education (including vocational education for future employment) and integration into society;

            (c)        Ensure access for children with disabilities to public transportation and public buildings, including all schools and hospitals;

            (d)        Train additional teachers to teach and counsel children with disabilities;

            (e)        Strengthen the assistance, including financial assistance and counselling, provided to the families of children with disabilities;

            (f)        Seek international cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF, in this regard.

Abuse and neglect

            (a)        The instance of child abuse, including sexual abuse, is high and, as noted in its report, the State party has made insufficient efforts to address this concern;

            (b)        The abuse, including sexual abuse, of children often occurs within the family, committed by parents and siblings, and is often hidden;

            (c)        Some perpetrators of sexual abuse are able to pay money to the families of victims to avoid prosecution and even to perpetuate the abuse;

            (d)        There are many cases of neglect of children by parents, including the late presentation of a sick child at a hospital or clinic;

            (e)        Only the police and not the social services have the authority to remove a child from a family situation in which the child is suffering abuse or neglect, and this may add to the trauma suffered by the child.

            (a)        Undertake a study on the scope and nature of child abuse and neglect;

            (b)        Address the abuse, including sexual abuse, and neglect of children, giving particular attention to their occurrence within the family, through, inter alia, developing a strategy and programmes of prevention, response and support to victims;

            (c)        In the context of the Committee's recommendation under section 1 of these concluding observations:

Strengthen further the capacity of the Department of Family Services and the work of the Register of Child Abuse;

Establish effective child‑sensitive procedures and mechanisms to receive, monitor and investigate complaints, and to intervene where necessary;

Train teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of cases of ill‑treatment;

            (d)        Consider giving the necessary legal authority to the social services to take urgent action to protect children from abuse;

            (e)        Strengthen its efforts to prosecute persons responsible for perpetrating abuse and provide medical help and counselling to those perpetrators in need of such assistance;

            (f)        Take all necessary measures to prohibit payment and acceptance of money with the purpose of perpetrators of sexual abuse against children avoiding prosecution, and prosecute the persons concerned;

            (g)        Provide child victims of abuse with appropriate medical and psychological support, including recovery and social reintegration assistance for child victims and their families;

            (h)        Strengthen the education provided to young parents in the care and early attention they should give to their sick children and in the prevention of abuse and neglect;

            (i)         Take into consideration the recommendations the Committee adopted on the occasion of its days of general discussion on children and violence (CRC/C/100, para. 688, and CRC/C/111, paras. 701‑745);

            (j)         Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

Adolescent health

            (a)        Adolescents face health risks, including from sexual exploitation, maltreatment, drug and alcohol abuse, and HIV/AIDS;

            (b)        The rate of teenage pregnancy is high.

            (a)        Increase its efforts to promote adolescent health, including mental health, policies, particularly with respect to reproductive health and substance abuse and health education in schools, ensuring the full participation of adolescents;

            (b)        Consider means of reducing teenage pregnancy, including strengthening reproductive health education for adolescents, and ensure the provision of full health and counselling support for pregnant girls and that these girls are able to continue their formal education.

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

            (a)        Pre‑schools are not regulated by the Government, buildings are insufficiently equipped and personnel inadequately trained;

            (b)        The proportion of untrained teachers in primary schools remains high ‑ approximately 25 per cent of the total;

            (c)        Despite passage of the 1992 Education Act, compulsory primary education is not yet enforced;

            (d)        The number of children passing the secondary school entrance examination is extremely low;

            (e)        Children have insufficient access to books and other reading materials.

            (a)        Adopt legislation regulating pre‑schools, including with regard to the standards of buildings and other facilities and the training of staff, and continue its current efforts in this regard;

            (b)        Continue the progress made so far in providing training for primary school teachers;

            (c)        Follow through with its commitment, as expressed by the delegation, to enforce compulsory education requirements from September 2002 and to consider raising the age of compulsory education from 14 to 16;

            (d)        Review the system of secondary school entrance examinations and take action to address problems identified, with a view, inter alia, to raising significantly the numbers of children graduating from primary to secondary school;

            (e)        In the light of the Committee's General Comment on article 29.1 of the Convention and the aims of education (CRC/GC/2001/1), take measures to strengthen the accessibility, quality and management of schools and take action to address problems identified;

            (f)        Continue its ongoing efforts to increase the computerization of schools, and ensure that all children have access to appropriate books and other reading materials;

            (g)        Seek technical assistance from UNICEF and UNESCO in this regard.

8.  Special protection measures

Economic exploitation

            (a)        Is concerned at the child labour situation;

            (b)        Joins the State party in expressing concern that existing legislation with regard to working children is outdated and provides insufficient protection to children;

            (c)        Notes that data with regard to child labour are scarce.

            (a)        Undertake a survey to assess the scope and nature of child labour in all sectors;

            (b)        Conduct a review of legislation with regard to working children and amend it to ensure its compatibility with the principles and provisions of the Convention, and adopt and implement ILO Convention No. 138 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment;

            (c)        Take action to implement all legislation and policies relevant to addressing child labour concerns and protecting the rights of children in the context of their economic exploitation.

Street children

            (a)        Undertake a study on the scope and causes of the phenomenon;

            (b)        Create a legislative framework and continue and strengthen its ongoing efforts to assist street children, including with regard to their reintegration into their families.

Sexual exploitation and abuse

            (a)        At the sexual exploitation of children, including boys and including street children, for payment;

            (b)        That the State party lacks accurate data and an adequate policy in this regard.

            (a)        Undertake a study to examine the sexual exploitation of children, gathering accurate data on its incidence;

            (b)        Develop an effective and comprehensive policy addressing the sexual exploitation of children, including the factors that place children at risk of such exploitation;

            (c)        Implement appropriate policies and programmes for prevention and for the recovery and reintegration of child victims, in accordance with the Declaration and Agenda for Action and the Global Commitment adopted at the 1996 and 2001 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.

The illicit use of drugs and substances

            (a)        The illicit use of drugs and substances by children is increasing, including the use of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as other substances, and that some of the children abusing drugs and using substances are placed, for this reason, in mental health institutions;

            (b)        The State party lacks adequate data and treatment programmes in this regard.

            (a)        Undertake a survey on the scope of substance abuse by children, including the collection of data;

            (b)        Take action to combat substance abuse by children, including through public education campaigns, and ensure that child drug and substance abusers are not placed in mental institutions unnecessarily and have access to effective structures and procedures for treatment, counselling, recovery and reintegration.

Administration of justice

            (a)        The age of criminal responsibility, fixed at 8 years of age, is too low and that juvenile justice protections are not afforded to all persons under the age of 18;

            (b)        With only very limited exceptions, the State party does not provide legal assistance to children, and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are frequently left without such support;

            (c)        Children are sometimes forced by the police to confess to criminal offences when they are held in custody at police stations, and are sometimes subject to ill‑treatment;

            (d)        Juveniles are not usually deprived of their liberty as a "last resort" and, because legislation does not provide a sufficient range of sentencing alternatives to deprivation of liberty, juveniles and young people, especially from 16 years upwards, are sometimes sent to prison when a lesser punishment could have been applied;

            (e)        Children who have been charged are detained with adult persons charged with crimes, in police stations and for long periods of time, because there are no juvenile criminal detention facilities;

            (f)         Children who are charged jointly with adults are tried in regular courts;

            (g)        There is no institution used exclusively for children where children purging a prison sentence can be sent, that the "Approved Schools" provided for in the Juvenile Act do not exist and that, as a consequence, convicted children over 16 are sent to adult prison;

            (h)        The Corporal Punishment of Juveniles Act allows for the caning of juveniles who have been found guilty of crime.

            (a)        Significantly raise the age of criminal responsibility and ensure that all children under the age of 18 benefit from the special protection measures recognized by juvenile justice standards;

            (b)        Ensure that all children benefit from free legal assistance in the context of juvenile justice proceedings;

            (c)        Ensure that deprivation of liberty is used only as a last resort and that provision is made for adequate alternatives to deprivation of liberty, such as community service orders;

            (d)        Ensure the protection of child detainees from ill‑treatment and/or being forced to make confessions by the police;

            (e)        Establish a system through which children who are detained or imprisoned are separated from adults, and establish alternative institutions to prisons, suited to the education and rehabilitation of delinquents;

            (f)        Urgently prohibit the corporal punishment of children in the context of the juvenile justice system;

            (g)        In this regard and in the light of the Committee's day of discussion on juvenile justice, develop mechanisms and provide adequate resources to ensure the full implementation of juvenile justice standards, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines);

            (h)        Seek assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance on Juvenile Justice.

