UNITED NATIONS |
CRC |
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Report on the eighteenth session
(Geneva, 18 May5 June 1998)
CONTENTS
Chapter Paragraphs Page
I. ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 16 3
A. States parties to the Convention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 3
B. Opening and duration of the session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3
C. Membership and attendance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8 3
D. Agenda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4
E. Meeting with the High Commissioner for
Human Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 11 4
F. Presessional working group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 14 5
G. Organization of work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 6
H. Future regular meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6
II. REPORTS BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF
THE CONVENTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 281 6
A. Submission of reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 20 6
B. Consideration of reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 25 7
Concluding observations: Hungary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 64 7
Concluding observations: Democratic People's
Republic of Korea. . . . . . 65 99 13
Concluding observations: Fiji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 146 18
Concluding observations: Japan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 195 25
Concluding observations: Maldives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 241 31
Concluding observations: Luxembourg. . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 281 38
GE.9817376 (E)
CONTENTS (continued)
Chapter Paragraphs Page
III. OVERVIEW OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE. . . 282 299 43
A. Review of developments relevant to the
work of the Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 287 43
B. Cooperation with United Nations and other
competent bodies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 292 44
C. Future thematic debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 45
D. Informal visit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 46
E. Other related activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 299 46
IV. DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE NINETEENTH SESSION 300 47
V. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 47
Annexes
I. States which have ratified or acceded to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child as
at 5 June 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
II. Membership of the Committee on the Rights of the
Child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
III. Status of submission of reports by States parties
under article 44 of the Convention on the Rights
of the Child as at 5 June 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
IV. List of initial reports considered by the Committee
on the Rights of the Child as at 5 June 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
V. Provisional list of reports scheduled for
consideration at the Committee's
nineteenth and twentieth sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
VI. General discussion on “Children living in a world
with AIDS”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
VII. List of documents issued for the eighteenth
session of the Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
I. ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS
A. States parties to the Convention
1. As at 5 June 1998, the closing date of the eighteenth session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, there were 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 and opened for signature and ratification or accession in New York on 26 January 1990. It entered into force on 2 September 1990, in accordance with the provisions of its article 49. A list of States that have signed, ratified or acceded to the Convention is contained in annex I to the present report.
2. The texts of the declarations, reservations or objections made by States parties with respect to the Convention are reproduced in document CRC/C/2/Rev.7.
B. Opening and duration of the session
3. The Committee on the Rights of the Child held its eighteenth session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 18 May to 5 June 1998. The Committee held 24 meetings (454th to 477th). An account of the Committee's deliberations at its eighteenth session is contained in the relevant summary records (CRC/C/SR.454462, 465473, 475 and 477).
C. Membership and attendance
4. All the members of the Committee attended the eighteenth session. A list of the members, together with an indication of the duration of their terms of office, is provided in annex II to the present report. Mr. Francesco Paolo Fulci, Miss Sandra Prunella Mason, Mrs. Nafsiah Mboi, Mrs. Esther Margaret Queenie Mokhuane, Mrs. Awa N'Deye Quedraogo, Mr. Ghassan Salim Rabah and Mrs. Marilia Sardenberg were not able to attend the session in its entirety.
5. The following United Nations bodies were represented at the session: United Nations Children's Fund, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
6. The following specialized agencies were also represented at the session: International Labour Organization, UNAIDS, World Health Organization.
7. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross also attended the session.
8. Representatives of the following non-governmental organizations were also in attendance at the session:
General consultative status
International Alliance of Women, International Council of Women, International Movement ATD Fourth World, Zonta International.
Special consultative status
Coalition against Trafficking in Women, Defence for Children International, International Federation of Social Workers, International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, International Federation Terre des Hommes, International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, International Service for Human Rights, World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, World Summit Foundation, World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations.
Others
Coalition nationale pour les droits de l'enfant, Enfants du Monde, Federation for the Protection of Children's Human Rights, Fédération international des associations des chrétiens pour l'abolition de la torture, International Baby Food Action Network, Japanese Federation of Bar Associations, Lawsuit against Discrimination of Children Born out of Wedlock, NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, NGO Working Group on Nutrition, the Union of Korean Teachers in Japan.
D. Agenda
9. At its 454th meeting, on 5 May 1998, the Committee adopted the following provisional agenda.
1.Adoption of the agenda.
2.Organizational and other matters.
3. Submission of reports by States parties in accordance with article 44 of the Convention.
4.Consideration of reports of States parties.
5.General comments.
6. Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies.
7. Methods of work of the Committee.
8. Future meetings of the Committee.
9.Other matters.
E. Meeting with the High Commissioner for Human Rights
10. At the 469th meeting, on 29 May 1998, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, addressed the Committee.
11. In her statement, the High Commissioner stressed the need to reinforce the trend to better integration and mainstream children's rights through cooperation among United Nations bodies active in the field of human rights. She also expressed the hope that in the efforts to establish an International Criminal Court and approve its statute at the Diplomatic Conference to be held in June 1998 in Rome, the rights of the child and the Committee's own recommendations would be a guiding reference. Regarding the draft optional protocol to the Convention on children in armed conflict, Mrs. Robinson stated that she shared the view of the Committee which was also that of a majority of Governments and important partners that a clear limit of 18 years for all forms of participation of children in hostilities, either direct or indirect, should be set. In relation to the draft optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, she stressed that all efforts to curb the phenomenon of child trafficking and exploitation, including followup activities to the World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, were welcome and that full implementation of existing international norms, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child, must remain a priority. The High Commissioner also mentioned the support provided to the Committee through the Plan of Action to strengthen the implementation of the Convention and expressed the hope that the survey on technical cooperation initiated under the Plan could become a conduit for the identification of needs for technical cooperation at the country level, stimulate the provision of such cooperation and foster increased coordination and complementarity among the various partners involved in implementing the Convention. Regarding the increase in membership of the Committee, the High Commissioner stated that she would spare no effort to facilitate a rapid entry into forced of the amendment increasing to 18 the membership of the Committee. She indicated that approximately one half of the required number (120 States parties) had so far officially accepted that amendment.
F. Presessional working group
12. In accordance with a decision of the Committee at its first session, a pre-sessional working group met in Geneva from 26 to 30 January 1998. All members except Mr. Francesco Paolo Fulci, Mrs. Esther Margaret Queenie Mokhuane and Mr. Ghassan Salim Rabah participated in the working group. Representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization also participated in the meetings of the working group. A representative of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as representatives from various national and international nongovernmental organizations, attended the session.
13. The purpose of the presessional working group is to facilitate the Committee's work under articles 44 and 45 of the Convention, primarily by reviewing State party reports and identifying in advance the main questions that would need to be discussed with the representatives of the reporting States. It also provides an opportunity to consider questions relating to technical assistance and international cooperation.
14. The presessional working group held 9 meetings, at which it examined lists of issues put before it by members of the Committee relating to the initial reports of six countries: Ecuador, Fiji, Hungary, Iraq, Luxembourg and Thailand. The lists of issues were transmitted to the Permanent Missions of the States concerned with a note requesting written answers to the issues raised in the list, if possible before 20 April 1998.
G. Organization of work
15. The Committee considered the organization of work at its 454th meeting, on 18 May 1998. The Committee had before it the draft programme of work for the eighteenth session, prepared by the SecretaryGeneral in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, and the report of the Committee on its seventeenth session (CRC/C/73).
H. Future regular meetings
16. The Committee noted that its nineteenth session would take place from 21 September to 9 October 1998 and its pre-sessional working group would meet from 8 to 12 June 1998.
II. REPORTS BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
A. Submission of reports
17. The Committee had before it the following documents:
(a) Notes by the SecretaryGeneral 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) and 1998 (CRC/C/61); and on periodic reports of States parties due in 1997 (CRC/C/65) and 1998 (CRC/C/70);
(b) Note by the SecretaryGeneral on the States parties to the Convention and the status of submission of reports (CRC/C/75);
(c) Note by the SecretaryGeneral on the follow-up to the consideration of initial reports by States parties to the Convention (CRC/C/27/Rev.10);
(d) Note by the SecretaryGeneral 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.9).
The Committee was informed that, in addition to the six reports that were scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its present session (see paragraph 22 below) and those which had been received prior to the Committee's seventeenth session (see CRC/C/73, para. 17), the SecretaryGeneral had received the initial reports of Burundi (CRC/C/3/Add.58), Central African Republic (CRC/C/11/Add.18), Comoros (CRC/C/28/Add.13), Democratic Republic of the Congo (CRC/C/3/Add.57), Djibouti (CRC/C/8/Add.39), Georgia (CRC/C/41/Add.4/Rev.1), Kyrgyzstan (CRC/C/41/Add.6), Lesotho (CRC/C/11/Add.20), Marshall Islands (CRC/C/28/Add.12), Slovakia (CRC/C/11/Add.17), Suriname (CRC/C/28/Add.11), Tajikistan (CRC/C/28/Add.14), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Isle of Man) (CRC/C/11/Add.19) and the second periodic report of Peru (CRC/C/65/Add.8). The status of submission of reports by States parties under article 44 of the Convention is given in annex III.
18. A list of initial reports considered by the Committee as of 5 June 1998, as well as a provisional list of initial and second periodic reports scheduled for consideration at the Committee's nineteenth and twentieth sessions, are contained in annexes IV and V respectively.
19. As at 5 June 1998, the Committee had received 125 initial and 9 periodic reports. A total of 88 reports have been examined by the Committee.
20. By note verbale dated 8 April 1998, the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva transmitted supplementary information and comments relating to the recommendations adopted by the Committee in its concluding observations (CRC/C/15/Add.81) on the initial report of the Czech Republic (CRC/C/11/Add.11).
B. Consideration of reports
21. At its eighteenth session, the Committee examined initial reports submitted by six States parties under article 44 of the Convention. It devoted 17 of its 24 meetings to the consideration of reports (see CRC/C/SR.455462, 465473).
22. The following reports, listed in the order in which they were received by the SecretaryGeneral, were before the Committee at its eighteenth session: Democratic People's Republic of Korea (CRC/C/3/Add.41), Fiji (CRC/C/28/Add.7), Hungary (CRC/C/8/Add.34) Japan (CRC/C/41/Add.1), Luxembourg (CRC/C/41/Add.2) and Maldives (CRC/C/8/Add.33 and 37).
23. In accordance with rule 68 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Committee, representatives of all the reporting States were invited to attend the meetings of the Committee at which their reports were examined.
24. The following sections, arranged on a countrybycountry basis according to the sequence followed by the Committee in its consideration of the reports, contain concluding observations reflecting the main points of discussion and indicating, where necessary, issues that require specific followup.
25. More detailed information is contained in the report submitted by the States parties and in the summary records of the relevant meetings of the Committee.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Rights of the Child: Hungary
26. The Committee considered the initial report of Hungary (CRC/C/8/Add.34) at its 455th to 457th meeting (see CRC/C/SR.455457), held on 19 and 20 May 1998 and adopted* the following concluding observations:
* At its 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
A. Introduction
27. The Committee takes note of the submission of the initial report of the State party. It welcomes the written answers to the list of issues (CRC/C/Q/HUN/1) and the additional information submitted in the course of the dialogue with the Committee, which enabled it to assess the situation of the rights of the child in the State party. The Committee welcomes the frank, self-critical and cooperative tone of the dialogue with the State party’s delegation. The Committee also acknowledges the fact that the presence of a highly representative delegation, directly involved in the implementation of the Convention in Hungary, enabled it to engage in a constructive dialogue.
B. Positive aspects
28. The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Coordination Council for Children and Youth Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, and the Child and
Youth Council for Reconciliation of Interests, composed of representatives from the Government, youth organizations, and non-governmental organizations working for and with children.
29. The Committee notes with appreciation the longstanding achievements of the State party in the areas of education and medical care and welcomes its commitment to maintain these high standards.
30. The Committee welcomes the recent ratification by the State party of ILO Convention No. 138 regarding minimum age for access to work and the Framework Convention for the Protection of Minorities of the Council of Europe.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the
implementation of the Convention
31. The Committee acknowledges that the State party has had to face economic, social and political challenges during the past few years. It notes that the transition to a market economy has led to increased rates of unemployment, poverty and other social problems, and has had a serious impact on the welfare of the population, in particular on all vulnerable groups, including children.
D. Principal subjects of concern
32. The Committee remains concerned that despite recent measures in the field of law reform inconsistencies still exist between the provisions and principles of the Convention and domestic law.
33. The Committee remains concerned by the absence of a comprehensive and integrated national policy on the promotion and protection of children’s rights.
34. The Committee is concerned by the gaps in monitoring progress in all areas covered by the Convention and in relation to all groups of children living in urban and rural areas, especially those affected by the consequences of economic transition. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of disaggregated statistical data covering all children under the age of 18.
35. In view of the current trend towards decentralization in the State party, the Committee is concerned about the sustainability of the funding for the provision of health, education and social services for children. It is also concerned by the absence of a regulating and monitoring mechanism to ensure appropriate distribution of resources to children by local authorities.
36. Although aware of the initiatives already taken by the State party, the Committee remains concerned by the insufficiency of measures taken to disseminate information and educate all parts of society, adults and children alike, on the principles and provisions of the Convention. The Committee is also concerned about the fact that the Convention has not been made available in all the minority languages spoken in the State party, including Roma. Insufficient training on the Convention provided to professional groups such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, teachers, social workers and civil servants is also a matter of concern.
37. While the Committee welcomes the cooperation between non-governmental organizations working with and for children and the authorities, it is concerned that the potential of the non-governmental sector in contributing to the development of children’s rights policies and programmes is not fully realized.
38. The Committee is concerned that the general principles of the Convention, as laid down in its articles 2 (non-discrimination), 3 (best interests of the child) and 12 (respect of the views of the child), are not fully applied or duly integrated into the implementation of the policies and programmes of the State party.
39. While the Committee notes with appreciation the measures taken by the State party, including the adoption of government resolution No. 1093/1997 on a package of mediumterm measures intended to improve the living standards of the Roma population, it remains concerned about the persistence of discriminatory practices against this minority group.
40. Regarding the implementation of article 13 of the Convention, the Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures undertaken by the State party to promote children’s right to participation within the family, at school, and in society in general. The Committee is also concerned about the restriction to the right of freedom of association (article 15 of the Convention), since there is no registry of associations managed by children.
41. The Committee is concerned by the cases of ill-treatment of children in the family and in institutions as well as the lack of adequate measures for the psycho-social recovery of child victims of such abuses. Cases of illtreatment by law enforcement personnel in or outside detention centres are also a matter of deep concern.