9.  Optional Protocols

                                    10.   Dissemination of the report, written answers,

                                            concluding observations, and the next report

Reporting

Concluding observations:  Spain

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive aspects

C.  Principal areas of concern and recommendation

1.  General measures of implementation

Committee's previous recommendations

14 (resources for children), 16 (non-discrimination), 18 (legislation), 22 (child asylum-seekers and unaccompanied children) and 23 (ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families).  Those concerns and recommendations are reiterated in the present document.

Legislation

Coordination and comprehensive strategy

            (a)        Strengthen effective coordination within and between government agencies at national, regional and local levels in the implementation of policies for the promotion and protection of the child, as it previously recommended (CRC/C/15/Add.28, para. 12);

            (b)        Formulate a comprehensive strategy for children on the basis of the principles and provisions of the Convention; and

            (c)        Develop and enforce intersectoral policies for children.

Resources for children

            (a)        To consider ways through which all children can be guaranteed equal access to the same standard of services, irrespective of where they live for example, by establishing nationwide minimum standards for, and allocation of resources to, the implementation of the Convention's provisions, in particular in the areas of health, education and other social welfare services;

            (b)        To identify clearly its priorities with respect to child rights issues in order to ensure that funds are allocated to the maximum extent of available resources for the full implementation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children, in particular for children belonging to the most vulnerable groups in society; and

            (c)        To identify the amount and proportion of the budget spent on children at the national, regional and local levels in order to evaluate the impact and effect of the expenditures on children.

Data collection

            (a)        Strengthen its mechanism for collecting and analysing systematically disaggregated data on all persons under 18 for all areas covered by the Convention, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable groups, including Roma children, children belonging to migrant families, unaccompanied migrant children and children of economically and socially disadvantaged households;

            (b)        Use these indicators and data effectively for the formulation and evaluation of policies and programmes for the implementation and monitoring of the Convention.

Dissemination

            (a)        Continue and strengthen its efforts to disseminate the Convention both to children and to the broader public, including appropriate material specifically for children translated in the different languages spoken in Spain, including languages of migrant children;

            (b)        Undertake systematic education and training programmes on the principles and provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, teachers, health personnel and social workers.

2.  Definition of the child

3.  General principles

General principles

            (a)        Appropriately integrate the general principles of the Convention, namely articles 2, 3, 6 and 12, in all relevant legislation concerning children;

            (b)        Apply them in all political, judicial and administrative decisions, as well as in projects, programmes and services which have an impact on all children; and

            (c)        Apply these principles in planning and policy-making at every level, as well as in actions taken by social and health welfare and educational institutions, courts of law and administrative authorities.

Non-discrimination

            (a)        Monitor the situation of children, in particular those belonging to the above‑mentioned vulnerable groups, who are exposed to discrimination; and

            (b)        Develop, on the basis of the results of this monitoring, comprehensive strategies containing specific and well‑targeted actions aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination.

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Corporal punishment

            (a)        Prohibit all forms of violence, including corporal punishment, in the upbringing of children, in conformity with article 19 of the Convention;

            (b)        Conduct awareness campaigns and promote alternative forms of discipline in families.

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Children deprived of family environment

            (a)        Ensure that protection procedures for children have a minimum common standard and are compatible with the best interest of the child;

            (b)        Provide more human and financial resources to family courts so they can deal with their work more expeditiously.

Family reunification

Abuse and neglect

            (a)        Undertake studies on domestic violence, violence against children, ill‑treatment and abuse, including sexual abuse, and implement the statistical system created to keep a record of incidents of physical and mental violence and neglect against children, in order to assess the extent and nature of these practices;

            (b)        Adopt and implement effectively adequate measures and policies, including public campaigns, and encourage changing attitudes;

            (c)        Investigate effectively cases of domestic violence and ill-treatment and abuse of children, including sexual abuse within the family, within a child-sensitive inquiry and judicial procedure in order to ensure better protection of child victims, including the protection of their right to privacy;

            (d)        Take measures to provide support services to children in legal proceedings and for the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of the victims of rape, abuse, neglect, ill-treatment and violence, in accordance with article 39 of the Convention;

            (e)        Take into account the Committee's recommendations adopted at its days of general discussion on "Violence against children within the family and in schools" (see CRC/C/111) and on "State violence against children" (see CRC/C/100).

6.  Basic health and welfare

Adolescent health

            (a)        Enforce existing programmes, such as the National Drug Plan for 2002‑2008 and those at Autonomous Community level, with a focus on preventive action and awareness raising on the danger of synthetic drugs, alcohol and tobacco;

            (b)        Take steps to address adolescent health concerns, including teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, through, inter alia, sex education, including birth control measures such as the use of condoms;

            (c)        Strengthen its mental health and counselling services, ensuring that these are accessible and sensitive to adolescents.

Harmful traditional practices

            (a)        Undertake a study on the extent and nature of female genital mutilation practised in Spain or abroad on girls who live in Spain;

            (b)        Organize an information and awareness campaign, taking into account the result of the study, to prevent this practice; and

            (c)        Take the necessary steps to prohibit it.

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

Education

            (a)        The high rate of truancy and school drop-out and the difficult school integration of Roma children, children belonging to migrant families or children living in socio‑economically deprived areas;

            (b)        That some children belonging to migrant families, particularly girls, do not complete their compulsory education or have great difficulties in attending school;

            (c)        The rather widespread bullying in schools;

            (d)        The negative impact of terrorism on children's development.

            (a)        Ensure regular attendance at schools and the reduction of truancy and drop‑out rates, especially with regard to Roma children and children belonging to migrant families;

            (b)        Take measures to prevent bullying and other forms of violence in schools, in light of the Committee's recommendations adopted at its day of general discussion on "Violence against children within the family and in schools";

            (c)        Ensure that the educational process will promote the culture of peace and tolerance, as well as address the negative impact of terrorism on the physical and psychological well‑being of children;

            (d)        Take into consideration the Committee's general comment No. 1 on the aims of education in the development of the Quality Education Act.

8.  Special protection measures

Unaccompanied foreign children

            (a)        Ill-treatment of children by police during forced expulsion to the country of origin where, in some cases, they were deported without access to legal assistance and interpretation;

            (b)        Failure to provide for these children the temporary legal residency status to which they are entitled under the law because the Department of Social Welfare, as their legal guardian, did not apply for it;

            (c)        Overcrowding and bad conditions of residential centres and cases of ill-treatment by residential centre staff and other children;

            (d)        Denial of access to health care and education, although guaranteed by law;

            (e)        Summary expulsions of children without ensuring that they are effectively returned to family or social welfare agencies in their country of origin.

            (a)        Ensure the implementation of Organizational Act 4/2000 and other laws by providing to unaccompanied foreign children access to residential care, education, emergency services and other health care, and temporary residency documents;

            (b)        Provide the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla with the necessary financial and human resources for the care of these children;

            (c)        Coordinate with the Government of Morocco to ensure that when children are repatriated from Spain to Morocco, they are returned to family members willing to care for them or to an appropriate social service agency;

            (d)        Take all measures to prevent irregular procedures in the expulsion of unaccompanied foreign children;

            (e)        Investigate in an effective way reported cases of ill‑treatment of these children;

            (f)        Provide unaccompanied foreign children with information about their rights under Spanish and international law, including the right to apply for asylum;

            (g)        Take all necessary measures to improve the conditions and safety of residential centres and adequately train residential centre staff;

            (h)        Establish effective mechanisms to receive and address complaints from children in care, monitor standards of care and, in light of article 25 of the Convention, establish regular periodic review of placements;

            (i)         Consider signing and ratifying the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, as previously recommended (ibid., para. 23).

Economic exploitation

            (a)        Undertake studies, such as the one conducted by the Ministry of Social Labour and Social Affairs and the Spanish Committee for UNICEF on "Diagnosis concerning various types of exploitation of juveniles in Spain", to assess the nature and extent of child labour in Spain, in particular in family businesses and in the agricultural sector;

            (b)        Develop, on the basis of the results of these studies, comprehensive strategies containing specific and well-targeted actions aimed at preventing and eliminating child labour;

            (c)        Continue to implement programmes aimed at preventing and eliminating child labour through awareness-raising activities and detection of causative factors.

Sexual exploitation

            (a)        Protect all persons under 18 from all forms of sexual exploitation, even when children have consented, under pressure of money, threats or, allegedly, "freely", to such acts;

            (b)        Organize campaigns for protection against sexual abuse, prostitution and child pornography;

            (c)        Implement the National Plan of Action against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children 2002-2003.

Children belonging to minority groups

            (a)        To take measures to improve and implement more effectively existing legislation and policies with regard to assuring protection of the rights of all children from minority groups, giving particular attention to the situation of Roma children;

            (b)        Continue to ensure the participation of persons from minorities, including children, in the drafting and implementation of these policies.

Administration of juvenile justice

            (a)        Allocate adequate human and financial resources in order to ensure the full implementation of the Organizational Act 5/2000;

            (b)        Align the period of police custody for children accused of terrorism with the provisions of the Act and review the length of prison terms for children accused of terrorism;

            (c)        Provide training on the new juvenile system to those responsible for administering juvenile justice;

            (d)        Encourage the use of alternative measures to the deprivation of liberty.

9.  Dissemination of documentation

10.  Periodicity for submission of reports

Concluding observations:  The Kingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles)

A.  Introduction

B.  Positive factors

C.  Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention

D.  Principal subjects of concern, suggestions and recommendations

1.  General measures of implementation

Reservations

Legislation

            (a)        Continue in its effort to ensure that the new provisions of the Civil Code and Family Law are published and accessible to the public, and are sufficiently known and understood by all professional groups working for and with children;

            (b)        Review the legislation in order to achieve full compliance with the Convention and its rights-based approach.

Independent monitoring structures

            (a)        Monitors the implementation of the Convention;

            (b)        Deals with complaints from children in a child-sensitive, direct and expeditious manner;

            (c)        Provides remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention.

In this regard, the Committee further recommends that the State party consider seeking technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF and OHCHR.

Resources for children

Data collection

Dissemination

            (a)        The State party strengthen its awareness-raising efforts and encourage the islands to undertake systematic education and training on the rights of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists, social workers, as well as children and their parents;

            (b)        Recommends that the Netherlands Antilles seek to ensure that the Convention is fully integrated into the curricula at all levels of the educational system, on all the islands.

2.  Definition of the child

3.  General principles

Non-discrimination

            (a)        The principle of non-discrimination against children is not guaranteed in legislation;

            (b)        Discrimination on some of the grounds mentioned in article 2 of the Convention is still not a punishable offence under the Criminal Code;

            (c)        There is discrimination against children with disabilities;

            (d)        There are discrepancies in the enjoyment of rights in relation to certain vulnerable groups, especially children from immigrant families who have only limited access to adequate health, education and other social services.

            (a)        Ensure that all relevant legislation prohibits discrimination on all the grounds covered by article 2 of the Convention;

            (b)        Address all forms of discrimination against children mentioned in points (c) and (d) above;

            (c)        Take strong proactive measures to ensure that children of immigrant families have equal access to education, health and other services.

Best interest of the child

The right to life, survival and development

Respect for the views of the child

            (a)        The views of the child are still not fully respected and taken into account at school and at home;

            (b)        Few of the Youth Advisory Groups are still active, and the Youth Parliament only includes a minority of persons under 18.

            (a)        Promote and facilitate, within the family, the school, the courts and administrative bodies, respect for the views of children and their participation in all matters affecting them, according to their age and majority;

            (b)        Provide information to children and their parents, teachers, government officials, the judiciary, traditional leaders and society at large on children's right to participate and to have their views taken into account;

            (c)        Continue and strengthen its efforts to assure child participation in all spheres that affect their lives, including through reinforcing the work of and increasing the number and representation of children involved in Youth Parliaments, Summits and Advisory Groups, and ensure that girls in particular take an active role within these bodies and other participatory mechanisms;

            (d)        Ensure that the current education reforms include specific mechanisms to guarantee children's involvement and expression in school policy and the development of curriculum.

4.  Civil rights and freedoms

Birth registration

Violence/abuse/neglect/maltreatment

            (a)        Take all legislative measures to prohibit all forms of physical and mental violence, including corporal punishment, against children (boys as well as girls) in the home, schools and in all other contexts;

            (b)        Conduct a study to assess the nature and extent of ill-treatment and abuse of children, and design policies and programmes to address it;

            (c)        Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of ill‑treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment;

            (d)        Encourage the establishment of a steering committee for "Advice and Reporting Centres against Child Abuse" on each island, as suggested in the National Action Plan, and ensure that these centres possess effective procedures and mechanisms for reporting and referring cases of child abuse and neglect, as well as appropriate measures for the protection of child victims;

            (e)        Provide care, recovery and reintegration for victims;

            (f)        Train teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of ill-treatment cases;

            (g)        Take into consideration the recommendations of the Committee adopted on its days of general discussion on children and violence in September 2000 (CRC/C/100, para. 688) and September 2001 (CRC/C/111, paras. 701-745);

            (h)        Take measures, including through legislation, to support and protect child victims and witnesses in legal proceeding;

            (i)         Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and WHO.

5.  Family environment and alternative care

Family environment

single-parent families, mostly headed by women, and the inadequate assistance provided to them.  The Committee is further concerned at the disparities in the availability and accessibility of day-care services between islands.

            (a)        Take steps to ensure that parents and families understand and fulfil their obligations towards children and give consideration to means of providing families with additional support, including through the implementation of the 1997 government memorandum on the family;

            (b)        Establish an effective mechanism for the provision of adequate social welfare;

            (c)        Introduce a national policy on day-care services with a view to ensuring uniformity across all islands.

Recovery of maintenance

Children deprived of a family environment

            (a)        Current facilities available for the alternative care of children deprived of their family environment are insufficient, in particular in the Windward Islands where no foster homes are available;

            (b)        The Island Ordinances on alternative care have not been sufficiently implemented, monitoring and follow-up of placements in institutions is inadequate, and personnel available in this field are insufficiently trained.

            (a)        Develop programmes to facilitate alternative care, in particular foster care in the Windward Islands;

            (b)        Strengthen efforts to improve the quality of care available, including through the implementation of the Ordinances on alternative care for all islands;

            (c)        Provide training, including in children's rights, for social and welfare workers;

            (d)        Ensure that placements in institutions are periodically reviewed, as required under article 25 of the Convention;

            (e)        Establish an independent complaint mechanism for children in alternative care institutions;

            (f)        Strengthen its collaboration with NGOs in this area, and consider renewing its support to NGOs providing alternative care facilities.

6.  Basic health and welfare

            (a)        Greater efforts be undertaken to make the necessary professional and financial resources available;

            (b)        Every effort be made to improve public knowledge of basic health-care measures, including prevention and reproductive health, and provide for the affordable availability of contraception so that unwanted pregnancy does not occur;

            (c)        Efforts to reach unregistered schools, specifically makeshift schools, are continued and strengthened;

            (d)        The State party develop a national campaign to inform parents and train professionals on the advantages of breastfeeding and continue and expand to all islands its initiative to introduce "baby-friendly" hospitals;

            (e)        Comprehensive and consistent programmes for treating victims of hurricanes be developed;

            (f)        National legislation for health care be introduced so as to ensure that disparities in the quality of health care among the islands is rectified;

            (g)        Social security and health insurance be broadened so as to include all children within the State party.

Children with disabilities

            (a)        There are insufficient resources and specialized staff for children with disabilities and a lack of specialized institutions, in particular in the Windward Islands;

            (b)        Undocumented children do not have access to this care;

            (c)        Insufficient efforts have been made to facilitate the inclusion of children with disabilities into the educational system and generally within society.

            (a)        Undertake studies to determine the causes of and ways to prevent disabilities in children;

            (b)        In light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and the Committee's recommendations adopted at its day of general discussion on " The rights of children with disabilities" (CRC/C/69, paras. 310-339), further encourage the integration of children with disabilities into the regular educational system and their inclusion in society, notably by providing special training to teachers and making the physical environment, including schools, sports and leisure facilities and all other public areas more physically accessible; 

            (c)        Undertake an awareness-raising campaign with the participation of children, to sensitize the public about the rights and special needs of children with disabilities as well as children with mental health concerns;

            (d)        Provide assistance to the parents or others caring for children with disabilities;

            (e)        Seek technical assistance for the training of professional staff working with and for children with disabilities.

Adolescent health

            (a)        Implement the programme on reproductive health proposed in 1996 following the national workshop on reproductive health;

            (b)        Develop youth-sensitive and confidential counselling, care and rehabilitation facilities that are accessible without parental consent and to those not enrolled in the regular education system, when this is in the best interests of the child;

            (c)        Ensure that adolescents (both girls and boys) have access to and are provided with education on reproductive health and other adolescent health issues, as well as with child-sensitive and confidential counselling services, and strengthen efforts in the area of adolescent health education within the educational system.