42. In light of the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially its articles 3, 7 and 21, the amendment to Act XV of 1990, which grants the parent the option of placing a child up for adoption before birth, is a matter of concern for the Committee.
43. While noting the State party’s achievements with regard to infant and underfive mortality rates, universal immunization and low birth weights, as well as in the field of education, the Committee is still concerned, in light of the principle of non-discrimination (article 2 of the Convention), about the unequal access to health services and opportunities in the education system, especially in rural areas, among minority groups and families living in poverty.
44. The Committee is concerned about the insufficient awarenessraising campaign in health facilities on the benefits of breastfeeding.
45. The Committee expresses its concern that the legal and other measures being taken to address the problems of child abuse, including sexual abuse within the family, are insufficient. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of research on the issue of sexual abuse within the family.
46. The high rate of youth suicide is a matter of concern to the Committee. The Committee is also concerned about the insufficiency of measures taken to address adolescent health issues such as reproductive health and the incidence of early pregnancies. The Committee expresses its concern at the increase in drug abuse and alcohol consumption among children and the insufficient preventive measures taken by the State party.
47. The Committee is concerned about the insufficiency of legal and other measures to address the issue of sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution and trafficking of children.
48. The Committee is concerned about the compatibility of the juvenile justice system in the State party with articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention and with other relevant standards such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. In particular, the Committee is concerned about the ill-treatment of children in detention centres, that deprivation of liberty is not used as a measure of last resort, and about the stigmatization of the most vulnerable categories of children, including those belonging to the Roma minority.
E. Suggestions and recommendations
49. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to facilitate the process of full harmonization of domestic legislation with the principles and provisions of the Convention in the form of a children’s code, taking especially into account the holistic nature of this treaty.
50. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen and expand the scope of existing mechanisms for coordinating and monitoring children’s rights
in order to reach locallevel governments. In this regard, the Committee suggests that structures dealing with children's issues be established in the various local governments. The relationship between the Coordination Council for Children and Youth Affairs and the various relevant structures in the local governments needs to be defined.
51. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt a comprehensive and integrated policy for children such as a national plan of action to assess progress achieved and difficulties encountered in the realization of the rights recognized by the Convention at the central and local levels, and in particular to monitor regularly the effects of economic change on children. Such a monitoring system should enable the State to shape appropriate policies and to combat prevailing social disparities.
52. The Committee encourages the State party to ensure the full implementation of article 4 of the Convention in the light of the general principles of the Convention, in particular the best interests of the child. Available resources should be allocated to their maximum extent to ensure the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights, with particular emphasis on health and education, and on the enjoyment of these rights by the most disadvantaged groups of children. The Committee also emphasizes the need for the State party to take immediate steps to address the problem of child poverty and make every feasible effort to ensure that all families, particularly singleparent families and Roma families, have adequate resources and facilities. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the local governments be encouraged to generate local income for funding social services, in particular for the protection and promotion of children’s rights.
53. The Committee encourages the State party to strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention. The Convention should be made available in minority languages, especially Roma. Furthermore, training on the Convention should be conducted for professional groups such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement and army officials, civil servants, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, health personnel and psychologists, and social workers. The Convention should also be disseminated to non-governmental organizations, the mass media and the public at large including children themselves.
54. The Committee encourages the State party to continue and strengthen its efforts to develop a closer partnership with non-governmental organizations.
55. The Committee recommends that further efforts be made to ensure that national laws take fully into account the principles of non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, respect for the views of the child, and his or her right to participate in the family, at school, other institutions, and in society in general. These principles should also be reflected in all policies and programmes relating to children.
56. The Committee encourages the State party to continue and reinforce its efforts aimed at reducing discriminatory practices against the Roma population and improving the general status of Roma children.
57. In light of articles 19 and 37 (a), the Committee strongly recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to prevent and combat illtreatment of children, including physical and sexual abuse within the family, at school and in child-care institutions. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake prevention campaigns, including through education, to protect children against abuse and maltreatment. Comprehensive studies on these issues should be initiated in order to understand them better and facilitate the elaboration of policies and programmes, including rehabilitation programmes, to combat them effectively.
58. The Committee recommends that the State party consider reviewing its legislation and practice relating to the possibility of placing a child up for adoption before birth. Furthermore, the Committee encourages the State party to consider accession to the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
59. The Committee recommends that the State party envisage undertaking further measures to prevent and redress unequal access to health services and to the education system between the rural and urban population, and in particular to facilitate the access of Roma children to health and education. The Committee also recommends that health services and medical supplies be equally distributed between and within the local governments. Schools and vocational training should be made accessible to poor children and those living in rural areas, especially children belonging to the Roma population.
60. The Committee recommends that breastfeeding be promoted in health facilities.
61. With regard to adolescent health issues, the Committee recommends that in order to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, reproductive health education programmes be strengthened and that information campaigns be launched concerning family planning and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, the Committee encourages the State party to continue its efforts in
undertaking comprehensive studies on suicide among youth to enable authorities
to improve their understanding of this phenomenon and take appropriate measures to reduce the suicide rate. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake further preventive and curative measures, including rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, to address the issue of drug abuse and alcohol consumption among adolescents.
62. The Committee encourages the State party to continue its efforts to prevent and combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially the use of children in pornography and prostitution and the trafficking of children. Further studies and surveys should be conducted on this issue in order to design a comprehensive policy and programmes to address these phenomena. Rehabilitation and reintegration programmes should be developed for victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.
63. The Committee recommends that the State party envisage undertaking further measures to ensure the full compatibility of the juvenile justice system with the Convention, especially articles 37, 40 and 39, and other United Nations standards in this field such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. Particular attention should be paid to addressing issues such as the ill-treatment of children in detention centres, the use of deprivation of liberty other than as a measure of last resort, and the stigmatization of the most vulnerable categories of children, including those belonging to the Roma minority. Training programmes on the relevant international standards should be conducted for all professionals involved with the juvenile justice system. The Committee further suggests that the State party consider seeking technical assistance for this purpose, inter alia from the Office of the United Nations 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 in Juvenile Justice.
64. Finally, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that the publication of the report be considered, along with the relevant summary records and concluding observations adopted thereon by the Committee. Such a document should be widely distributed in order to generate debate and awareness of the Convention and of its implementation and monitoring within the Government, the Parliament and the general public, including concerned non-governmental organizations.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of
the Child: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
65. The Committee considered the initial report of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (CRC/C/3/Add.41) at its 458th to 460th meetings (CRC/C/SR.458-460), held on 20 and 22 May 1998 and adopted* the following concluding observations:
A. Introduction
66. The Committee takes note of the initial report and written answers to the list of issues (CRC/C/Q/DPRK/1) submitted by the State party. The Committee notes that after having requested postponement of the consideration of its report initially scheduled for the sixteenth session, the State party sent a highly representative delegation to the present session. The Committee
also takes note of the additional information provided by the State party in the course of the dialogue with the Committee, during which the representatives of the State party indicated the policy and programme directions, as well as the obstacles and difficulties encountered in implementing the Convention.
__________
* At the 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
B. Positive aspects
67. The Committee takes note of the fact that international instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, have the same status as domestic law and can be invoked before the courts.
68. The Committee notes with appreciation that both education and health services are free of charge in the State party.
69. The Committee takes note of the willingness of the State party to engage in international cooperation programmes to facilitate the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In this regard, the Committee takes note of the areas identified by the State party as requiring technical cooperation, such as nutrition, health, educational support materials, collecting and processing data and statistics, and monitoring, training and providing appropriate support to children with disabilities.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the
implementation of the Convention
70. The Committee takes note of the difficulties faced by the State party in its implementation of the Convention as a result of the dissolution of its traditional economic ties and of the 1995 and 1996 floods, which have had a very serious impact on the whole society.
D. Principal subjects of concern
71. The Committee is very concerned by the increase in the child mortality rate resulting from malnutrition that affects the most vulnerable children, including those living in institutions. It is also concerned at the deterioration of the health status of children, resulting mainly from shortages of food, medicine and clean water.
72. In light of article 4 of the Convention, the Committee is concerned that insufficient attention has been paid in allocating budgetary resources in favour of children “to the maximum extent of ... available ... and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation”.
73. The Committee is concerned at the lack of a specific mechanism to monitor progress in all areas covered by the Convention and in relation to all groups of children especially the most vulnerable ones, in urban and rural areas.
74. The State party's limited capacity for developing specific disaggregated indicators to evaluate progress and assess the impact of existing policies on all children is a matter of concern.
75. While noting the efforts undertaken by the State party for child welfare, the Committee is concerned that the national strategy, policies and programmes for children do not yet fully reflect the rights-based approach enshrined in the Convention. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that the general principles of the Convention, as laid down in its articles 2 (non-discrimination), 3 (best interests of the child) and 12 (respect of the views of the child), are not being fully integrated into the legislation, policies and programmes relevant to children, in particular in relation to children belonging to vulnerable categories such as children living in remote areas, children with disabilities and children in institutions.
76. The Committee notes that insufficient measures have been taken to disseminate and raise awareness about the principles and provisions of the Convention in all parts of society, among children and adults alike, in conformity with article 42 of the Convention.
77. The Committee is concerned that corporal punishment is still used, especially within the family environment and in institutions, and by the fact that no comprehensive strategy exists to eradicate this form of violence, in light of, inter alia, articles 3, 19 and 28 of the Convention.
78. The Committee is concerned by the unresolved family reunification cases, in light of, inter alia, articles 3 and 9 of the Convention.
79. The Committee is worried about the increasing problems of environmental degradation in the State party, which have a harmful impact on the health of children.
80. The Committee expresses its concern about de facto discriminatory attitudes that may occur against children with disabilities and at the insufficient measures taken by the State party to ensure that these children have effective access to health, education and social services, and to facilitate their full inclusion in society. The Committee is also concerned about the small number of well-trained professionals dealing with children with disabilities.
81. The Committee is concerned about the insufficiency of measures taken to understand and address adolescent health issues, such as teenage suicides, reproductive health and early pregnancies.
82. In light of the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially its articles 3, 5 and 19, the Committee expresses its concern that the phenomenon of child abuse and ill-treatment within the family is not adequately addressed.
83. The administration of juvenile justice, and in particular its compatibility with articles 37, 40, and 39 of the Convention and with other relevant standards such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, is a matter of concern to the Committee. The Committee remains particularly concerned, inter alia, about the rights of the child to legal assistance, judicial review and periodic review of placement. It is also concerned that persons between the ages of 17 and 18 are considered by the penal system as adults. Although the Committee was informed that no child can be sentenced to death, it remains concerned as to whether a person between 17 and 18 is considered an adult in this particular regard.
E. Suggestions and recommendations
84. The Committee encourages the State party to continue to prevent and combat malnutrition in children with all appropriate measures, through budgetary allocations in favour of children to the maximum extent of available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation.
85. The Committee recommends that the State party fully harmonize its legislation with the principles and provisions of the Convention. It also encourages the State party to envisage adopting comprehensive legislation covering all areas of the rights of the child, such as a children’s code. The Committee further recommends that the State party envisage ratifying major international human rights treaties to which it is not yet a party, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as they all have an impact on the rights of the child.
86. The Committee recommends that the State party give priority attention to the identification of appropriate disaggregated indicators with a view to addressing all areas of the Convention and all groups of children in society. Such mechanisms can play a vital role in systematically monitoring the status of children and in evaluating progress achieved in and difficulties hampering the realization of children's rights. They can be used as a basis for designing programmes to improve the situation of children, particularly the most disadvantaged, including children living in remote areas, children with disabilities, children ill-treated and abused within the family as defined by article 19 of the Convention, and children living in institutions. International cooperation could be sought to this effect, including from UNICEF.
87. The Committee encourages the State party to consider the establishment of a specific mechanism to monitor fully the implementation of the Convention, especially for the most vulnerable groups of society.
88. The Committee recommends that consideration be given to incorporating the Convention in the curricula of all educational institutions and that appropriate measures be taken to facilitate access by children to information on their rights. The Committee also suggests that the State party direct further efforts to providing comprehensive training programmes for professional groups working with and for children such as judges,
lawyers, law enforcement personnel, army officials, teachers, health personnel including psychologists, school administrators, social workers, and personnel of child-care institutions. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party reinforce its dissemination activities with regard to the Convention in the spirit of its article 42. International cooperation, especially from UNICEF, should be sought in this regard.
89. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to integrate fully the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially its general principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12), in its legal system, strategies, policies and programmes for children with a view to recognizing the child as a full subject of law. In light of article 12 of the Convention, specific attention should be given to educating all sectors of society, especially parents and teachers, about the importance of children's participation and of dialogue between teachers, parents and children.
90. The Committee suggests that the State party take all appropriate measures, including of a legislative nature, to prevent and combat the use of corporal punishment, especially at home and in institutions. The Committee also suggests that awareness-raising campaigns be conducted to ensure that alternative forms of discipline are administered in a manner consistent with the child's human dignity and in conformity with the Convention.
91. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its efforts to resolve family reunification cases in light of the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially articles 3 and 9.
92. The Committee encourages the State party to pay particular attention to the full implementation of article 4 of the Convention and to ensure adequate distribution of resources at both central and local levels. Budget allocations for the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights should be ensured to the maximum extent of available resources and in the light of the principles of non-discrimination (art. 2) and the best interests of the child (art. 3).
93. In light of the provisions and principles of the Convention, especially articles 3 and 20, the Committee suggests that the State party consider reviewing its policies and programmes regarding institutional care with a view to supporting more familyoriented solutions.
94. The Committee recommends that the State party launch a comprehensive study to enhance the understanding of the nature and scope of child abuse and ill-treatment within the family, as defined by article 19 of the Convention, with a view to combating these harmful practices adequately.
95. In light of article 24 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that particular attention be given to the impact of environmental pollution on children and that a study be undertaken on this subject. International cooperation in this field should be considered.
96. The Committee suggests that the State party undertake a comprehensive study on the issues of reproductive health, youth suicides and early pregnancies so as to identify the scope of the problems and to devote adequate resources to preventing and combating these phenomena.
97. In light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96), the Committee recommends that the State party develop early identification programmes to prevent disabilities, implement alternative measures to the institutionalization of children with disabilities, and envisage awareness-raising campaigns to reduce discrimination against disabled children and encourage their inclusion into society.
98. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary steps to bring its juvenile justice system into full conformity with the provisions and principles of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39, and with other United Nations standards in this field such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. Particular attention should be paid to the rights of children to prompt access to legal assistance, judicial review and periodic review of placement. The State party should furthermore envisage extending the special protection provided to children under penal law to all persons under 18 years old. Training programmes on the relevant international standards should be organized for all professionals involved with the juvenile justice system.
99. Finally, the Committee recommends that the widest dissemination be given to the State party's report, the discussion on the report in the Committee and the concluding observations adopted following examination of the report.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Rights of the Child: Fiji
100. The Committee considered the initial report of Fiji (CRC/C/28/Add.7) at its 461st and 462nd meetings (see CRC/C/SR.461-462), held on 25 May 1998 and adopted* the following concluding observations:
A. Introduction
101. The Committee welcomes the submission of the State party’s initial report, which followed the guidelines established by the Committee, and the written answers to the list of issues (CRC/C/Q/FIJ/1), which enabled the Committee to assess the situation of the rights of the child in the State party. The Committee also welcomes the frank, self-critical and cooperative dialogue with the State party’s delegation.
B. Positive aspects
102. The Committee appreciates the recent establishment of several administrative, monitoring and protection mechanisms on children’s rights in the State party such as the Coordinating Committee on Children (CCC), the Children’s Unit within the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Child Abuse Unit within the Police Department.
103. The Committee notes with appreciation the participation of nongovernmental organizations in the CCC and in the elaboration of the State party’s report.
104. The Committee takes note of the 1997 amendment to the Juvenile Act regarding the prevention of child pornography.
* At the 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the
implementation of the Convention
105. The Committee takes note of the particular nature of the State party, its geographical configuration comprising 330 islands, the relatively small population composed of a number of different and isolated communities, as well as the recent changes in the economic structure.
D. Principal subjects of concern
106. While noting the measures envisaged by the State party in the field of law reform, the Committee expresses its concern at the need to harmonize the legislation of the State party fully with the principles and provisions of the Convention. In this regard, it is also concerned at the slow pace in the process of enactment of the Children’s and Young Persons’ Act.
107. Although the Committee is aware of the existing coordinating and monitoring mechanisms, it is concerned about the lack of a systematic, comprehensive and disaggregated quantitative and qualitative datacollection mechanism for all areas covered by the Convention, especially addressing the most vulnerable groups of children, including those belonging to minority groups, children living in institutional care, girl children, and children living in rural areas.
108. The Committee is concerned about the lack of an independent complaint and monitoring mechanism for children, such as an Ombudsperson or a Commissioner for Children.
109. The Committee is concerned that despite the efforts undertaken by the State party in identifying priority areas for budgetary allocation of resources for the benefit of children, insufficient human and financial resources are allocated for the full implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
110. While recognizing the efforts of the State party to disseminate the Convention and to train professionals working for and with children in the provisions and principles of the Convention, as well as to translate the Convention into the Fijian and Hindi languages, the Committee is of the view that these measures are insufficient. The Committee remains concerned at the lack of adequate and systematic training for professional groups working with and for children.
111. The Committee is concerned about the fact that the State party does not appear to have fully taken into account the general principles contained in its articles 2 (non-discrimination), 3 (best interests of the child), 6 (right to life, survival and development) and 12 (respect for the views of the child) in its legislation, its administrative and judicial decisions, and in its policies and programmes relevant to children.
112. The Committee expresses its concern at the fact that the minimum age for marriage, set at 16 for girls and at 18 for boys, is discriminatory and contrary to the principles of the Convention.
113. With regard to the implementation of article 2, insufficient measures have been adopted to ensure the full enjoyment by all children of the rights recognized by the Convention, in particular in relation to access to education and health services. Of particular concern are certain vulnerable groups of children, especially the girl child, children with disabilities, children living in rural areas or in slums, and children born out of wedlock. In this regard, the Committee considers that the use of the term “illegitimate children” (ex-nuptial children) in the law is contrary to the principle of nondiscrimination contained in article 2 of the Convention.
114. The Committee is concerned about the lack of conformity of the birth registration system with all the requirements of article 7 of the Convention.
115. While aware of the initiative presented by the CCC to Fiji’s Law Reform Commission for the legal prohibition of the use of corporal punishment, the Committee remains concerned that corporal punishment is still used by parents and that internal school regulations do not contain explicit provisions prohibiting this harmful practice, in conformity with, inter alia, articles 3, 19 and 28 of the Convention.
116. The Committee is concerned at the insufficient awareness of and lack of information on ill-treatment and abuse, including sexual abuse, both within and outside the family, at the insufficient legal protection measures and appropriate resources, both financial and human, as well as at the lack of adequately trained personnel to prevent and combat such abuse.
117. Although the Committee is aware that the existing legislation on adoption is being re-examined, it is concerned that the current legislation does not reflect the principles and provisions of the Convention and does not effectively protect children against illicit transfer and non-return.
118. While the Committee acknowledges the State party’s efforts to reduce the infant mortality rate and the underfive mortality rate, it is still concerned about the prevalence of malnutrition and high rates of maternal mortality, as well as the limited access to health services on remote islands.
119. While the Committee takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State party in the field of adolescent health, it is particularly concerned at the high and increasing rate of early pregnancies, the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among the youth, the occurrence of teenage suicide, the insufficient access by teenagers to reproductive health education and counselling services, including outside schools, and the insufficient preventive measures on HIV/AIDS.
120. With regard to the situation of children with disabilities, the Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient measures taken by the State party to ensure effective access of these children to health, education and social services, and to facilitate their full inclusion into society. The Committee is also concerned about the small number of well-trained professionals working with and for children with disabilities.
121. While taking note that a compulsory primary education system was gradually established in 1997, the Committee is concerned about the fact that this system is not yet fully in place. The Committee also expresses its concern regarding the high drop-out rates as well as at the unequal access to quality education. It is further concerned about the absence of a public preschool system in the State party.
122. The Committee is concerned about the existing low minimum age for access to work, set at 12 years. The Committee is concerned about the lack of data on child labour and economic exploitation, including sexual exploitation of children.
123. The Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures to address issues of drug and alcohol abuse which are increasingly affecting children in the State party.
124. The Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient rehabilitation measures for ill-treated, sexually abused and economically exploited children as well as their limited access to the justice system.
125. While the Committee takes note that the administration of juvenile justice is regulated by the Juvenile Act, it is concerned about the full compatibility of this legislation with articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention as well as other relevant standards such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. In particular, the Committee is concerned at the lack of legal counselling for children in care centres, that detention is not being used as a measure of last resort, and about the poor state of detention centres. With regard to the minimum age for criminal responsibility, though the Committee is aware that juvenile offenders aged 10 to 17 enjoy a special judicial procedure, it is especially concerned about the low minimum age for criminal responsibility, set at 10 years. The fact that children aged between 17 and 18 years are not considered under the juvenile justice system is also a matter of concern.
E. Suggestions and recommendations
126. The Committee encourages the State party to take all necessary measures to accelerate the process for the enactment of the Children’s and Young Persons’ Act as well as other legislation related to children’s rights. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that its domestic legislation fully conforms with the provisions and the principles of the Convention. The Committee further recommends that the principles and provisions of the Convention be taken into account in the Constitutional Amendment Bill (1997). In this regard, it also recommends that a specific reference to the Convention on the Rights of the Child be envisaged.
127. The Committee recommends that the State party envisage ratifying all other major international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which all have an impact on the rights of the child.
128. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its coordination efforts through the Coordinating Committee on Children. It also recommends that the State party develop a comprehensive system of collecting disaggregated data, in order to gather all necessary information on the situation of children in the various areas covered by the Convention, including children belonging to vulnerable groups. The Committee encourages the State party to seek to this effect international cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF.
129. The Committee encourages the State party to give further consideration to the establishment of an Ombudsperson for Children or any equivalent independent complaint and monitoring mechanism.
130. The Committee encourages the State party to pay particular attention to the full implementation of article 4 of the Convention and to ensure the appropriate distribution of resources at the local and central levels. Budget allocations for the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights should be ensured to the maximum extent of available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation, as well as in the light of the principles of non-discrimination and the best interests of the child (arts. 2 and 3 of the Convention).
131. The Committee recommends that the State party harmonize the minimum age for marriage with the principles and provisions of the Convention.
132. It is the Committee's view that further efforts must be undertaken to ensure that the general principles of the Convention (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12) not only guide policy discussions and decision-making, but are also appropriately reflected in any judicial and administrative proceedings and in the development and implementation of all projects, programmes and services which have an impact on children. The Committee wishes to encourage the State party to further develop a systematic approach to increasing public awareness of the right to participation of children in the light of article 12 of the Convention.
133. The Committee recommends that a more active approach be taken to eliminate discrimination against certain groups, in particular the girl child, children with disabilities, children in institutional care, children living in rural areas, poor children such as those living in slums, and children born out of wedlock (ex-nuptial children).
134. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to improve its birth registration system in light of article 7 of the Convention. The Committee also recommends that the State party launch awarenessraising campaigns regarding the parents’ duty to register newborn children.
135. The Committee recommends that corporal punishment be comprehensively prohibited by law and that measures be taken to raise awareness on the negative effects of corporal punishment and to ensure that discipline in schools, families and institutional care is administrated in a manner consistent with the child’s dignity, in light of article 28 of the Convention.
136. In light of article 19 of the Convention, the Committee further recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures, including revision of legislation, to prevent and combat ill-treatment within the family, including domestic violence and sexual abuse of children. It suggests, inter alia, that the authorities set up social programmes to prevent all types of child abuse as well as to rehabilitate the child victims. Law enforcement should be strengthened with respect to such crimes; adequate procedures and mechanisms to deal with complaints of child abuse should be developed, such as special rules of evidence and special investigators or community focal points.
137. In light of, inter alia, articles 3, 10 and 21 of the Convention, the Committee encourages the State party to accelerate the process of reform of its legislation relating to adoption and to illicit transfer and non-return. The Committee suggests that the State party envisage acceding to the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
138. The Committee recommends that the State party promote adolescent health policies and the strengthening of reproductive health education and counselling services. The Committee further suggests that a comprehensive and multidisciplinary study be undertaken to understand the scope of adolescent health problems, especially early pregnancies. The Committee also recommends that further efforts, both financial and human, be undertaken to develop childfriendly care and rehabilitation facilities for adolescents and their families.
139. In light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96), the Committee recommends that the State party develop early identification programmes to prevent disabilities, implement alternatives to the institutionalization of disabled children, envisage awareness-raising campaigns to reduce discrimination against disabled children, establish special education programmes and centres for disabled children and encourage their inclusion into society. The Committee further recommends that the State party seek technical cooperation for the training of professional staff working with and for children with disabilities. International cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF and the World Health Organization can be sought to this effect.
140. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake all appropriate measures to accelerate the full implementation of the compulsory education system and to improve the access to education of the most vulnerable groups of children.
141. The Committee recommends that further measures, including legal reform, be taken to fully implement the provisions of article 32 of the Convention and other related international instruments. The Committee encourages the State party to consider acceding to ILO Convention No. 138 regarding minimum age for access to work. Furthermore, efforts should be undertaken to prevent and combat economic exploitation, or any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health
or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Particular attention should be paid to the conditions of children working within their families, in order to protect them fully. The Committee recommends that the State party envisage seeking technical cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF and the ILO in this area.
142. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat drug and substance abuse among children, and take all appropriate measures including public information campaigns in and outside the schools. It also encourages the State party to support rehabilitation programmes for child victims of drug and substance abuse. In this regard, the Committee encourages the State party to consider seeking technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF and WHO.
143. The Committee recommends that further measures, including legal reform, be taken to fully implement the provisions of article 34 of the Convention, to prevent and combat sexual economic exploitation of children, including the use of children in prostitution and pornography and the trafficking and abduction of children.
144. In light of article 39 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party undertake further efforts to establish rehabilitation centres for child victims of ill-treatment, sexual abuse and economic exploitation.
145. With regard to the administration of juvenile justice, the Committee recommends that the State party take all measures to fully integrate the provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39, as well as other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, in its legislation, its laws, its policies, programmes and practices. In particular, the Committee recommends that it review the provision governing legal counselling for children in care centres in conflict with the law, that detention be used only as a measure of last resort, and that conditions in detention centres be improved. The Committee strongly recommends that the State party raise the minimum age for criminal responsibility and raise to 18 years the age of persons considered under the juvenile justice system. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party consider seeking international assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the United Nations 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 in Juvenile Justice.
146. Finally, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that the publication of the report be considered, along with the relevant summary records and the concluding observations adopted thereon by the Committee. Such a wide distribution should generate debate and awareness of the Convention and of its implementation and monitoring within the Government, the Parliament and the general public, including concerned non-governmental organizations.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Rights of the Child: Japan
147. The Committee considered the initial report of Japan (CRC/C/41/Add.1) at its 465th to 467th meetings (CRC/C/SR.465 to 467) held on 27 and 28 May 1998 and adopted* the following concluding observations:
A. Introduction
148. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the submission of its initial report, which followed the guidelines set by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as for the written answers to its list of issues (CRC/C/Q/JAP/1). It takes note of the supplementary information provided by the delegation during the consideration of its report and the constructive dialogue with the multidisciplinary delegation of the State party.
B. Positive factors
149. The Committee notes the efforts by the State party in the field of law reform. The Committee welcomes the amendments to the Child Welfare Law adopted in 1997 as well as the decision in May 1998 aimed at ensuring that all single mothers have the right to a child allowance for children born out of wedlock. The Committee also takes note of the 1996 revision of the immigration rules regarding residency status for foreign mothers who raise children of Japanese nationals.
150. The Committee welcomes the information given by the delegation that the State party is currently considering ratifying the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
151. The Committee welcomes the State party’s initiative to convene a “Children’s Diet” as a means of realizing an important dimension of article 12 of the Convention.
C. Principal subjects of concern
152. The Committee notes with concern the reservation made by the State party to article 37 (c) of the Convention, as well as the declarations made in relation to articles 9, paragraph 1, and 10, paragraph 1.
153. The Committee notes with concern that although the Convention on the Rights of the Child has precedence over domestic legislation and can be invoked before domestic courts, in practice courts in their rulings usually do not directly apply international human rights treaties in general and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in particular.
* At the 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
154. While noting the establishment of the Management and Coordination Agency and the Committee for the Promotion of Youth Policy, the Committee is nevertheless concerned about their limited mandate and the insufficient measures adopted to ensure effective coordination between different governmental departments competent in areas covered by the Convention, as well as between the central and local authorities. The Committee is concerned that this may result not only in a lack of coordination of governmental action, but also in inconsistency.