HIV/AIDS

7.  Education, leisure and cultural activities

            (a)        High drop-out rates in primary and secondary school, especially among boys;

            (b)        Insufficient number of well-trained teaching staff;

            (c)        The disparity among the islands in enrolment rates and access to education;

            (d)        High illiteracy rates for boys and girls;

            (e)        Various forms of discrimination and exclusion which affect the right to education of certain groups of children, such as pregnant adolescents, undocumented children and children with disabilities, reflecting insufficient attention to articles 28 and 29 of the Convention.

            (a)        Seek to implement participatory measures to encourage children, especially boys, to stay in school during the period of compulsory education;

            (b)        Take effective measures through,  inter alia, non-formal measures to address the high illiteracy rates;

            (c)        Extend resources to support children to go to secondary education;

            (d)        Effectively implement the Foundation Based Education as of August 2002 and monitor its progress, ensuring that children are consulted in this process and that teachers are sufficiently trained in this new approach to education;

            (e)        Ensure that pregnant girls of compulsory school age stay in school and are provided with adequate support mechanisms to continue their education after the child is born;

            (f)        Increase the number, capacity and quality of special education institutions for children with special education needs;

            (g)        Address education towards the aims mentioned in article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee's general comment on the aims of education.

Leisure and cultural activities

8.  Special protection measures

Refugee and internally displaced children

Economic exploitation

            (a)        For night work and hazardous work the minimum age of 15 is too low and not in conformity with international standards;

            (b)        Children 12 years and above who have not completed primary education may work;

            (c)        Insufficient information and inadequate data are available on the situation of child labour and economic exploitation within the Netherlands Antilles;

            (d)        There is inadequate enforcement of the child labour law, in particular with regard to hazardous labour, and no monitoring mechanisms available to address the situation. 

            (a)        Child labour laws be reviewed and implemented, labour inspectorates be strengthened and penalties be imposed in cases of violations;

            (b)        Special attention be paid to enforcing laws prohibiting children under the age of 18 from work that might be hazardous to their health, safety or development, in line with ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Sexual exploitation and trafficking

            (a)        The absence of data and of a comprehensive study on the issue of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children;

            (b)        The limited programmes available for providing physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of child victims of such abuse and exploitation;

            (c)        Legislation making sexual exploitation of children only a criminal offence up to the age of 16 and not 18, and the exclusion of boys from this legislation.

            (a)        Implement appropriate policies and programmes for prevention and for the reintegration and recovery of child victims according to the Declaration and Agenda for Action and the Global Commitment adopted at the 1996 and 2001 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children;

            (b)        Extend coverage of legislation to ensure protection of children from sexual exploitation up to the age of 18;

            (c)        Undertake studies with a view to assessing the scope of exploitation of children, including for prostitution and pornography.

Substance abuse

            (a)        The high incidence of drug abuse and drug trafficking involving children, particularly in St. Maarten and Curaçao;

            (b)        The absence of data on this problem as well as the lack of a comprehensive national plan of action to combat drug abuse and trafficking amongst children;

            (c)        The limited psychological, social and medical programmes and services available for the treatment of drug-addicted children.

            (a)        Review and update national legislation on drugs;

            (b)        In light of article 33 of the Convention, take all appropriate measures, including administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and to prevent the use of children in the illicit trafficking of such substances;

            (c)        Support rehabilitative, reintegration and recovery programmes dealing with child victims of drug and substance abuse.

Administration of juvenile justice

            (a)        Develop laws, policies and mechanisms and provide adequate resources to ensure the full implementation of juvenile justice standards and in particular articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention, as well as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines), and in the light of the Committee's 1995 day of general discussion on the administration of juvenile justice (see CRC/C/46, chap. III, sect. C);

            (b)        Apply the special protection of the juvenile justice system to all children below 18;

            (c)        Ensure that minors are always heard in the presence of a legal representative; consider deprivation of liberty only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible period of time; protect the rights of children deprived of their liberty, including those pertaining to conditions of detention; and ensure that children are always separated from adults and remain in regular contact with their families while in the juvenile justice system;

            (d)        Seek assistance from, among others, OHCHR, the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF, through the Coordination Panel on Technical Advice and Assistance on Juvenile Justice.

9.  Optional protocols

10.  Dissemination of the report, written answers, concluding observations

IV.  INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

                                           V.  COOPERATION WITH UNITED NATIONS

                                                 AND OTHER COMPETENT BODIES

VI.  WORKING METHODS

VII.  GENERAL COMMENTS

VIII.  DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE THIRTY-FIRST SESSION

            1.         Adoption of the agenda.

            2.         Organizational matters.

            3.         Submission of reports by States parties.

            4.         Consideration of reports of States parties.

5.         Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other   competent bodies.

            6.         Methods of work of the Committee.

8.         Day of general discussion

            8.         Future meetings.

            9.         Other matters.

IX.  ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

Annex I

                        STATES WHICH HAVE SIGNED, RATIFIED OR ACCEDED

                        TO THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

AS AT 7 JUNE 2002 (191)

State	Date of signature		Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona	Date of entry into force
Afghanistan	27 September 1990		28 March 1994	27 April 1994
Albania	26 January 1990		27 February 1992	28 March 1992
Algeria	26 January 1990		16 April 1993	16 May 1993
Andorra	2 October 1995		2 January 1996	1 February 1996
Angola	14 February 1990		5 December 1990	4 January 1991
Antigua and    Barbuda	12 March 1991		5 October 1993	4 November 1993
Argentina	29 June 1990		4 December 1990	3 January 1991
Armenia			23 June 1993a	22 July 1993
Australia	22 August 1990		17 December 1990	16 January 1991
Austria	26 January 1990		6 August 1992	5 September 1992
Azerbaijan			13 August 1992a	12 September 1992
Bahamas	30 October 1990		20 February 1991	22 March 1991
Bahrain			13 February 1992a	14 March 1992
Bangladesh	26 January 1990		3 August 1990	2 September 1990
Barbados	19 April 1990		9 October 1990	8 November 1990
Belarus	26 January 1990		1 October 1990	31 October 1990
Belgium	26 January 1990		16 December 1991	15 January 1992
Belize	2 March 1990		2 May 1990	2 September 1990
Benin	25 April 1990		3 August 1990	2 September 1990
Bhutan	4 June 1990		1 August 1990	2 September 1990
Bolivia	8 March 1990		26 June 1990	2 September 1990
Bosnia and    Herzegovinab				6 March 1992
Botswana			14 March 1995a	13 April 1995
Brazil	26 January 1990		24 September 1990	24 October 1990
Brunei Darussalam			27 December 1995a	26 January 1996
Bulgaria	31 May 1990	3 June 1991		3 July 1991
Burkina Faso	26 January 1990	31 August 1990		30 September 1990
Burundi	8 May 1990	19 October 1990		18 November 1990
Cambodia	22 September 1992	15 October 1992		14 November 1992
Cameroon	25 September 1990	11 January 1993		10 February 1993

State	Date of signature		Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona	Date of entry into force
Canada	28 May 1990		13 December 1991	12 January 1992
Cape Verde			4 June 1992a	4 July 1992
Central African    Republic	30 July 1990		23 April 1992	23 May 1992
Chad	30 September 1990		2 October 1990	1 November 1990
Chile	26 January 1990		13 August 1990	12 September 1990
China	29 August 1990	2 March 1992		1 April 1992
Colombia	26 January 1990	28 January 1991		27 February 1991
Comoros	30 September 1990	22 June 1993		21 July 1993
Congo		14 October 1993a		13 November 1993
Cook Islands		6 June 1997a		6 July 1997
Costa Rica	26 January 1990		21 August 1990	20 September 1990
Côte d'Ivoire	26 January 1990		4 February 1991	6 March 1991
Croatiab				8 October 1991
Cuba	26 January 1990		21 August 1991	20 September 1991
Cyprus	5 October 1990		7 February 1991	9 March 1991
Czech Republicb				1 January 1993
Democratic People's    Republic of Korea	23 August 1990		21 September 1990	21 October 1990
Democratic Republic    of the Congo	20 March 1990		27 September 1990	27 October 1990
Denmark	26 January 1990		19 July 1991	18 August 1991
Djibouti	30 September 1990		6 December 1990	5 January 1991
Dominica	26 January 1990		13 March 1991	12 April 1991
Dominican Republic	8 August 1990		11 June 1991	11 July 1991
Ecuador	26 January 1990		23 March 1990	2 September 1990
Egypt	5 February 1990		6 July 1990	2 September 1990
El Salvador	26 January 1990		10 July 1990	2 September 1990
Equatorial Guinea			15 June 1992a	15 July 1992
Eritrea	20 December 1993		3 August 1994	2 September 1994
Estonia			21 October 1991a	20 November 1991
Ethiopia			14 May 1991a	13 June 1991
Fiji	2 July 1993		13 August 1993	12 September 1993
Finland	26 January 1990		20 June 1991	20 July 1991
France	26 January 1990		7 August 1990	6 September 1990
Gabon	26 January 1990		9 February 1994	11 March 1994
Gambia	5 February 1990		8 August 1990	7 September 1990
Georgia			2 June 1994a	2 July 1994