155. The Committee notes with concern the insufficient measures to collect disaggregated statistical data, including data related to the registration of complaints from children, and other information on the situation of children, especially those belonging to the most vulnerable groups, including children with disabilities, children placed in institutions and children belonging to national and ethnic minorities.
156. The Committee is concerned at the absence of an independent body with a mandate to monitor the implementation of the rights of children. It notes that the monitoring system of “Civil Liberties Commissioners for the Rights of the Child” in its present form lacks independence from the Government as well as the authority and powers necessary to fully ensure the effective monitoring of children’s rights.
157. While recognizing the efforts of the State party in this respect, the Committee is concerned that insufficient measures have been taken to disseminate and promote widespread awareness in all parts of society, among children and adults alike, about the principles and provisions of the Convention and particularly the importance that the Convention attaches to the notion of the child as a full subject of rights. The Committee is also concerned that the Convention has not been made available in any minority language and at the insufficient steps taken to provide relevant professional groups with training in the rights of the child.
158. While noting with appreciation the active participation of nongovernmental organizations in issues related to children’s rights, the Committee is concerned that the knowledge and expertise of civil society is not adequately utilized at the present stage of cooperation between the authorities and NGOs, which leads to insufficient participation of NGOs in all stages of implementation of the Convention.
159. The Committee is concerned that the general principles of nondiscrimination (art. 2), the best interests of the child (art. 3) and respect for the views of the child (art. 12), are not being fully integrated into the legislative policies and programmes relevant to children, in particular in relation to children from vulnerable categories such as those belonging to national and ethnic minorities, especially Ainu and Koreans, children with disabilities, children in institutions or deprived of liberty and children born out of wedlock. The Committee is particularly concerned about unequal access by children of Korean origin to institutions of higher education and the difficulties encountered by children in general in exercising their right to participate (art. 12) in all parts of society, especially in the school system.
160. The Committee is concerned that legislation does not protect children from discrimination on all grounds defined by the Convention, especially in relation to birth, language and disability. The Committee is particularly concerned about legal provisions explicitly permitting discrimination, such as article 900 (4) of the Civil Code which prescribes that the right to inheritance of a child born out of wedlock shall be half that of a child born within a marriage, and about mention of birth out of wedlock in official documents. It is also concerned at the provision of the Civil Code stipulating a different minimum age of marriage for girls (16 years) from that of boys (18 years).
161. The Committee is concerned at the insufficient measures taken by the State party to guarantee the child’s right to privacy, especially in the family, schools and other institutions.
162. In light of article 17 of the Convention, the Committee is concerned at the insufficient measures introduced to protect children from the harmful effects of the printed, electronic and audiovisual media, in particular violence and pornography.
163. In light of article 21 of the Convention, the Committee is concerned at the lack of necessary safeguards to ensure the best interests of the child in cases of intercountry adoption.
164. The Committee is concerned at the number of institutionalized children and the insufficient structure established to provide alternatives to a family environment for children in need of special support, care and protection.
165. The Committee is concerned about the increase of child abuse and illtreatment, including sexual abuse, within the family. The Committee notes with concern that insufficient measures have been taken to ensure that all cases of abuse and ill-treatment of children are properly investigated, sanctions applied to perpetrators and publicity given to decisions taken. It is also concerned about the insufficient measures taken to ensure the early identification, protection and rehabilitation of abused children.
166. With regard to children with disabilities, the Committee notes with concern the insufficient measures taken by the State party, notwithstanding the principles laid down in the Fundamental Law for People with Disabilities, 1993, to ensure effective access of these children to education and to facilitate their full inclusion in society.
167. While taking into account the advanced health system and the very low infant mortality rate, the Committee is concerned about the high number of suicides among children and the insufficient measures to prevent this phenomenon, the insufficient access by teenagers to reproductive health education and counselling services, including outside schools, and the incidence of HIV/AIDS among adolescents.
168. While noting the importance given to education by the State party, as illustrated by a very high literacy rate, the Committee is concerned that children are exposed to developmental disorders due to the stress of a highly competitive educational system and the consequent lack of time for leisure, physical activities and rest, in light of the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially its articles 3, 6, 12, 29 and 31. The Committee is further concerned about the significant number of cases of school phobia.
169. The Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures taken by the State party to introduce human rights education into school curricula in a systematic manner, in accordance with article 29 of the Convention.
170. The Committee is concerned at the frequency and level of violence in schools, especially the widespread use of corporal punishment and the existence of numerous cases of bullying among students. While legislation prohibiting corporal punishment and such measures as hot lines for victims of bullying do exist, the Committee notes with concern that current measures have been insufficient to prevent school violence.
171. While noting the draft bill on sexual exploitation, introducing penal sanctions against nationals involved in the exploitation of children through prostitution or pornography, and taking note of the conference organized as a follow-up to the World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children held in Stockholm in 1996, the Committee is concerned at the lack of a comprehensive plan of action to prevent and combat child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children.
172. The Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures undertaken to address issues of drug and alcohol abuse which are increasingly affecting children in the State party.
173. The situation in relation to the administration of juvenile justice and its compatibility with the principles and provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39, as well as other relevant standards such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty is a matter of concern to the Committee. In particular, the Committee is concerned about the insufficiency of independent monitoring and adequate complaints procedures, the insufficiency of alternatives to detention and to the use of pre-trial detention as a last resort. The conditions in substitute prisons are also a matter of concern.
D. Suggestions and recommendations
174. In light of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of 1993, the Committee encourages the State party to consider reviewing its reservation to article 37 (c) and its declarations with a view to their withdrawal.
175. With regard to the status of the Convention in domestic law, the Committee recommends that the State party provide, in its next periodic report, detailed information on cases where the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights treaties have been invoked before domestic courts.
176. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen coordination between the various governmental mechanisms involved in children’s rights,
at both the national and local levels, in order to develop a comprehensive policy on children and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Convention.
177. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to develop a system of data collection and to identify appropriate disaggregated indicators in order to address all areas of the Convention and to facilitate the identification of sectors where further action is needed and the assessment of progress achieved.
178. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to establish an independent monitoring mechanism, either by improving and expanding the existing system of “Civil Liberties Commissioners for the Rights of the Child” or by creating an Ombudsperson or a Commissioner for Children’s Rights.
179. The Committee recommends that greater efforts be made by the State party to ensure that the provisions of the Convention are widely known and understood by both children and adults. Systematic training and retraining programmes in the rights of the child should be organized for all professional groups, including members of the police, the security forces and other law enforcement officials, judicial personnel, lawyers, magistrates, teachers and school administrators at all levels of education, social workers, officials of central or local administrations, personnel of child-care institutions and health and medical personnel, including psychologists. In order to reinforce the status of the child as a full subject of rights, the Committee recommends that the Convention be incorporated in the curricula of all educational institutions. It further recommends that the Convention in its entirety be made available, and when necessary translated, in minority languages.
180. The Committee encourages the State party to interact and cooperate closely with non-governmental organizations in implementing and monitoring the principles and provisions of the Convention.
181. It is the Committee’s view that further efforts must be undertaken to ensure that the general principles of the Convention, in particular the general principles of non-discrimination (art. 2), the best interests of the child (art. 3) and respect for the views of the child (art. 12), not only guide policy discussions and decision-making, but also are appropriately reflected in any legal revision, judicial and administrative decisions, and in the development and implementation of all projects and programmes which have an impact on children. In particular, legislative measures should be introduced to correct existing discrimination against children born out of wedlock. The Committee also recommends that discriminatory treatment of minority children, including Korean and Ainu children, be fully investigated and eliminated whenever and wherever it occurs. Furthermore, the Committee recommends the same minimum age for marriage of boys and girls.
182. The Committee recommends that the State party introduce additional measures, including legislative ones, to guarantee the child’s right to privacy, especially in the family, in schools, and in childcare and other institutions.
183. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt all necessary measures, including legal ones, with a view to protecting children from harmful effects of the printed, electronic and audiovisual media, in particular violence and pornography.
184. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to ensure that the rights of the child are fully protected in cases of intercountry adoptions and to consider ratifying the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
185. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to strengthen the structures established to provide alternatives to a family environment for children in need of special support, care and protection.
186. The Committee recommends that the State party collect detailed information and data regarding cases of child abuse and ill-treatment, including sexual abuse, within the family. The Committee recommends that cases of abuse and ill-treatment of children be properly investigated, sanctions applied to perpetrators and publicity given to decisions taken in order to enhance understanding of this phenomenon, and that in order to achieve this, an easily accessible and childfriendly complaint procedure be established.
187. In light of the Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96), the Committee recommends that the State party make further efforts to ensure practical implementation of the existing legislation, take alternative measures to institutionalization of children with disabilities, and envisage awarenessraising campaigns to reduce discrimination against children with disabilities and encourage their inclusion into society.
188. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to prevent suicides and incidents of HIV/AIDS among adolescents, including the collection and analysis of information, the launching of awareness-raising campaigns, reproductive health education and the establishment of counselling services.
189. In view of the highly competitive educational system in the State party and its negative effects on children’s physical and mental health, the Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate steps to prevent and combat excessive stress and school phobia in light of articles 3, 6, 12, 29 and 31 of the Convention.
190. The Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to include human rights education in the school curricula, in a systematic manner, in accordance with article 29 of the Convention.
191. In light of, inter alia, articles 3, 19 and 28.2 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that a comprehensive programme be devised and its implementation closely monitored in order to prevent violence in schools, especially with a view to eliminating corporal punishment and bullying. Additionally, it recommends that corporal punishment be prohibited by law in the family and in childcare and other institutions. The Committee also recommends that awareness-raising campaigns be conducted to ensure that alternative forms of discipline are administered in a manner consistent with the child’s human dignity and in conformity with the Convention.
192. The Committee recommends that the State party design and implement a comprehensive plan of action to prevent and combat child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children, in line with the outcome of the 1996 World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
193. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat drug and substance abuse among children and take all appropriate measures, including public information campaigns in and outside the schools. It also encourages the State party to support rehabilitation programmes for child victims of drug and substance abuse.
194. The Committee recommends that the State party envisage undertaking a review of the system of juvenile justice in light of the principles and provisions of the Convention and of other United Nations standards in this field such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. Particular attention should be paid to the establishment of alternatives to detention, the monitoring and complaints procedures and the conditions in substitute prisons.
195. Finally, the Committee recommends that, in light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the initial report and written replies presented by the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that the report be published, along with the relevant summary records and the concluding observations adopted thereon by the Committee. Such a wide distribution should generate debate and awareness of the Convention and of its implementation and monitoring within the Government, the Parliament and the general public, including concerned non-governmental organizations.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Rights of the Child: Maldives
196. The Committee considered the initial report of Maldives (CRC/C/8/Add.33 and 37) at its 468th to 470th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.468-470), held on 28 and 29 May 1998, and adopted* the following concluding observations:
A. Introduction
197. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the submission of its initial reports and the written answers to the list of issues (CRC/C/Q/MAL/1). The Committee is encouraged by the frank, selfcritical and constructive dialogue with the State party's delegation.
* At the 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
The Committee also acknowledges the fact that the presence of a high-ranking delegation directly involved in the implementation of the Convention enabled it to assess the situation of the rights of the child in the State party.
B. Positive aspects
198. The Committee notes the enactment of the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Law 9/91), which constitutes a basis for the development of more comprehensive legislation in this area.
199. The Committee welcomes the establishment of the National Council for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, in charge of monitoring the goals set by the National Plan of Action, as well as the Unit for the Rights of the Child (URC) within the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, in charge of the implementation of the Convention in the State party.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the
implementation of the Convention
200. The Committee takes note of the particular nature of the State party, its geographical configuration comprising 1,190 islands, out of which only approximately 200 are inhabited, the relatively small population composed of a number of different and isolated communities, as well as changes in the economic structures and rapid population growth.
D. Principal subjects of concern
201. The Committee is concerned that the reservations made to articles 14 and 21 of the Convention by the State party may affect the implementation of the rights guaranteed in these articles.
202. The Committee expresses its concern regarding the need to harmonize fully the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Law No. 9/91) and other domestic legislation with the principles and provisions of the Convention, taking into account its holistic nature.
203. Although the Committee is aware of existing coordinating mechanisms, it is concerned at the insufficiently systematic and comprehensive, and also disaggregated, quantitative and qualitative datacollection, for all areas covered by the Convention, especially the most vulnerable groups of children, such as children living in institutional care, girl children and children living on isolated islands.
204. The Committee is concerned at the lack of a specific mechanism to monitor progress in all areas covered by the Convention and in relation to all groups of children, especially the most vulnerable ones, in urban and rural areas.
205. With regard to article 4 of the Convention, the Committee is concerned that the financial and human resources available for the implementation of all the rights recognized by the Convention are insufficient to ensure adequate progress in improving the situation of children in the State party.
206. The Committee is concerned regarding the lack of participation of civil society in designing and implementing policies and programmes for children.
207. While recognizing the efforts of the State party to disseminate the Convention and to train professionals working for and with children on the provisions and principles of the Convention, as well as the translation of the Convention into the Maldivian language (Dhivehi), the Committee is of the view that these measures are still insufficient.
208. The Committee is concerned at the lack of clarity on the status of children aged between 16 and 18 years. In this regard, it is especially concerned by the low minimum ages for marriage and criminal responsibility.
209. The Committee is concerned that the State party does not appear to have fully taken into account the provisions of the Convention, especially its general principles as contained in its articles 2 (non-discrimination), 3 (best interests of the child), 6 (right to life, survival and development) and 12 (respect for the views of the child), in its legislation, its administrative and judicial decisions, and in its policies and programmes relevant to children.
210. With regard to the implementation of article 2, the Committee is concerned at the insufficient measures adopted to ensure the full enjoyment by girl children and children with disabilities of the rights recognized in the Convention. The Committee is also concerned at the situation of children born out of wedlock, especially with regard to their right to inheritance. Furthermore, the Committee expresses its concern at the existing disparities between children living on the capital island of Male and those living on remote islands.
211. While aware of the efforts undertaken by the State party for the prevention of ill-treatment of children, the Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient awareness of and lack of information on ill-treatment and abuse, including sexual abuse both within and outside the family, at the insufficient legal protection measures, at the inappropriate resources, both financial and human, as well as at the lack of adequately trained personnel to prevent and combat such abuse. The insufficiency of rehabilitation measures for such children and their limited access to justice are also matters of concern.
212. The Committee is concerned at the high rate of divorce - considered among the highest in the world - in the State party and its possible negative impact on children. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of research and studies on the harmful consequences on children of divorces and early marriages as well as the insufficient measures to create public awareness on the detrimental effects of divorce.
213. The Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient alternative care measures for children deprived of a family environment.
214. Despite the State party’s efforts in reducing the infant mortality rate and increasing child immunization, the Committee is concerned at the prevalence of malnutrition (stunting and iron deficiency) and the high maternal mortality rate, as well as the limited access to safe water and adequate sanitation. The Committee is also concerned regarding problems of adolescent health, in particular the high and increasing rate of early pregnancies, the lack of access by teenagers to reproductivehealth education and services, and the insufficient preventive measures against HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, the Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient measures to promote breastfeeding of children, especially in health facilities.
215. With regard to the situation of children with disabilities, the Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient measures taken by the State party to ensure effective access of these children to health, education and social services, and to facilitate their full inclusion into society. The Committee is also concerned about the small number of well-trained professionals working with and for children with disabilities.
216. Although the Committee is aware of the State party’s achievements in the area of primary school enrolment, it remains concerned at the fact that education is not compulsory by law, at the high drop-out rate between primary and secondary school, at the shortage of trained teachers, at the existing gender disparities in secondary school enrolments and at disparities in the access to education between the capital and the atolls.
217. While the Committee is aware of the plans to establish a drug rehabilitation unit, it expresses its concern at the insufficient measures undertaken to address issues of drug abuse which are increasingly affecting children in the State party.
218. The Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient preventive measures, including legal ones, to avoid the emergence of child labour and economic exploitation, including sexual exploitation. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of preventive measures, including legal ones, concerning child prostitution, child pornography, trafficking and sale of children.
219. While the Committee takes note that the administration of juvenile justice is regulated by the Penal Code and the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child, it is concerned about the full compatibility of such legislation with articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention as well as other relevant standards, such as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules), the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines) and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. Although the Committee is aware that juvenile offenders aged up to 16 enjoy a special judicial procedure, it is particularly concerned regarding the situation of those between 16 and 18 years, who are considered as adults.
E. Suggestions and recommendations
220. In the light of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in June 1993, which encouraged States to withdraw reservations to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee recommends the State party to consider reviewing its reservations to the Convention with a view to withdrawing them.
221. The Committee recommends the State party to engage in a comprehensive reform of its legislation, with a view to ensuring its full conformity with the principles and provisions of the Convention.
222. The Committee encourages the State party to accede to other major international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which all bear an impact on the rights of the child.
223. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen and extend the activities of the Coordinating Committee on Children. It also recommends that the State party develop a comprehensive system of collecting disaggregated data, in order to gather all necessary information on the situation of children in the various areas covered by the Convention, including children belonging to vulnerable groups. The Committee encourages the State party to seek to this effect international cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF.
224. The Committee encourages the State party to consider the establishment of an independent mechanism to fully monitor the implementation of the Convention, especially for the most vulnerable groups of society.
225. With regard to the implementation of article 4 of the Convention, the Committee encourages the State party to consider the possibility of seeking international cooperation for additional resources to implement all the rights enshrined by the Convention.
226. In order to enhance the partnership with all components of the civil society in implementing the Convention, the Committee strongly encourages the State party to facilitate the establishment of non-governmental organizations dealing with children and to cooperate with them.
227. The Committee encourages the State party to pursue its efforts for the dissemination of the principles and provisions of the Convention and in providing training to all professional groups working with and for children. The Committee suggests that the State party seek assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF in this regard.
228. The Committee recommends that the State party raise the legal age of definition of the child, which is currently set at 16 years. In this regard, the legal minimum ages for marriage and criminal responsibility should be reviewed.
229. It is the Committee's view that further efforts should be undertaken to ensure that the general principles of the Convention (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12) not only guide policy discussions and decision-making, but are also appropriately reflected in any judicial and administrative proceedings and in the development and implementation of all projects, programmes and services which have an impact on children.
230. The Committee recommends that the principle of non-discrimination, as provided under article 2 of the Convention, be fully implemented. A more proactive approach should be taken to eliminate discrimination against the girl child, children with disabilities, children living on remote islands, and children born out of wedlock. The Committee encourages the State party to enact and implement its National Policy on Women, which may bear a positive impact on the status of the girl child.
231. In the light of article 19 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to prevent and combat ill-treatment within the family and sexual abuse of children. It suggests, inter alia, that the authorities set up social programmes to prevent all types of child abuse as well as to rehabilitate the child victims. Law enforcement should be strengthened with respect to such crimes; adequate procedures and mechanisms to deal with complaints of child abuse should be developed, such as special rules of evidence, and special investigators or community focal points.
232. The Committee recommends that the State party accelerate the enactment of its Family Law. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake research and studies on the negative impact of family disruption on children as well as to continue with its awarenessraising campaign on this issue. Furthermore, the Committee recommends to the State party to improve counselling services for parents.
233. In view of article 20 (3) of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party give consideration to the establishment of alternative care measures, such as kafalah, for children deprived of a family environment.
234. The Committee recommends that the State party promote adolescent health policies and programmes by, inter alia, strengthening reproductivehealth education and counselling services as well as improving preventive measures to combat HIV/AIDS. The Committee further suggests that a comprehensive and multidisciplinary study be undertaken to understand the scope of the phenomenon of adolescent health problems, including the negative impact of early marriages. The Committee also recommends that further efforts, both financial and human, such as the development of counselling services for both young people and their families, be undertaken for the prevention and care of adolescents' health problems and for the rehabilitation of victims.
235. In the light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96), the Committee recommends that the State party develop early identification programmes to prevent disabilities, implement alternative measures to the institutionalization of children with disabilities, envisage awareness-raising campaigns to reduce their discrimination, establish special education programmes and centres, and encourage their inclusion in society. The Committee also recommends to the State party to undertake research on the causes of disabilities. The Committee further recommends to the State party to seek technical cooperation for the training of professional staff working with and for children with disabilities. International cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) can be sought to this effect.
236. With regard to article 28 of the Convention, the Committee recommends to the State party to make primary education compulsory and available free to all, to improve the training of school teachers and the access to education of the most vulnerable groups of children, including girl children and children living on remote islands. The Committee recommends to the State party to consider seeking international assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF and UNESCO.
237. The Committee recommends that preventive measures, including legal reform, be taken to fully implement the provisions of article 32 of the Convention and other related international instruments.
238. In the light of article 34 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that preventive measures, including legal reform, be taken to prevent and combat the sexual exploitation of children, including through pornography, prostitution, trafficking and sale.
239. In the light of articles 24, 33 and 39 of the Convention, the Committee recommends to the State party to strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat drug and substance abuse among children, and to take all appropriate measures, including public information campaigns in and outside the schools. It also encourages the State party to support rehabilitation programmes for child victims of drug and substance abuse. In this regard, the Committee encourages the State party to consider seeking technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
240. With regard to the administration of juvenile justice, the Committee recommends that the State party accelerate the adoption of special procedures for children to fully integrate the provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39 as well as other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty in its legislation, laws, policies, programmes and practices. In particular, the Committee recommends special procedures for children aged between 16 and 18, who are currently considered adults, to establish special courts for children and to review the provision of legal counselling for children in care centres. Furthermore, the Committee recommends to the State party to consider seeking international assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice and UNICEF through the Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice.
241. Finally, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that the publication of the report be considered, along with the relevant summary records and concluding observations adopted thereon by the Committee. Such a wide distribution should generate debate and awareness of the Convention, its implementation and monitoring within the Government, the Parliament and civil society.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Rights of the Child: Luxembourg
242. The Committee considered the initial report of Luxembourg (CRC/C/41/Add.2) at its 471st to 473rd meetings (see CRC/C/SR.471-473), held on 2 and 3 June 1998, and adopted* the following concluding observations:
A. Introduction
243. The Committee welcomes the submission of the State party's detailed initial report, which followed the guidelines established by the Committee. It also takes note of the written answers to the list of issues (CRC/C/Q/LUX/1). The Committee further welcomes the fruitful and constructive dialogue with the delegation.
B. Positive factors
244. The Committee notes the existence of the Youth Parliament, and welcomes its involvement in the discussion regarding the proposed law to establish a committee having the functions of an Ombudsperson.
245. The Committee welcomes the statement of the delegation that the Government of Luxembourg has the intention of increasing its contribution to international development assistance from 0.36 per cent to the 0.7 per cent United Nations target of its Gross Domestic Product by the end of 1999.
C. Principal subjects of concern
246. The Committee is concerned that the State party has made reservations affecting articles 2, 6, 7 and 15 of the Convention.
247. The Committee expresses its concern that while the 1992 Law on Youth Protection covers several provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, domestic legislation still needs to be amended and new laws enacted to fully implement the principles and provisions of the Convention. In this regard, the Committee is concerned by the slow pace for the adoption of proposed appropriate amendments.
248. The Committee is concerned that the State party has not adopted a comprehensive policy to promote and protect children’s rights. It is also concerned by the absence of a strong coordination and monitoring mechanism and that the project to establish a Luxembourg Committee on Children's Rights as an independent monitoring mechanism has still not been formalized.
249. While recognizing the efforts of the State party in this respect, the Committee is concerned that insufficient measures have been taken to provide
* At the 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998.
adequate training on children’s rights to all professional groups working with and for children. It also believes that systematic dissemination and awareness raising about the principles and provisions of the Convention in all parts of society, among children and adults alike, still remains a matter of concern.
250. The Committee is concerned that there is no law which fully covers all the grounds related to non-discrimination as spelled out in article 2 of the Convention, and that children born out of wedlock may still suffer different forms of discrimination and stigmatization, particularly from the use of the terms “legitimate” and “illegitimate” in the Civil Code.
251. The Committee expresses its concern that the general principles of the Convention, especially its articles 2 (non-discrimination), 3 (best interests of the child) and 12 (respect for the views of the child), are not yet fully implemented in legislation, policies and practice.
252. The Committee expresses its concern that the rights enumerated in article 7.1 of the Convention, especially the right of the child to know his or her parents, are denied by the State party to children born anonymously (“under x”), even if this right is proven to be in their best interests.
253. The Committee is concerned that no legislation exists to protect children from being exposed to violence and pornography through video movies and other modern technologies, most prominently, the Internet. Moreover, concern is expressed that possession of pornographic material, including that involving children, is not an offence in the State party.
254. In the light of articles 3, 5, 19 and 28.2 of the Convention, concern is expressed that corporal punishment within and outside the family is not specifically prohibited by law.
255. The Committee is concerned that legislation does not cover all existing forms of placement. It is further concerned that regular and independent monitoring and periodic review of placement are not systematically undertaken. The Committee is also concerned by the placement of children in care institutions in neighbouring countries due to lack of facilities and trained professionals in the State party.
256. With regard to adoption, the Committee notes with concern that domestic legislation does not appear to respect fully all the provisions of article 21 of the Convention, especially the implementation of appropriate measures to ensure that intercountry adoption does not result in improper financial gain for those involved in it.
257. The Committee expresses its concern that the Penal Code restricts its protection from all forms of abuse and neglect to children under 14 years old.
258. While taking note of the 1994 law on school inclusion for children with disabilities, the Committee is concerned at the unclear status of implementation of this legislation.
259. The Committee expresses its concern at the noticeable reduction in the rate of breastfeeding following the first month of birth. It is further concerned by the short maternity leave period and that the International Code for Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes is not fully implemented.
260. The Committee expresses its concern about the rate of suicides among young people in the State party, and that suicides have occurred among young people when in detention. The Committee is also concerned by the increase of drug and alcohol abuse among youth.
261. The Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures taken by the State party to introduce human rights education, including the rights of the child, into the school curricula in a systematic manner, in accordance with article 29 of the Convention.
262. With regard to sexual exploitation of children, the Committee expresses its concern at the existence of child prostitution in the State party and at the involvement of children in international prostitution networks. It is further concerned that it is not illegal for children above 16 to get involved in prostitution.
263. The administration of juvenile justice, and in particular its compatibility with articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention and with other relevant standards such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, is a matter of concern to the Committee. The Committee is particularly concerned that children aged between 16 and 18 may be referred to ordinary courts and judged as adults. It is further concerned that juveniles may be detained with adults in ordinary prisons, where the conditions are extremely unfavourable, including strict limits on time for exercise and leisure, the virtual absence of educational opportunities and long periods of isolation in their cells. In this regard, the Committee is concerned by the slow pace taken to implement all decisions taken by the interministerial working group to improve drastically the conditions of detention of children.
E. Suggestions and recommendations
264. In the light of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of 1993, the Committee encourages the State party to consider reviewing its
reservations with a view to their withdrawal.
265. The Committee recommends that the State party, on a priority basis, take all necessary measures to ensure that its domestic legislation is in full conformity with the provisions and principles of the Convention.
266. The Committee encourages the State party to adopt a comprehensive strategy for children. The Committee also wishes to suggest that the State party envisage the establishment of a permanent mechanism of coordination, evaluation, monitoring and followup for policies aimed at the protection of the child to ensure that the Convention is fully respected and implemented, at the central and local levels. In this respect and as part of the ongoing
efforts of the State party to promote and protect the rights of the child, the Committee encourages the State party in its efforts to establish an independent monitoring body, such as an Ombudsperson.
267. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to disseminate the Convention in appropriate languages to adults and children alike. It also recommends that the authorities continue to ensure awareness raising, education and training programmes about the Convention on the Rights of the Child for professional groups working for and with children, such as: judges, lawyers, law enforcement and army officials, civil servants, including at the local level, personnel working in institutions or other places of detention for children, health personnel and social workers.
268. The Committee recommends that the State party fully take into account in its legislation all the grounds for protection from discrimination as spelled out in article 2 of the Convention. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure that children born out of wedlock do not suffer discriminatory treatment or stigmatization, and that the terms “legitimate” and “illegitimate”, which are currently used in the Civil Code, be eliminated. In view of the multinational dimension of the society, the Committee further recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures, including legal ones, to guarantee all the rights set forth by the Convention to all children living within its jurisdiction, in the light of articles 2, 3 and 22.
269. It is the Committee's view that further efforts must be undertaken to ensure that the general principles of the Convention, in particular “nondiscrimination” (art. 2), the “best interests of the child” (art. 3) and the “respect for the views of the child” (art. 12), not only guide policy formulation and decision-making, but also are integrated appropriately into any judicial and administrative decisions, as well as in the development and implementation of all projects and programmes which have an impact on children.