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona		Date of entry into force
Germany	26 January 1990	6 March 1992		5 April 1992
Ghana	29 January 1990	5 February 1990		2 September 1990
Greece	26 January 1990	11 May 1993		10 June 1993
Grenada	21 February 1990	5 November 1990		5 December 1990
Guatemala	26 January 1990	6 June 1990		2 September 1990
Guinea		13 July 1990a		2 September 1990
Guinea-Bissau	26 January 1990	20 August 1990		19 September 1990
Guyana	30 September 1990	14 January 1991		13 February 1991
Haiti	20 January 1990	8 June 1995		8 July 1995
Holy See	20 April 1990	20 April 1990		2 September 1990
Honduras	31 May 1990	10 August 1990		9 September 1990
Hungary	14 March 1990	7 October 1991		6 November 1991
Iceland	26 January 1990	28 October 1992		27 November 1992
India		11 December 1992a		11 January 1993
Indonesia	26 January 1990	5 September 1990		5 October 1990
Iran (Islamic    Republic of)	5 September 1991	13 July 1994		12 August 1994
Iraq		15 June 1994a		15 July 1994
Ireland	30 September 1990	28 September 1992		28 October 1992
Israel	3 July 1990	3 October 1991		2 November 1991
Italy	26 January 1990	5 September 1991		5 October 1991
Jamaica	26 January 1990	14 May 1991		13 June 1991
Japan	21 September 1990	22 April 1994		22 May 1994
Jordan	29 August 1990	24 May 1991		23 June 1991
Kazakhstan	16 February 1994	12 August 1994		11 September 1994
Kenya	26 January 1990	30 July 1990		2 September 1990
Kiribati		11 December 1995a		10 January 1996
Kuwait	7 June 1990	21 October 1991		20 November 1991
Kyrgyzstan		7 October 1994		6 November 1994
Lao People's    Democratic    Republic		8 May 1991a		7 June 1991
Latvia		14 April 1992a		14 May 1992
Lebanon	26 January 1990		14 May 1991	13 June 1991
Lesotho	21 August 1990		10 March 1992	9 April 1992
Liberia	26 April 1990		4 June 1993	4 July 1993
Libyan Arab    Jamahiriya			15 April 1993a	15 May 1993
Liechtenstein	30 September 1990		22 December 1995	21 January 1996

States	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona	Date of entry into force
Lithuania		31 January 1992a	1 March 1992
Luxembourg	21 March 1990	7 March 1994	6 April 1994
Madagascar	19 April 1990	19 March 1991	18 April 1991
Malawi		2 January 1991a	1 February 1991
Malaysia		17 February 1995a	19 March 1995
Maldives	21 August 1990	11 February 1991	13 March 1991
Mali	26 January 1990	20 September 1990	20 October 1990
Malta	26 January 1990	30 September 1990	30 October 1990
Marshall Islands	14 April 1993	4 October 1993	3 November 1993
Mauritania	26 January 1990	16 May 1991	15 June 1991
Mauritius		26 July 1990a	2 September 1990
Mexico	26 January 1990	21 September 1990	21 October 1990
Micronesia    (Federated    States of)		5 May 1993a	4 June 1993
Monaco		21 June 1993a	21 July 1993
Mongolia	26 January 1990	5 July 1990	2 September 1990
Morocco	26 January 1990	21 June 1993	21 July 1993
Mozambique	30 September 1990	26 April 1994	26 May 1994
Myanmar		15 July 1991a	14 August 1991
Namibia	26 September 1990	30 September 1990	30 October 1990
Nauru		27 July 1994a	26 August 1994
Nepal	26 January 1990	14 September 1990	14 October 1990
Netherlands	26 January 1990	6 February 1995	7 March 1995
New Zealand	1 October 1990	6 April 1993	6 May 1993
Nicaragua	6 February 1990	5 October 1990	4 November 1990
Niger	26 January 1990	30 September 1990	30 October 1990
Nigeria	26 January 1990	19 April 1991	19 May 1991
Niue		20 December 1995a	19 January 1996
Norway	26 January 1990	8 January 1991	7 February 1991
Oman		9 December 1996a	8 January 1997
Pakistan	20 September 1990	12 November 1990	12 December 1990
Palau		4 August 1995a	3 September 1995
Panama	26 January 1990	12 December 1990	11 January 1991
Papua New Guinea	30 September 1990	1 March 1993	31 March 1993
Paraguay	4 April 1990	25 September 1990	25 October 1990
Peru	26 January 1990	4 September 1990	4 October 1990

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona	Date of entry into force
Philippines	26 January 1990	21 August 1990	20 September 1990
Poland	26 January 1990	7 June 1991	7 July 1991
Portugal	26 January 1990	21 September 1990	21 October 1990
Qatar	8 December 1992	3 April 1995	3 May 1995
Republic of Korea	25 September 1990	20 November 1991	20 December 1991
Republic of    Moldova		26 January 1993a	25 February 1993
Romania	26 January 1990	28 September 1990	28 October 1990
Russian Federation	26 January 1990	16 August 1990	15 September 1990
Rwanda	26 January 1990	24 January 1991	23 February 1991
Saint Kitts and Nevis	26 January 1990	24 July 1990	2 September 1990
Saint Lucia		16 June 1993a	16 July 1993
Saint Vincent and    the Grenadines	20 September 1993	26 October 1993	25 November 1993
Samoa	30 September 1990	29 November 1994	29 December 1994
San Marino		25 November 1991a	25 December 1991
Sao Tome and    Principe		14 May 1991a	13 June 1991
Saudi Arabia		26 January 1996a	25 February 1996
Senegal	26 January 1990	31 July 1990	2 September 1990
Seychelles		7 September 1990a	7 October 1990
Sierra Leone	13 February 1990	18 June 1990	2 September 1990
Singapore		5 October 1995a	4 November 1995
Slovakiab			1 January 1993
Sloveniab			25 June 1991
Solomon Islands		10 April 1995a	10 May 1995
Somalia	9 May 2002
South Africa	29 January 1993	16 June 1995	16 July 1995
Spain	26 January 1990	6 December 1990	5 January 1991
Sri Lanka	26 January 1990	12 July 1991	11 August 1991
Sudan	24 July 1990	3 August 1990	2 September 1990
Suriname	26 January 1990	1 March 1993	31 March 1993
Swaziland	22 August 1990	7 September 1995	6 October 1995
Sweden	26 January 1990	29 June 1990	2 September 1990
Switzerland	1 May 1991	24 February 1997	26 March 1997
Syrian Arab    Republic	18 September 1990	15 July 1993	14 August 1993
Tajikistan		26 October 1993a	25 November 1993
Thailand		27 March 1992a	26 April 1992
The former    Yugoslav    Republic of    Macedoniab			17 September 1991

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/ accessiona	Date of entry into force
Togo	26 January 1990	1 August 1990	2 September 1990
Tonga		6 November 1995a	6 December 1995
Trinidad and Tobago	30 September 1990	5 December 1991	4 January 1992
Tunisia	26 February 1990	30 January 1992	29 February 1992
Turkey	14 September 1990	4 April 1995	4 May 1995
Turkmenistan		20 September 1993a	19 October 1993
Tuvalu		22 September 1995a	22 October 1995
Uganda	17 August 1990	17 August 1990	16 September 1990
Ukraine	21 February 1991	28 August 1991	27 September 1991
United Arab    Emirates		3 January 1997a	2 February 1997
United Kingdom of    Great Britain and    Northern Ireland	19 April 1990	16 December 1991	15 January 1992
United Republic of    Tanzania	1 June 1990	10 June 1991	10 July 1991
Uruguay	26 January 1990	20 November 1990	20 December 1990
Uzbekistan		29 June 1994a	29 July 1994
Vanuatu	30 September 1990	7 July 1993	6 August 1993
Venezuela	26 January 1990	13 September 1990	13 October 1990
Viet Nam	26 January 1990	28 February 1990	2 September 1990
Yemen	13 February 1990	1 May 1991	31 May 1991
Yugoslavia	26 January 1990	3 January 1991	2 February 1991
Zambia	30 September 1990	5 December 1991	5 January 1992

Zimbabwe

8 March 1990

11 September 1990

11 October 1990

                                               

^a  Accession.