270. In order to protect fully the rights of children born anonymously (“under x”), the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure that the provisions of article 7, especially the right of the child to know his or her parents, be fully enforced in the light of the principles of “nondiscrimination” (art. 2) and the “best interests of the child” (art. 3).
271. In the light of article 17 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate legal and other measures to protect children from being exposed to violence and pornography through video movies and other modern technologies, including the Internet. The Committee also recommends that the State party pursue its efforts to adopt legislation effectively prohibiting the possession of pornographic material involving children. Bilateral cooperation with neighbouring countries should be engaged to this effect.
272. In the light of articles 3, 19 and 28.2, the Committee recommends that corporal punishment at home and in care institutions be explicitly prohibited by law.
273. The Committee encourages the State party to take all appropriate measures, including of a legislative nature, to ensure that a child placed in any form of institution is guaranteed all his/her rights set forth by the Convention, in particular the right to periodic review of placement. The Committee also recommends that the State party establish a monitoring mechanism for care and other types of institutions. Particular attention should be paid to monitoring children placed in foreign institutions when specialized expertise or appropriate facilities do not exist in the State party. In this regard, the Committee recommends that a study to assess the impact of placement of children in neighbouring countries be undertaken.
274. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that domestic legislation, procedures, policies and practices fully respect the provisions of article 21 of the Convention. It encourages the State party to consider ratifying the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation with Respect to Intercountry Adoption.
275. With regard to the rights of children with disabilities and in the light of, inter alia, the provisions of article 23 of the Convention, the Committee encourages the State party to take all measures to implement fully the 1994 law on school inclusion.
276. The Committee encourages the State party to specifically integrate human rights education, including the rights of the child, in the school curricula.
277. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake a comprehensive study to identify reasons for the drop in breastfeeding after the first month. It also recommends the extension of the period of maternity leave, serious efforts to educate the public - especially new parents - on the benefits of breastfeeding and the adoption of other measures, as necessary, to counteract any negative impact on employment of women who wish to continue breastfeeding their children for a longer period of time. Finally, the Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to promote compliance with the International Code for Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.
278. The Committee encourages the State party to undertake studies on the causes of suicide and other mental health problems among young people and to adopt measures to combat this phenomenon. It further recommends that the State party undertake “youthfriendly” preventive, curative and rehabilitative measures to address the increasing problem of drug and substance abuse among young adolescents.
279. The Committee recommends reinforcing its legislation, policies and programmes to prevent and combat all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, including child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking in children. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party establish a comprehensive national plan of action and implement the recommendations of the 1996 Stockholm Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
280. With regard to the administration of juvenile justice, the Committee recommends that the State party take all measures to fully integrate the provisions of the Convention, in particular articles 37, 40 and 39, as well as other relevant international standards in this area, such as the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty in its legislation, policies and practices. Special attention should be given to alternatives to detention, to preventing suicide in detention, to providing appropriate infrastructures to detained children in order to fully ensure their separation from adults and to guarantee that they have regular contacts with their family. The right of detained children to education, including vocational training, should be fully taken into account. The Committee strongly recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to implement all appropriate recommendations adopted by the interministerial working group to improve drastically the conditions of detention of children.
281. Finally, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by the State party be made widely available to the public, along with the summary records of the relevant meetings and concluding observations adopted by the Committee. Such wide distribution should generate debate and awareness of the Convention and the state of its implementation, particularly within the Government, the relevant ministries, the Parliament and non-governmental organizations.
III. OVERVIEW OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE
A. Review of developments relevant to
the work of the Committee
282. During the session, the Committee was informed by members about various meetings in which they had participated.
283. Mr. Rabah informed the Committee about his participation at a series of seminars on juvenile justice organized jointly by the Lebanese Ministry of Justice and UNICEF on 3, 4 and 5 April 1998. The seminars mainly addressed judges, lawyers and social workers.
284. On 1 March 1998, Mrs. Palme was invited by the Mouhamed Boudiaf Foundation (Algeria) to make introductory remarks on the situation and the future of children in Algeria.
285. From 7 to 12 March 1998, Mrs. Karp attended a conference on the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of young persons entitled “Out from the shadows” in Victoria (Canada). She delivered a lecture on the role of the Committee in combating sexual exploitation of children. This meeting brought together for the first time, from a wide range of countries from the Americas, children and adolescents who had been commercially sexually exploited. The 54 young delegates adopted a Declaration and Agenda for Action which was subsequently submitted to the members of the Committee. Mrs. Karp further participated as a resource person in a seminar on reporting procedures for the Baltic region and Poland, organized by UNICEF in Riga (Latvia) on 2325 March 1998. She also participated on behalf of the Committee in the seventh session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held from 23 to 24 April 1998 in Vienna and made an intervention under the item on standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice with particular reference to ECOSOC resolution 1997/1 concerning the establishment of a coordination panel on technical advice and assistance in juvenile justice.
286. From 23 to 25 March 1998, Mrs. Mboi participated in World Vision International's annual meeting held in Seattle (United States) where she presented a paper on the rights of the girl child. The East Asia and Pacific Regional Office of UNICEF invited Mrs. Mboi to participate as a resource person in a meeting held from 18 to 20 May 1998 regarding the regional implementation process of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the strengthening of national coordinating bodies. Mrs. Mboi, who represented the Committee at this meeting, shared with participants her experience in monitoring the rights of the child.
287. Mrs. Sardenberg reported that she had attended as an observer on behalf of the Committee the meeting of the Global Advisory Committee of the Childwatch Monitoring Children’s Rights Project, from 20 to 21 March 1998, at the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom). In her presentation, Mrs. Sardenberg reaffirmed the support of the Committee for this project and insisted on the need to develop appropriate indicators in the field of children’s rights which would respond to the requirements of validity, objectivity, accuracy and disaggregation (see CRC/C/10).
B. Cooperation with United Nations and other competent bodies
288. During the session, the Committee held meetings with United Nations bodies and specialized agencies as well as other competent bodies in the framework of its ongoing dialogue and interaction with these bodies in light of article 45 of the Convention.
289. On 25 May 1998, the Committee met informally with members of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery in order to share relevant information about the activities of each group of experts, common objectives, as well as possible areas of cooperation. Members of the Committee were informed that the Working Group would focus special attention in 1999 to the issue of sale and trafficking in human beings, including children. Furthermore, the Committee agreed to more systematically integrate in its work the 1949 Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, the different slavery instruments, the Programme of Action for the Prevention of the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and the Programme of Action for the Elimination of the Exploitation of Child Labour.
290. During an informal meeting between non-governmental organizations from Japan and the Committee held on 26 May 1998, members of the Committee were briefed by four NGO representatives on the latest developments regarding the rights of the child in Japan.
291. At its 474th meeting, on 3 June 1998, the Committee met with four representatives, aged between 12 and 15 years old, of the Global March Against Child Labour. The Global March was officially launched in November 1997 and began on 17 January 1998 in the Philippines to culminate in Geneva during the International Labour Conference in June 1998, in order to express support for the ILO’s proposed new convention targeting extreme forms of child labour. During their dialogue with Committee members, the representatives of the Global March explained how they had been economically exploited in their countries. They also told the Committee how they had organized themselves to undertake a world campaign against child labour - the Global March. They expressed the hope that the future ILO convention would prove to be a strong tool to eliminate all forms of exploitative child labour.
292. At its 475th meeting, on 4 June 1998, the Committee held a meeting with United Nations bodies and specialized agencies as well as other competent bodies. Representatives of UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR, UNAIDS, WHO and nongovernmental organizations attended this meeting. The Chairperson,
Ms. Mason, introduced to all the partners the preliminary survey of technical advice and assistance in the framework of the Convention on the Rights of the Child prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Representatives of UNICEF reported about several recent initiatives that were of interest to the Committee, including the future update and expansion of UNICEF's implementation handbook on the Convention and the activities planned for the followup to the World Summit for Children (2001). The representative of UNHCR presented the main actions undertaken in relation to the rights of the child and stressed some issues which were of particular concern to UNHCR, such as the detention of children, especially asylum seekers, and the forced military recruitment of young people in refugee camps. Members of the Committee were also informed about the recent changes that had taken place within WHO and their impact on the work of the Committee. The representative of WHO informed the Committee about a resolution adopted by the fiftyfirst World Health Assembly on the health of children and adolescents which, inter alia, stressed the need for WHO to support the work of the Committee as well as to assist States in their reporting and implementation obligations in the health field under the Convention. The representative of UNAIDS provided information on the status of children affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS and detailed the programme of the 12th World AIDS Conference which was scheduled to take place in Geneva in June 1998. Finally, the representative of the NGO Group on the Convention on the Rights of the Child indicated that the Group had recently organized two regional meetings in West Africa and Europe of national coalitions on children's rights; she also indicated that NGOs and individual experts were available, if requested, to provide background information for members which could be used in drafting general comments. She also stressed the importance attached by the NGO community to the fulfilment by States parties of their obligation to submit periodic reports seven years after the entry into force of the Convention in each State.
C. Future thematic debate
293. At its seventeen session, the Committee had decided to devote its next thematic discussion to the consideration of “Children living in a world with HIV/AIDS”, scheduled to take place on 5 October 1998. At the present session, the Committee adopted an outline for the discussion which is contained in annex VI.
D. Informal visit
294. From 29 May to 1 June 1998, the Committee was invited by the Italian authorities, with the support of the Italian National Committee for UNICEF, for an informal visit to Florence. During the threeday visit, members of the Committee met with local, regional and national authorities, including Mrs. Livia Turco, Minister for Social Solidarity. The meetings provided the Committee with a chance to be briefed on the implementation of the Convention in Italy. A working meeting with the UNICEF International Child Development Centre (ICDC) was also organized on 30 May 1998. After a brief explanation of its main activities, ICDC representatives offered suggestions on ways to improve cooperation between the Centre and the Committee. It was suggested, inter alia, that cooperation for the preparation and followup of the Committee’s thematic discussion days could be enhanced. On 30 June, the Committee was invited by the Sienna regional branch of the National Committee for UNICEF to visit care institutions, including a support and rehabilitation centre for children in difficult circumstances.
E. Other related activities
295. On 6 and 7 March 1998 the Committee's working group on the child and the media met in London. The working group was established in October 1996 after a discussion day held by the Committee on this topic (see CRC/C/57, paras. 24257 and CRC/C/66, para. 327 and annex IV). The meeting was convened by Mr. Thomas Hammarberg, Chair of the working group, and organized by the Office of the Norwegian Ombudsperson for Children, Mr. Trond Waage, on behalf of the Government of Norway.
296. Following recommendations adopted during the October 1996 discussion day, the support expressed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and followup work undertaken by the working group, the Government of Norway decided to organize an international workshop on the issue of the child and the media in Oslo from 20 to 22 January 1999. The aim of the London meeting was to define the framework, format (including participants), agenda and objectives of the international workshop.
297. Representatives from Press Wise/International Federation of Journalists, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNICEF, WHO and NORDICOM (Nordic Research on Media and Communication) (UNESCO) participated in the meeting in addition to Mr. Hammarberg and Mr. Waage.
298. The workshop will take place within the framework of the tenth anniversary commemoration of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly.
299. The main objectives of the international workshop will be to enable Governments, inter alia, to improve their policies and programmes in this field, mainly with respect to issues of protection, access and participation (article 17 of the Convention); narrow the gap between the respective interests of the private media owners, States and civil society; sensitize private media owners, journalists and other media workers to children's rights; and improve participation of children in the media.
IV. DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE NINETEENTH SESSION
300. The following is the draft provisional agenda for the nineteenth session of the Committee:
1. Adoption of the agenda.
2. Organizational and other matters.
3. Submission of reports by States parties in accordance with article 44 of the Convention.
4. Consideration of reports of States parties.
5. General discussion on “Children living in a world with HIV/AIDS”.
6. Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies.
7. Methods of work of the Committee.
8. Future meetings of the Committee.
9. Other matters.
V. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT
301. At its 477th meeting, held on 5 June 1998 the Committee considered the draft report on its eighteenth session. The report was unanimously adopted by the Committee.
Annex I
STATES WHICH HAVE RATIFIED OR ACCEDED TO THE CONVENTION ON
THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD AS AT 5 JUNE 1998 (191)
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession a/
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 1993 a/ 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 1992 a/ 12 September 1992
Bahamas 30 October 1990 20 February 1991 22 March 1991
Bahrain 13 February 1992 a/ 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
Herzegovina b/ 6 March 1992
Botswana 14 March 1995 a/ 13 April 1995
Brazil 26 January 1990 24 September 1990 24 October 1990
Brunei
Darussalam 27 December 1995 a/ 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
a/ Accession.
b/ Succession.
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession
Canada 28 May 1990 13 December 1991 12 January 1992
Cape Verde 4 June 1992 a/ 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 1993 a/ 13 November 1993
Cook Islands 6 June 1997 a/ 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
Croatia b/ 8 October 1991
Cuba 26 January 1990 21 August 1991 20 September 1991
Cyprus 5 October 1990 7 February 1991 9 March 1991
Czech
Republic b/ 1 January 1993
Democratic
People’s
Republic of
Korea 23 August 1990 21 September 1990 21 October 1990
Democratic
Republic of
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 1992 a/ 15 July 1992
Eritrea 20 December 1993 3 August 1994 2 September 1994
Estonia 21 October 1991 a/ 20 November 1991
Ethiopia 14 May 1991 a/ 13 June 1991
Fiji 2 July 1993 13 August 1993 12 September 1993
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession
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 1994 a/ 2 July 1994
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 1990 a/ 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 1992 a/ 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 1994 a/ 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
Kazakstan 16 February 1994 12 August 1994 11 September 1994
Kenya 26 January 1990 30 July 1990 2 September 1990
Kiribati 11 December 1995 a/ 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 1991 a/ 7 June 1991
Latvia 14 April 1992 a/ 14 May 1992
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession
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 1993 a/ 15 May 1993
Liechtenstein 30 September 1990 22 December 1995 21 January 1996
Lithuania 31 January 1992 a/ 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 1991 a/ 1 February 1991
Malaysia 17 February 1995 a/ 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 1990 a/ 2 September 1990
Mexico 26 January 1990 21 September 1990 21 October 1990
Micronesia
(Federated
States of) 5 May 1993 a/ 4 June 1993
Monaco 21 June 1993 a/ 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 1991 a/ 14 August 1991
Namibia 26 September 1990 30 September 1990 30 October 1990
Nauru 27 July 1994 a/ 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 1995 a/ 19 January 1996
Norway 26 January 1990 8 January 1991 7 February 1991
Oman 9 December 1996 a/ 8 January 1997
Pakistan 20 September 1990 12 November 1990 12 December 1990
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession
Palau 4 August 1995 a/ 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
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 1993 a/ 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 1993 a/ 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 1991 a/ 25 December 1991
Sao Tome
and Principe 14 May 1991 a/ 13 June 1991
Saudi Arabia 26 January 1996 a/ 25 February 1996
Senegal 26 January 1990 31 July 1990 2 September 1990
Seychelles 7 September 1990 a/ 7 October 1990
Sierra Leone 13 February 1990 18 June 1990 2 September 1990
Singapore 5 October 1995 a/ 4 November 1995
Slovakia b/ 1 January 1993
Slovenia b/ 25 June 1991
Solomon
Islands 10 April 1995 a/ 10 May 1995
South Africa 29 January 1993 16 June 1995 16 July 1995
Spain 26 January 1990 6 December 1990 5 January 1991
States Date of signature Date of receipt of Date of entry
instrument of into force
ratification/
accession
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 1993 a/ 25 November 1993
Thailand 27 March 1992 a/ 26 April 1992
The former
Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia b/ 17 September 1991
Togo 26 January 1990 1 August 1990 2 September 1990
Tonga 6 November 1995 a/ 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 1993 a/ 19 October 1993
Tuvalu 22 September 1995 a/ 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 1997 a/ 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 1994 a/ 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
Annex II
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Name of member Country of nationality
Mr. Francesco Paolo FULCI** Italy
Mrs. Judith KARP* Israel
Mr. Yury KOLOSOV* Russian Federation
Miss Sandra Prunella MASON* Barbados
Mrs. Nafsiah MBOI** Indonesia
Mrs. Esther Margaret Queenie MOKHUANE** South Africa
Mrs. Awa N'Deye OUEDRAOGO* Burkina Faso
Mrs. Lisbeth PALME* Sweden
Mr. Ghassan Salim RABAH** Lebanon
Mrs. Marilia SARDENBERG** Brazil
* Term expires on 28 February 1999.
** Term expires on 28 February 2001.
Annex III
STATUS OF SUBMISSION OF REPORTS BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF
THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD AS AT 5 JUNE 1998
Initial reports due in 1992 |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belize Benin |
2 September 1990
8 November 1990 31 October 1990 2 September 1990 2 September 1990 |
1 September 1992 7 November 1992 30 October 1992 1 September 1992 1 September 1992 |
15 November 1995 12 September 1996 12 February 1993 1 November 1996 22 January 1997 |
CRC/C/3/Add.38 and Add.49 CRC/C/3/Add.45 CRC/C/3/Add.14 CRC/C/3/Add.46 CRC/C/3/Add.52 |
Bhutan Bolivia Brazil Burkina Faso Burundi |
2 September 1990 2 September 1990 24 October 1990 30 September 1990 18 November 1990 |
1 September 1992 1 September 1992 23 October 1992 29 September 1992 17 November 1992 |
14 September 1992 7 July 1993 19 March 1998 |
CRC/C/3/Add.2 CRC/C/3/Add.19 CRC/C/3/Add.58 |
Chad Chile Costa Rica Democratic People's Republic of Korea Democratic Republic of the Congo |
1 November 1990 12 September 1990 20 September 1990 21 October 1990 27 October 1990 |
31 October 1992 11 September 1992 20 September 1992 20 October 1992 26 October 1992 |
14 January 1997 22 June 1993 28 October 1992 13 February 1996 16 February 1998 |
CRC/C/3/Add.50 CRC/C/3/Add.18 CRC/C/3/Add.8 CRC/C/3/Add.41 CRC/C/3/Add.57 |
Ecuador Egypt El Salvador France Gambia |
2 September 1990 2 September 1990 2 September 1990 6 September 1990 7 September 1990 |
1 September 1992 1 September 1992 1 September 1992
5 September 1992 6 September 1992 |
11 June 1996 23 October 1992 3 November 1992 8 April 1993 |
CRC/C/3/Add.44 CRC/C/3/Add.6 CRC/C/3/Add.9 and Add.28 CRC/C/3/Add.15 |
Initial reports due in 1992 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Ghana Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau |
2 September 1990 5 December 1990 2 September 1990 2 September 1990 19 September 1990 |
1 September 1992 4 December 1992 1 September 1992 1 September 1992 18 September 1992 |
20 November 1995 24 September 1997 5 January 1995 20 November 1996 |
CRC/C/3/Add.39 CRC/C/3/Add.55 CRC/C/3/Add.33 CRC/C/3/Add.48 |
Holy See Honduras Indonesia Kenya Mali |
2 September 1990 9 September 1990 5 October 1990 2 September 1990 20 October 1990 |
1 September 1992 8 September 1992 4 October 1992 1 September 1992 19 October 1992 |
2 March 1994 11 May 1993 17 November 1992 2 April 1997 |
CRC/C/3/Add.27 CRC/C/3/Add.17 CRC/C/3/Add.10 and Add.26 CRC/C/3/Add.53 |
Malta Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Namibia |
30 October 1990 2 September 1990 21 October 1990 2 September 1990 30 October 1990 |
29 October 1992 1 September 1992 20 October 1992 1 September 1992 29 October 1992 |
26 December 1997 25 July 1995 15 December 1992 20 October 1994 21 December 1992 |
CRC/C/3/Add.56 CRC/C/3/Add.36 CRC/C/3/Add.11 CRC/C/3/Add.32 CRC/C/3/Add.12 |
Nepal Nicaragua Niger Pakistan Paraguay |
14 October 1990 4 November 1990 30 October 1990 12 December 1990 25 October 1990 |
13 October 1992 3 November 1992 29 October 1992 11 December 1992 24 October 1992 |
10 April 1995 12 January 1994 25 January 1993 30 August 1993 and 13 November 1996 |
CRC/C/3/Add.34 CRC/C/3/Add.25 CRC/C/3/Add.13 CRC/C/3/Add.22 and Add.47 |
Peru Philippines Portugal Romania Russian Federation |
4 October 1990 20 September 1990 21 October 1990 28 October 1990 15 September 1990 |
3 October 1992 19 September 1992 20 October 1992 27 October 1992 14 September 1992 |
28 October 1992 21 September 1993 17 August 1994 14 April 1993 16 October 1992 |
CRC/C/3/Add.7 and Add.24 CRC/C/3/Add.23 CRC/C/3/Add.30 CRC/C/3/Add.16 CRC/C/3/Add.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial reports due in 1992 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Saint Kitts and Nevis Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Sudan |
2 September 1990 2 September 1990 7 October 1990 2 September 1990 2 September 1990 |
1 September 1992 1 September 1992 6 October 1992 1 September 1992 1 September 1992 |
21 January 1997 12 September 1994 10 April 1996 29 September 1992 |
CRC/C/3/Add.51 CRC/C/3/Add.31 CRC/C/3/Add.43 CRC/C/3/Add.3 and Add.20 |
Sweden Togo Uganda Uruguay Venezuela |
2 September 1990 2 September 1990 16 September 1990 20 December 1990 13 October 1990 |
1 September 1992 1 September 1992 15 September 1992 19 December 1992 12 October 1992 |
7 September 1992 27 February 1996 1 February 1996 2 August 1995 9 July 1997 |
CRC/C/3/Add.1 CRC/C/3/Add.42 CRC/C/3/Add.40 CRC/C/3/Add.37 CRC/C/3/Add.54 |
Viet Nam Zimbabwe |
2 September 1990 11 October 1990 |
1 September 1992 10 October 1992 |
30 September 1992 23 May 1995 |
CRC/C/3/Add.4 and Add.21 CRC/C/3/Add.35 |
Initial reports due in 1993 |
||||
Angola Argentina Australia Bahamas Bulgaria |
4 January 1991 3 January 1991 16 January 1991 22 March 1991 3 July 1991 |
3 January 1993 2 January 1993 15 January 1993 21 March 1993 2 July 1993 |
17 March 1993
8 January 1996 29 September 1995 |
CRC/C/8/Add.2 and Add.17 CRC/C/8/Add.31 CRC/C/8/Add.29 |
Colombia Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus |
27 February 1991 6 March 1991 7 November 1991 20 September 1991 9 March 1991 |
26 February 1993 5 March 1993 6 November 1993 19 September 1993 8 March 1993 |
14 April 1993 8 November 1994 27 October 1995 22 December 1994 |
CRC/C/8/Add.3 CRC/C/8/Add.19 CRC/C/8/Add.30 CRC/C/8/Add.24 |
Initial reports due in 1993 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Estonia |
18 August 1991 5 January 1991 12 April 1991 11 July 1991 20 November 1991 |
17 August 1993 4 January 1993 11 April 1993 10 July 1993 19 November 1993 |
14 September 1993 17 February 1998 |
CRC/C/8/Add.8 CRC/C/8/Add.39 |
|
|
|||
Ethiopia Finland Guyana Hungary Israel |
13 June 1991 20 July 1991 13 February 1991 6 November 1991 2 November 1991 |
12 June 1993 19 July 1993 12 February 1993 5 November 1993 1 November 1993 |
10 August 1995 12 December 1994 28 June 1996 |
CRC/C/8/Add.27 CRC/C/8/Add.22 CRC/C/8/Add.34 |
Italy Jamaica Jordan Kuwait Lao People's Democratic Republic |
5 October 1991 13 June 1991 23 June 1991 20 November 1991 7 June 1991 |
4 October 1993 12 June 1993 22 June 1993 19 November 1993 6 June 1993 |
11 October 1994 25 January 1994 25 May 1993 23 August 1996 18 January 1996 |
CRC/C/8/Add.18 CRC/C/8/Add.12 CRC/C/8/Add.4 CRC/C/8/Add.35 CRC/C/8/Add.32 |
Lebanon Madagascar Malawi Maldives Mauritania |
13 June 1991 18 April 1991 1 February 1991 13 March 1991 15 June 1991 |
12 June 1993 17 May 1993 31 January 1993 12 March 1993 14 June 1993 |
21 December 1994 20 July 1993 6 July 1994 |
CRC/C/8/Add.23 CRC/C/8/Add.5 CRC/C/8/Add.33 and Add.37 |
Myanmar Nigeria Norway Panama Poland |
14 August 1991 19 May 1991 7 February 1991 11 January 1991 7 July 1991 |
13 August 1993 18 May 1993 6 February 1993 10 January 1993 6 July 1993 |
14 September 1995 19 July 1995 30 August 1993 19 September 1995 11 January 1994 |
CRC/C/8/Add.9 CRC/C/8/Add.26 CRC/C/8/Add.7 CRC/C/8/Add.28 CRC/C/8/Add.11 |
Initial reports due in 1993 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Republic of Korea Rwanda San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Slovenia |
20 December 1991 23 February 1991 25 December 1991 13 June 1991 25 June 1991 |
19 December 1993 22 February 1993 24 December 1993 12 June 1993 24 June 1993 |
17 November 1994 30 September 1992 29 May 1995 |
CRC/C/8/Add.21 CRC/C/8/Add.1 CRC/C/8/Add.25 |
Spain Sri Lanka The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Ukraine United Republic of Tanzania |
5 January 1991 11 August 1991 17 September 1991 27 September 1991 10 July 1991 |
4 January 1993 10 August 1993 16 September 1993 26 September 1993 9 July 1993 |
110 August 1993 23 March 1994 4 March 1997
8 October 1993 |
CRC/C/8/Add.6 CRC/C/8/Add.13 CRC/C/8/Add.36 CRC/C/8/Add.10/ Rev.1 |
Yemen Yugoslavia |
31 May 1991 2 February 1991 |
30 May 1993 1 February 1993 |
14 November 1994 21 September 1994 |
CRC/C/8/Add.20 and Add.38 CRC/C/8/Add.16 |
Initial reports due in 1994 |
||||
Albania Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Belgium |
28 March 1992 5 September 1992 12 September 1992 14 March 1992 15 January 1992 |
27 March 1994 4 September 1994 11 September 1994 14 March 1994 14 January 1994 |
8 October 1996 9 November 1995 12 July 1994 |
CRC/C/11/Add.14 CRC/C/11/Add.8 CRC/C/11/Add.4 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina Cambodia Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic |
6 March 1992 14 November 1992 12 January 1992 4 July 1992 23 May 1992 |
5 March 1994 15 November 1994 11 January 1994 3 July 1994 23 May 1994 |
18 December 1997 17 June 1994 15 April 1998 |
CRC/C/11/Add.16 CRC/C/11/Add.3 CRC/C/11/Add.18 |
|
||||
Initial reports due in 1994 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
China Czech Republic Equatorial Guinea Germany Iceland |
1 April 1992 1 January 1993 15 July 1992 5 April 1992 27 November 1992 |
31 March 1994 31 December 1994 14 July 1994 4 May 1994 26 November 1994 |
27 March 1995 4 March 1996 30 August 1994 30 November 1994 |
CRC/C/11/Add.7 CRC/C/11/Add.11 CRC/C/11/Add.5 CRC/C/11/Add.6 |
Ireland Latvia Lesotho Lithuania Slovakia |
28 October 1992 14 May 1992 9 April 1992 1 March 1992 1 January 1993 |
27 October 1994 13 May 1994 8 April 1994 28 February 1994 31 December 1994 |
4 April 1996 27 April 1998 6 April 1998 |
CRC/C/11/Add.12 CRC/C/11/Add.20 CRC/C/11/Add.17 |
Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Zambia |
26 April 1992 4 January 1992 29 February 1992 15 January 1992 5 January 1992 |
25 April 1994 3 January 1994 28 February 1994 14 January 1994 4 January 1994 |
23 August 1996 16 February 1996 16 May 1994 15 March 1994 |
CRC/C/11/Add.13 CRC/C/11/Add.10 CRC/C/11/Add.2 CRC/C/11/Add.1, Add.9, Add.15 and Add.15/Corr.1, Add.19 |
Initial reports due in 1995 |
||||
Algeria Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Cameroon Comoros |
16 May 1993 4 November 1993 23 July 1993 10 February 1993 22 July 1993 |
15 May 1995 3 November 1995 5 August 1995 9 February 1995 21 July 1995 |
16 November 1995 19 February 1997 24 March 1998 |
CRC/C/28/Add.4 CRC/C/28/Add.9 CRC/C/28/Add.13 |
Congo Fiji Greece India Liberia |
13 November 1993 12 September 1993 10 June 1993 11 January 1993 4 July 1993 |
12 November 1995 11 September 1995 9 June 1995 10 January 1995 3 July 1995 |
12 June 1996 19 March 1997 |
CRC/C/28/Add.7 CRC/C/28/Add.10 |
Initial reports due in 1995 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Marshall Islands Micronesia (Federated States of) Monaco Morocco |
15 May 1993 3 November 1993 4 June 1993 21 July 1993 21 July 1993 |
14 May 1995 2 November 1995 3 June 1995 20 July 1995 20 July 1995 |