^b  Succession.

Annex II

                      STATES WHICH HAVE SIGNED (109), OR RATIFIED or

                      acceded to (33) THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE

                      cONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ON THE

                      INVOLVEMENT OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT

AS AT 7 June 2002

(entered into force on 12 February 2002)

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Andorra	7 September 2000	30 April 2001
Argentina	15 June 2000
Austria	6 September 2000	1 February 2002
Azerbaijan	8 September 2000
Bangladesh	6 September 2000	6 September 2000
Belgium	6 September 2000	6 May 2002
Belize	6 September 2000
Benin	22 February 2001
Bosnia and    Herzegovina	7 September 2000
Brazil	6 September 2000
Bulgaria	8 June 2001	12 February 2002
Burkina Faso	16 November 2001
Burundi	13 November 2001
Cambodia	27 June 2000
Cameroon	5 October 2001
Canada	5 June 2000	7 July 2000
Cape Verde		10 May 2002a
Chad	3 May 2002
Chile	15 November 2001
China	15 March 2001
Colombia	6 September 2000
Costa Rica	7 September 2000
Croatia	8 May 2002
Cuba	13 October 2000
Czech Republic	6 September 2000	30 November 2001
State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Democratic Republic    of the Congo	8 September 2000	11 November 2001
Denmark	7 September 2000
Dominican Republic	9 May 2002
Ecuador	6 September 2000
El Salvador	18 September 2000	18 April 2002
Finland	7 September 2000	10 April 2002
France	6 September 2000
Gabon	8 September 2000
Gambia	21 December 2000
Germany	6 September 2000
Greece	7 September 2000
Guatemala	7 September 2000	9 May 2002
Guinea-Bissau	8 September 2000
Holy See	10 October 2000	24 October 2001
Hungary	11 March 2002
Iceland	7 September 2000	1 October 2001
Indonesia	24 September 2001
Ireland	7 September 2000
Israel	14 November 2001
Italy	6 September 2000	9 May 2002
Jamaica	8 September 2000	9 May 2002
Japan	10 May 2002
Jordan	6 September 2000
Kazakhstan	6 September 2000
Kenya	8 September 2000	28 January 2002
Latvia	1 February 2002
Lebanon	11 February 2002
Lesotho	6 September 2000
Liechtenstein	8 September 2000
Lithuania	13 February 2002
Luxembourg	8 September 2000
Madagascar	7 September 2000
Malawi	7 September 2000
Maldives	10 May 2002
Mali	8 September 2000	16 May 2002
State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Malta	7 September 2000	9 May 2002
Mauritius	11 November 2001
Mexico	7 September 2000	15 March 2002
Micronesia (Federal   States of)	8 May 2002
Monaco	26 June 2000	13 November 2001
Mongolia	12 November 2001
Morocco	8 September 2000	22 May 2002
Namibia	8 September 2000	16 April 2002
Nauru	8 September 2000
Nepal	8 September 2000
Netherlands	7 September 2000
New Zealand	7 September 2000	12 November 2001
Nigeria	8 September 2000
Norway	13 June 2000
Pakistan	26 September 2001
Panama	31 October 2000	8 August 2001
Paraguay	13 September 2000
Peru	1 November 2000
Philippines	8 September 2000	8 May 2002
Poland	13 February 2002
Portugal	6 September 2000
Republic of Korea	6 September 2000
Republic of Moldova	8 February 2002
Romania	6 September 2000	10 November 2001
Russian Federation	15 February 2001
Rwanda		23 April 2002a
San Marino	5 June 2000
Senegal	8 September 2000
Seychelles	23 January 2001
Sierra Leone	8 September 2000	15 May 2002
Singapore	7 September 2000
Slovakia	30 November 2001
Slovenia	8 September 2000
South Africa	8 February 2002
Spain	6 September 2000	8 March 2002
State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Sri Lanka	21 August 2000	8 September 2000
Sudan	9 May 2002
Suriname	10 May 2002
Sweden	8 June 2000
Switzerland	7 September 2000
The former Yugoslav    Republic of Macedonia	17 July 2001
Togo	15 November 2001
Tunisia	22 April 2002
Turkey	8 September 2000
Uganda		6 May 2002a
Ukraine	7 September 2000
United Kingdom of    Great Britain and    Northern Ireland	7 September 2000
United States of America	5 July 2000
Uruguay	7 September 2000
Venezuela	7 September 2000
Viet Nam	8 September 2000	20 December 2001
Yugoslavia	8 October 2001

                                               

^a  Accession.

Annex III

STATES WHICH HAVE SIGNED (103) OR RATIFIED OR acceded

to (33) THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON    

THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ON THE SALE OF CHILDREN,            

CHILD PROSTITUTION AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AS                 

AT 7 June 2002

(entered into force on 18 January 2002)

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Andorra	7 September 2000	30 April 2001
Antigua and Barbuda	18 December 2001	30 April 2002
Argentina	1 April 2002
Australia	18 December 2001
Austria	6 September 2000
Azerbaijan	8 September 2000
Bangladesh	6 September 2000	6 September 2000
Belarus		23 January 2002a
Belgium	6 September 2000
Belize	6 September 2000
Benin	22 February 2001
Bolivia	10 November 2001
Bosnia and Herzegovina	7 September 2000
Brazil	6 September 2000
Bulgaria	8 June 2001	12 February 2002
Burkina Faso	16 November 2001
Cambodia	27 June 2000	30 May 2002
Cameroon	5 October 2001
Canada	10 November 2001
Cape Verde		10 May 2002a
Chad	8 May 2002
Chile	28 June 2000
China	6 September 2000
Colombia	6 September 2000
Costa Rica	7 September 2000	9 April 2002

State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Croatia	8 May 2002	13 May 2002
Cuba	13 October 2000	25 September 2001
Cyprus	8 February 2001
Democratic Republic of   the Congo		11 November 2001a
Denmark	7 September 2000
Ecuador	6 September 2000
Finland	7 September 2000
France	6 September 2000
Gabon	8 September 2000
Gambia	21 December 2000
Germany	6 September 2000
Greece	7 September 2000
Guatemala	7 September 2000	9 May 2002
Guinea-Bissau	8 September 2000
Holy See	10 October 2000	24 October 2001
Honduras		8 May 2002a
Hungary	11 March 2002
Iceland	7 September 2000	9 July 2001
Indonesia	24 September 2001
Ireland	7 September 2000
Israel	14 November 2001
Italy	6 September 2000	9 May 2002
Jamaica	8 September 2000
Japan	10 May 2002
Jordan	6 September 2000
Kazakhstan	6 September 2000	24 August 2001
Kenya	8 September 2000
Latvia	1 February 2002
Lebanon	10 October 2001
Lesotho	6 September 2000
Liechtenstein	8 September 2000
Luxembourg	8 September 2000
Madagascar	7 September 2000
Malawi	7 September 2000
Maldives	10 May 2002	10 May 2002
State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Mali		16 May 2002a
Malta	7 September 2000
Mauritius	11 November 2001
Mexico	7 September 2000	15 March 2002
Micronesia (Federated States of)	8 May 2002
Monaco	26 June 2000
Mongolia	12 November 2001
Morocco	8 September 2000	2 October 2001
Namibia	8 September 2000	16 April 2002
Nauru	8 September 2000
Nepal	8 September 2000
Netherlands	7 September 2000
New Zealand	7 September 2000
Niger	27 March 2002
Nigeria	8 September 2000
Norway	13 June 2000	2 October 2001
Pakistan	26 September 2001
Panama	31 October 2000	9 February 2001
Paraguay	13 September 2000
Peru	1 November 2000	8 May 2002
Philippines	8 September 2000
Poland	13 February 2002
Portugal	6 September 2000
Qatar		14 December 2001a
Republic of Korea	6 September 2000
Republic of Moldova	8 February 2002
Romania	6 September 2000	18 October 2001
Rwanda		14 March 2002a
San Marino	5 June 2000
Senegal	8 September 2000
Seychelles	23 January 2001
Sierra Leone	8 September 2000	17 September 2001
Slovakia	30 November 2001
Slovenia	8 September 2000
Spain	6 September 2000	18 December 2001
State	Date of signature	Date of receipt of instrument of ratification/accession
Sri Lanka	8 May 2002
Suriname	10 May 2002
Sweden	8 September 2000
Switzerland	7 September 2000
The former Yugoslav Republic   of Macedonia	17 July 2001
Togo	15 November 2001
Tunisia	22 April 2002
Turkey	8 September 2000
Uganda		30 November 2001
Ukraine	7 September 2000
United Kingdom of    Great Britain and    Northern Ireland	7 September 2000
United States of America	5 July 2000
Uruguay	7 September 2000
Venezuela	7 September 2000	8 May 2002
Viet Nam	8 September 2000	20 December 2001
Yugoslavia	8 October 2001

                                               

^a  Accession.

Annex IV

membership of the committee on the rights of the child

Name of member	Country of nationality
Mr. Ibrahim Abdul Aziz AL-SHEDDI**	Saudi Arabia
Ms. Ghalia Mohd Bin Hamad AL-THANI**	Qatar
Ms. Saisuree CHUTIKUL**	Thailand
Mr. Luigi CITARELLA**	Italy
Mr. Jacob Egbert DOEK*	Netherlands
Ms. Amina Hamza EL GUINDI*	Egypt
Ms. Judith KARP*	Israel
Ms. Awa N'Deye OUEDRAOGO*	Burkina Faso
Ms. Marilia SARDENBERG**	Brazil
Ms. Elisabeth TIGERSTEDT-TÄHTELÄ*	Finland

                                               

  *  Term expires on 28 February 2003.

**  Term expires on 28 February 2005.

Annex V

List of initial and second periodic reports

considered by the committee on the rights

of the child as at 7 June 2002

	State party reports	Observations adopted by the Committee
Third session (January 1993)
Bolivia	CRC/C/3/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.1
Sweden	CRC/C/3/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.2
Viet Nam	CRC/C/3/Add.4 and 21	CRC/C/15/Add.3
Russian Federation	CRC/C/3/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.4
Egypt	CRC/C/3/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.5
Sudan	CRC/C/3/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.6 (preliminary)
Fourth session (September-October 1993)
Indonesia	CRC/C/3/Add.10	CRC/C/15/Add.7 (preliminary)
Peru	CRC/C/3/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.8
El Salvador	CRC/C/3/Add.9 and 28	CRC/C/15/Add.9
Sudan	CRC/C/3/Add.3 and 20	CRC/C/15/Add.10
Costa Rica	CRC/C/3/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.11
Rwanda	CRC/C/8/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.12 (preliminary)
Fifth session (January 1994)
Mexico	CRC/C/3/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.13
Namibia	CRC/C/3/Add.12	CRC/C/15/Add.14
Colombia	CRC/C/8/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.15 (preliminary)
Romania	CRC/C/3/Add.16	CRC/C/15/Add.16
Belarus	CRC/C/3/Add.14	CRC/C/15/Add.17
Sixth session (April 1994)
Pakistan	CRC/C/3/Add.13	CRC/C/15/Add.18
Burkina Faso	CRC/C/3/Add.19	CRC/C/15/Add.19
France	CRC/C/3/Add.15	CRC/C/15/Add.20
Jordan	CRC/C/8/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.21
Chile	CRC/C/3/Add.18	CRC/C/15/Add.22
Norway	CRC/C/8/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.23
Seventh session (September-October 1994)
Honduras	CRC/C/3/Add.17	CRC/C/15/Add.24
Indonesia	CRC/C/3/Add.10 and 26	CRC/C/15/Add.25
Madagascar	CRC/C/8/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.26
Paraguay	CRC/C/3/Add.22	CRC/C/15/Add.27 (preliminary)
Spain	CRC/C/8/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.28
Argentina	CRC/C/8/Add.2 and 17	CRC/C/15/Add.35 (adopted at the eighth session)
Eighth session (January 1995)
Philippines	CRC/C/3/Add.23	CRC/C/15/Add.29
Colombia	CRC/C/8/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.30
Poland	CRC/C/8/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.31
Jamaica	CRC/C/8/Add.12	CRC/C/15/Add.32
Denmark	CRC/C/8/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.33
United Kingdom of   Great Britain and   Northern Ireland	CRC/C/11/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.34
Ninth session (May-June 1995)
Nicaragua	CRC/C/3/Add.25	CRC/C/15/Add.36
Canada	CRC/C/11/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.37
Belgium	CRC/C/11/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.38
Tunisia	CRC/C/11/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.39
Sri Lanka	CRC/C/8/Add.13	CRC/C/15/Add.40
Tenth session (October-November 1995)
Italy	CRC/C/8/Add.18	CRC/C/15/Add.41
Ukraine	CRC/C/8/Add.10/Rev.1	CRC/C/15/Add.42
Germany	CRC/C/11/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.43
Senegal	CRC/C/3/Add.31	CRC/C/15/Add.45
Portugal	CRC/C/3/Add.30	CRC/C/15/Add.46
Holy See	CRC/C/3/Add.27	CRC/C/15/Add.47
Eleventh session (January 1996)
Yemen	CRC/C/8/Add.20	CRC/C/15/Add.47
Mongolia	CRC/C/3/Add.32	CRC/C/15/Add.48
Yugoslavia	CRC/C/8/Add.26	CRC/C/15/Add.49
Iceland	CRC/C/11/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.50
Republic of Korea	CRC/C/8/Add.21	CRC/C/15/Add.51
Croatia	CRC/C/8/Add.19	CRC/C/15/Add.52
Finland	CRC/C/8/Add.22	CRC/C/15/Add.53
Twelfth session (May-June 1996)
Lebanon	CRC/C/18/Add.23	CRC/C/15/Add.54
Zimbabwe	CRC/C/3/Add.35	CRC/C/15/Add.55
China	CRC/C/11/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.56
Nepal	CRC/C/3/Add.34	CRC/C/15/Add.57
Guatemala	CRC/C/3/Add.33	CRC/C/15/Add.58
Cyprus	CRC/C/8/Add.24	CRC/C/15/Add.59
Thirteenth session (September-October 1996)
Morocco	CRC/C/28/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.60
Nigeria	CRC/C/8/Add.26	CRC/C/15/Add.61
Uruguay	CRC/C/3/Add.37	CRC/C/15/Add.62
United Kingdom   (Hong Kong)	CRC/C/11/Add.9	CRC/C/15/Add.63
Mauritius	CRC/C/3/Add.36	CRC/C/15/Add.64
Slovenia	CRC/C/8/Add.25	CRC/C/15/Add.65
Fourteenth session (January 1997)
Ethiopia	CRC/C/8/Add.27	CRC/C/15/Add.66
Myanmar	CRC/C/8/Add.9	CRC/C/15/Add.67
Panama	CRC/C/8/Add.28	CRC/C/15/Add.68
Syrian Arab Republic	CRC/C/28/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.69
New Zealand	CRC/C/28/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.70
Bulgaria	CRC/C/8/Add.29	CRC/C/15/Add.71
Fifteenth session (May-June 1997)
Cuba	CRC/C/8/Add.30	CRC/C/15/Add.72
Ghana	CRC/C/3/Add.39	CRC/C/15/Add.73
Bangladesh	CRC/C/3/Add.38 and 49	CRC/C/15/Add.74
Paraguay	CRC/C/3/Add.22 and 47	CRC/C/15/Add.75
Algeria	CRC/C/28/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.76
Azerbaijan	CRC/C/11/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.77
Sixteenth session (September-October 1997)
Lao People's Democratic   Republic	CRC/C/8/Add.32	CRC/C/15/Add.78
Australia	CRC/C/8/Add.31	CRC/C/15/Add.79
Uganda	CRC/C/3/Add.40	CRC/C/15/Add.80
Czech Republic	CRC/C/11/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.81
Trinidad and Tobago	CRC/C/11/Add.10	CRC/C/15/Add.82
Togo	CRC/C/3/Add.42	CRC/C/15/Add.83
Seventeenth session (January 1998)
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	CRC/C/28/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.84
Ireland	CRC/C/11/Add.12	CRC/C/15/Add.85
Micronesia (Federated   States of)	CRC/C/28/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.86
Eighteenth session (May-June 1998)
Hungary	CRC/C/8/Add.34	CRC/C/15/Add.87
Democratic People's   Republic of Korea	CRC/C/3/Add.41	CRC/C/15/Add.88
Fiji	CRC/C/28/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.89
Japan	CRC/C/41/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.90
Maldives	CRC/C/8/Add.33 and 37	CRC/C/15/Add.91
Luxembourg	CRC/C/41/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.92
Nineteenth session (September-October 1998)
	Initial reports
Ecuador	CRC/C/3/Add.44	CRC/C/15/Add.93
Iraq	CRC/C/41/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.94
Thailand	CRC/C/11/Add.13	CRC/C/15/Add.96
Kuwait	CRC/C/8/Add.35	CRC/C/15/Add.97
	Second periodic reports
Bolivia	CRC/C/65/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.95
Twentieth session (January 1999)
	Initial reports
Austria	CRC/C/11/Add.14	CRC/C/15/Add.98
Belize	CRC/C/3/Add.46	CRC/C/15/Add.99
Guinea	CRC/C/3/Add.48	CRC/C/15/Add.100
	Second periodic reports
Sweden	CRC/C/65/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.101
Yemen	CRC/C/70/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.102
Twenty-first session (17 May-4 June 1999)
	Initial reports
Barbados	CRC/C/3/Add.45	CRC/C/15/Add.103
St. Kitts and Nevis	CRC/C/3/Add.51	CRC/C/15/Add.104
Benin	CRC/C/3/Add.52	CRC/C/15/Add.106
Chad	CRC/C/3/Add.50	CRC/C/15/Add.107
	Second periodic reports
Honduras	CRC/C/65/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.105
Nicaragua	CRC/C/65/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.108
Twenty-second session (20 September- 8 October 1999)
	Initial reports
Venezuela	CRC/C/3/Add.54 and 59	CRC/C/15/Add.109
Vanuatu	CRC/C/28/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.111
Mali	CRC/C/3/Add.53	CRC/C/15/Add.113
Netherlands	CRC/C/51/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.114
	Second periodic reports
Russian Federation	CRC/C/65/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.10
Mexico	CRC/C/65/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.112
Twenty-third session (10-28 January 2000)
	Initial reports
India	CRC/C/28/Add.10	CRC/C/15/Add.115
Sierra Leone	CRC/C/3/Add.43	CRC/C/15/Add.116
The former Yugoslav   Republic of Macedonia	CRC/C/8/Add.36	CRC/C/15/Add.118
South Africa	CRC/C/51/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.122
Armenia	CRC/C/28/Add.9	CRC/C/15/Add.119
Grenada	CRC/C/3/Add.55	CRC/C/15/Add.121
	Second periodic reports
Peru	CRC/C/65/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.120
Costa Rica	CRC/C/65/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.117
Twenty-fourth session (15 May-2 June 2000)
	Initial reports
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	CRC/C/41/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.123
Georgia	CRC/C/41/Add.4/Rev.1	CRC/C/15/Add.124
Kyrgyzstan	CRC/C/41/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.127
Cambodia	CRC/C/11/Add.16	CRC/C/15/Add.128
Malta	CRC/C/3/Add.56	CRC/C/15/Add.129
Suriname	CRC/C/28/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.130
Djibouti	CRC/C/8/Add.39	CRC/C/15/Add.131
	Second periodic reports
Jordan	CRC/C/70/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.125
Norway	CRC/C/70/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.126
Twenty-fifth session (18 September- 6 October 2000)
	Initial reports
Burundi	CRC/C/3/Add.58	CRC/C/15/Add.133
United Kingdom of   Great Britain and   Northern Ireland   (Isle of Man)	CRC/C/11/Add.19 and Corr.1	CRC/C/15/Add.134
United Kingdom of   Great Britain and   Northern Ireland   (Overseas Territories)	CRC/C/41/Add.7 and 9	CRC/C/15/Add.135
Tajikistan	CRC/C/28/Add.14	CRC/C/15/Add.136
Central African Republic	CRC/C/11/Add.18	CRC/C/15/Add.138
Marshall Islands	CRC/C/32/Add.12	CRC/C/15/Add.139
Slovakia	CRC/C/11/Add.17	CRC/C/15/Add.140
Comoros	CRC/C/28/Add.13	CRC/C/15/Add.141
	Second periodic reports
Finland	CRC/C/70/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.132
Colombia	CRC/C/70/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.137
Twenty-sixth session (8-26 January 2001)
	Initial reports
Latvia	CRC/C/11/Add.22	CRC/C/15/Add.142
Liechtenstein	CRC/C/61/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.143
Lithuania	CRC/C/11/Add.21	CRC/C/15/Add.146
Lesotho	CRC/C/11/Add.20	CRC/C/15/Add.147
Saudi Arabia	CRC/C/61/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.148
Palau	CRC/C/51/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.149
Dominican Republic	CRC/C/8/Add.40 and 44	CRC/C/15/Add.150
	Second periodic reports
Ethiopia	CRC/C/70/Add.7	CRC/C/15/Add.144
Egypt	CRC/C/65/Add.9	CRC/C/15/Add.145
Twenty-seventh session (21 May-8 June 2001)
	Initial reports
Turkey	CRC/C/51/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.152
Democratic Republic of the   Congo	CRC/C/3/Add.57	CRC/C/15/Add.153
Côte d'Ivoire	CRC/C/8/Add.41	CRC/C/15/Add.155
United Republic of Tanzania	CRC/C/8/Add.14/Rev.1	CRC/C/15/Add.156
Bhutan	CRC/C/3/Add.60	CRC/C/15/Add.157
Monaco	CRC/C/28/Add.15	CRC/C/15/Add.158
	Second periodic reports
Denmark	CRC/C/70/Add.6	CRC/C/15/Add.151
Guatemala	CRC/C/65/Add.10	CRC/C/15/Add.154
Twenty-eighth session (24 September- 12 October 2001)
	Initial reports
Mauritania	CRC/C/8/Add.42	CRC/C/15/Add.159
Kenya	CRC/C/3/Add.62	CRC/C/15/Add.160
Oman	CRC/C/78/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.161
Qatar	CRC/C/51/Add.5	CRC/C/15/Add.163
Cameroon	CRC/C/28/Add.16	CRC/C/15/Add.164
Gambia	CRC/C/3/Add.61	CRC/C/15/Add.165
Uzbekistan	CRC/C/41/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.167
Cape Verde	CRC/C/11/Add.23	CRC/C/15/Add.168
	Second periodic reports
Portugal	CRC/C/65/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.162
Paraguay	CRC/C/65/Add.12	CRC/C/15/Add.166
Twenty-ninth session (14 January- 1 February 2002)
	Initial reports
Greece	CRC/C/28/Add.17	CRC/C/15/Add.170
Gabon	CRC/C/41/Add.10	CRC/C/15/Add.171
Mozambique	CRC/C/41/Add.11	CRC/C/15/Add.172
Andorra	CRC/C/61/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.176
Malawi	CRC/C/8/Add.43	CRC/C/15/Add.174
Bahrain	CRC/C/11/Add.24	CRC/C/15/Add.175
	Second periodic reports
Lebanon	CRC/C/70/Add.8	CRC/C/15/Add.169
Chile	CRC/C/65/Add.13	CRC/C/15/Add.173
Thirtieth session (21 May-7 June 2002)
	Initial reports
Guinea-Bissau	CRC/C/3/Add.63	CRC/C/15/Add.177
Niger	CRC/C/3/Add.29/Rev.1	CRC/C/15/Add.179
Switzerland	CRC/C/78/Add.3	CRC/C/15/Add.182
United Arab Emirates	CRC/C/78/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.183
St. Vincent and the   Grenadines	CRC/C/28/Add.18	CRC/C/15/Add.184
Netherlands   (Netherlands Antilles)	CRC/C/61/Add.4	CRC/C/15/Add.186
	Second periodic reports
Belgium	CRC/C/83/Add.2	CRC/C/15/Add.178
Belarus	CRC/C/65/Add.15	CRC/C/15/Add.180
Tunisia	CRC/C/83/Add.1	CRC/C/15/Add.181
Spain	CRC/C/70/Add.9	CRC/C/15/Add.185

Annex VI

PROVISIONAL LIST OF REPORTS SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION AT

THE COMMITTEE'S thirty-first AND THIRTY-SECOND SESSIONS

Thirty-first session (16 September- 4 October 2002)
	Initial reports
Republic of Moldova	CRC/C/28/Add.19
Israel	CRC/C/8/Add.44
Seychelles	CRC/C/3/Add.64
	Second periodic reports
United Kingdom of   Great Britain and   Northern Ireland	CRC/C/83/Add.3
Poland	CRC/C/70/Add.12
Ukraine	CRC/C/70/Add.11
Sudan	CRC/C/65/Add.17
Argentina	CRC/C/70/Add.10
Burkina Faso	CRC/C/65/Add.18
Thirty-second session (13-31 January 2003)
	Initial reports
Solomon Islands	CRC/C/51/Add.6
Haiti	CRC/C/8/Add.45
Estonia	CRC/C/8/Add.45
	Second periodic reports
Romania	CRC/C/65/Add.19
Czech Republic	CRC/C/83/Add.4
Italy	CRC/C/70/Add.13
Iceland	CRC/C/83/Add.5
Republic of Korea	CRC/C/70/Add.14
Viet Nam	CRC/C/65/Add.20

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