23 May 1996 18 March 1998 16 April 1996 27 July 1995 |
CRC/C/28/Add.6 CRC/C/28/Add.12 CRC/C/28/Add.5 CRC/C/28/Add.1 |
New Zealand Papua New Guinea Republic of Moldova Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
6 May 1993 31 March 1993 25 February 1993 16 July 1993 25 November 1993 |
5 May 1995 31 March 1995 24 February 1995 15 July 1995 24 November 1995 |
29 September 1995 |
CRC/C/28/Add.3 |
|
|
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Suriname Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Turkmenistan Vanuatu |
31 March 1993 14 August 1993 25 November 1993 20 October 1993 6 August 1993 |
31 March 1995 13 August 1995 24 November 1995 19 October 1995 5 August 1995 |
13 February 1998 22 September 1995 14 April 1998 27 January 1997 |
CRC/C/28/Add.11 CRC/C/28/Add.2 CRC/C/28/Add.14 CRC/C/28/Add.8 |
Initial reports due in 1996 |
||||
Afghanistan Gabon Luxembourg Japan Mozambique |
27 April 1994 11 March 1994 6 April 1994 22 May 1994 26 May 1994 |
26 April 1996 10 March 1996 5 April 1996 21 May 1996 25 May 1996 |
26 July 1996 30 May 1996 |
CRC/C/41/Add.2 CRC/C/41/Add.1 |
Initial reports due in 1996 (continued) |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Georgia Iraq Uzbekistan Iran (Islamic Republic of) Nauru |
2 July 1994 15 July 1994 29 July 1994 12 August 1994 26 August 1994 |
1 July 1996 14 July 1996 28 July 1996 11 August 1996 25 August 1996 |
7 April 1997 6 August 1996 9 December 1997 |
CRC/C/41/Add.4 CRC/C/41/Add.3 CRC/C/41/Add.5 |
Eritrea Kazakstan Kyrgyzstan Samoa |
2 September 1994 11 September 1994 6 November 1994 29 December 1994 |
1 September 1996 10 September 1996 5 November 1996 28 December 1996 |
16 February 1998 |
CRC/C/41/Add.6 |
|
|
|||
Initial reports due in 1997 |
||||
Netherlands Malaysia Botswana Qatar Turkey |
7 March 1995 19 March 1995 13 April 1995 3 May 1995 4 May 1995 |
6 March 1997 18 March 1997 12 April 1997 2 May 1997 3 May 1997 |
15 May 1997 |
CRC/C/51/Add.1 |
Solomon Islands Haiti South Africa Pilau Swaziland |
10 May 1995 8 July 1995 16 July 1995 3 September 1995 6 October 1995 |
9 May 1997 7 July 1997 15 July 1997 3 September 1997 5 October 1997 |
4 December 1997 |
CRC/C/51/Add.2 |
Tuvalu Singapore Tonga |
22 October 1995 4 November 1995 6 December 1995 |
21 October 1997 3 November 1997 5 December 1997 |
|
|
Initial reports due in 1998 |
||||
State party |
Date of entry into force |
Date due |
Date of submission |
Symbol |
Kiribati Niue Liechtenstein Brunei Darussalam Andorra |
10 January 1996 19 January 1996 21 January 1996 26 January 1996 1 February 1996 |
9 January 1998 18 January 1998 20 January 1998 25 January 1998 31 January 1998 |
|
|
Saudi Arabia |
25 February 1996 |
24 February 1998 |
|
|
Initial reports due in 1999 |
||||
United Arab Emirates Switzerland Cook Islands |
2 February 1997 26 March 1997 6 July 1997 |
1 February 1999 25 March 1999 5 July 1999 |
|
|
Second periodic reports due in 1997
State party Date due Date of submission Symbol
Bangladesh 1 September 1997
Barbados 7 November 1997
Belarus 30 October 1997
Belize 1 September 1997
Benin 1 September 1997
Bhutan 1 September 1997
Bolivia 1 September 1997 12 August 1997 CRC/C/65/Add.1
Brazil 23 October 1997
Burkina Faso 29 September 1997
Burundi 17 November 1997
Chad 31 October 1997
Chile 11 September 1997
Costa Rica 20 September 1997 20 January 1998 CRC/C/65/Add.7
Democratic People's
Republic of Korea 20 October 1997
Democratic Republic
of the Congo 26 October 1997
Ecuador 1 September 1997
Egypt 1 September 1997
El Salvador 1 September 1997
France 5 September 1997
Gambia 6 September 1997
Ghana 1 September 1997
Grenada 4 December 1997
Guatemala 1 September 1997
Guinea 1 September 1997
GuineaBissau 18 September 1997
Holy See 1 September 1997
Honduras 8 September 1997 18 September 1997 CRC/C/65/Add.2
Indonesia 4 October 1997
Kenya 1 September 1997
Mali 19 October 1997
Malta 29 October 1997
Mauritius 1 September 1997
Mexico 20 October 1997 14 January 1998 CRC/C/65/Add.6
Mongolia 1 September 1997
Namibia 29 October 1997
Nepal 13 October 1997
Nicaragua 3 November 1997 12 November 1997 CRC/C/65/Add.4
Niger 29 October 1997
Pakistan 11 December 1997
Paraguay 24 October 1997
Second periodic reports due in 1997 (continued)
State party Date due Date of submission Symbol
Peru 3 October 1997 25 March 1998 CRC/C/65/Add.8
Philippines 19 September 1997
Portugal 20 October 1997
Romania 27 October 1997
Russian Federation 14 September 1997 12 January 1998 CRC/C/65/Add.5
Saint Kitts 1 September 1997
and Nevis
Senegal 1 September 1997
Seychelles 6 October 1997
Sierra Leone 1 September 1997
Sudan 1 September 1997
Sweden 1 September 1997 25 September 1997 CRC/C/65/Add.3
Togo 1 September 1997
Uganda 15 September 1997
Uruguay 19 December 1997
Venezuela 12 October 1997
Viet Nam 1 September 1997
Zimbabwe 10 October 1997
Second periodic reports due in 1998
Angola 3 January 1998
Argentina 2 January 1998
Australia 15 January 1998
Bahamas 21 March 1998
Bulgaria 2 July 1998
Colombia 26 February 1998
Côte d'Ivoire 5 March 1998
Croatia 7 October 1998
Cuba 19 September 1998
Cyprus 8 March 1998
Denmark 17 August 1998
Djibouti 4 January 1998
Dominica 11 April 1998
Dominican Republic 10 July 1998
Estonia 19 November 1998
Ethiopia 12 June 1998
Finland 19 July 1998
Guyana 12 February 1998
Hungary 5 November 1998
Israel 1 November 1998
Second periodic reports due in 1998 (continued)
State party Date due Date of submission Symbol
Italy 4 October 1998
Jamaica 12 June 1998
Jordan 22 June 1998
Kuwait 19 November 1998
Lao People's
Democratic
Republic 6 June 1998
Lebanon 12 June 1998
Madagascar 17 April 1998
Malawi 31 January 1998
Maldives 12 March 1998
Mauritania 14 June 1998
Myanmar 13 August 1998
Nigeria 18 May 1998
Norway 6 February 1998
Panama 10 January 1998
Poland 6 July 1998
Republic of Korea 19 December 1998
Rwanda 22 February 1998
San Marino 24 December 1998
Sao Tome and
Principe 12 June 1998
Slovenia 24 June 1998
Spain 4 January 1998
Sri Lanka 10 August 1998
The Former Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia 16 September 1998
Ukraine 26 September 1998
United Republic
of Tanzania 9 July 1998
Yemen 30 May 1998 3 February 1998 CRC/C/70/Add.1
Yugoslavia 1 February 1998
Annex IV
LIST OF INITIAL REPORTS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE
ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD AS AT 5 JUNE 1998
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
State party reports Observations adopted by the Committee
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 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.44
Portugal CRC/C/3/Add.30 CRC/C/15/Add.45
Holy See CRC/C/3/Add.27 CRC/C/15/Add.46
State party reports Observations adopted by the Committee
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
Federal Republic
of 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
State party reports Observations adopted by the Committee
Fifteenth session
(MayJune 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
(SeptemberOctober 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
Federated States of
Micronesia CRC/C/28/Add.5 CRC/C/15/Add.86
Eighteenth session
(MayJune 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
Annex V
PROVISIONAL LIST OF REPORTS SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION
AT THE COMMITTEE'S NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH SESSIONS
Nineteenth session
(21 September-9 October 1998)
Initial reports
Ecuador CRC/C/3/Add.44
Iraq CRC/C/41/Add.3
Thailand CRC/C/11/Add.13
Kuwait CRC/C/8/Add.35
Second periodic reports
Bolivia CRC/C/65/Add.1
Sweden CRC/C/65/Add.3
Twentieth session
(422 January 1999)
Initial reports
Barbados CRC/C/3/Add.45
Austria CRC/C/11/Add.14
Belize CRC/C/3/Add.46
Guinea CRC/C/3/Add.48
Chad CRC/C/3/Add.50
Second periodic reports
Honduras CRC/C/65/Add.2
Yemen CRC/C/70/Add.1
Annex VI
Discussion day - 5 October 1998
GENERAL DISCUSSION ON “CHILDREN LIVING IN A WORLD WITH AIDS”
Outline
“Children living in a world with AIDS” is the theme for the next general discussion of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The discussion will take place on 5 October 1998 during the nineteenth session of the Committee at the United Nations Office at Geneva. United Nations bodies and specialized agencies as well as non-governmental organizations and individual experts are invited to take part.
The purpose of the general discussions is to foster a deeper understanding of the contents and implications of the Convention as they relate to specific topics. The discussions are public. The decision to devote a day of discussion to this topic was taken by the Committee at its seventeenth session in accordance with rule 75 of its provisional rules of procedure.
Since its identification in the early 1980s, AIDS has drastically changed the world in which all children live. It is estimated that since the beginning of the epidemic close to 4 million children under 15 years old have been infected worldwide, and that nearly 3 million of them have died. The impact of HIV/AIDS in the daily lives of children is enormous as they all run the potential risk of being infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
The history of the epidemic has shown that vulnerable persons, including children, are the most likely to be infected. Infection increases vulnerability as it exposes victims to discrimination and injustice. This vicious circle, which affects in particular the developing world, where more than 90 per cent of infected people live, has a huge impact on the future of our societies because most infected people are in their peak productive and reproductive years. The AIDS epidemic therefore threatens the social and economic development of all States, especially the most fragile ones. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), several countries have already fallen in the ranking of the Human Development Index mainly as a consequence of the reduction of life expectancy and economic production due to AIDS.
Initially, children were considered to be only marginally affected by the epidemic. However, the international community has discovered that unfortunately, children are at the heart of the problem. According to UNAIDS - the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS - the most recent trends are alarming: in most parts of the world, the majority of new infections are in young people between the ages of 15 and 24, sometimes younger. Women are also increasingly becoming infected: in 1997, 46 per cent of the people who died of AIDS were women. In most regions of the world, the vast majority of infected women do not know they are infected and may unknowingly infect their children before or during birth or through breastfeeding. Over 90 per cent of the children who have acquired the virus were infected by their HIV-positive mothers. Consequently, many States have recently registered an increase in their infant and child mortality rates.
Young adolescents are also vulnerable to HIV/AIDS because their first sexual experience may take place in an environment in which they have no access to proper information and guidance. Young people who are drug users are, of course, at high risk.
HIV/AIDS has also generated double victimization of children living in especially difficult circumstances, such as victims of sexual exploitation, forced and exploitative labour, detention, forced recruitment, extreme poverty and drug addiction and children members of such groups as asylum seekers and unaccompanied and refugee children. Those children are proportionally at higher risk of infection by the virus. Because HIV is primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse, discriminatory attitudes with respect to sex often lead to the stigmatization and marginalization of children living and interacting with persons with HIV/AIDS.
In the absence of a cure or a vaccine, the main way of slowing the spread of HIV is prevention. The Convention on the Rights of the Child contains human rights whose enforcement is extremely relevant in preventing and combating the spread of AIDS among children and adolescents and avoiding their being adversely affected by the disease and its consequences. This will be the starting point for the discussion.
All too often, the issue of children and AIDS is perceived as mainly a medical problem, although in reality it touches on a much wider range of issues. In this regard the right to health (article 24 of the Convention) will be central to the discussion. But AIDS impacts so heavily on the lives of all children that it affects all their rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural. The general principles of the Convention - non-discrimination (art. 2), the best interests of the child (art. 3), the right to life, survival and development (art. 6), respect for the views of the child (art. 12) - will therefore be the guiding themes in the consideration of this issue at all levels of the fight against the disease: prevention, care and protection.
Adequate preventive measures can only be provided to children and adolescents if their rights are fully respected, including their right to access information and material aimed at the promotion of their social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health (art. 17), their right to preventive health care and family planning education and services (art. 24 (f)), their right to an appropriate standard of living (art. 27) and their right to privacy (art. 16).
Protection and adequate care can only be provided in an environment which promotes and protects all rights, especially the right not to be separated from parents (art. 9), the right to privacy (art. 16), the right to be protected from violence (art. 19), the right to special protection and assistance by the State (art. 20), the rights of children with disabilities (art. 23), the right to health (art. 24), the right to social security, including social insurance (art. 26), the right to education and leisure (arts. 28 and 31), the right to be protected from economic exploitation, from illicit use of narcotic drugs and from sexual exploitation (arts. 32, 33, 34 and 36), the right to be protected from abduction, sale and trafficking as well as torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (arts. 35 and 37), and the right to physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration (art. 39).
Experience has shown that many obstacles hinder delivery of effective prevention and care services and the support of community initiatives on HIV/AIDS. Denial that a problem exists can block the political and individual commitment needed for effective programmes. Financial, technical and human resources to support community-based action are difficult to mobilize. In too many cases, even essential services are limited, poorly managed or technically unsound.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child and its wide range of partners clearly has a role to play in facilitating the shaping of a proper environment within all States to lift taboos, provoke constructive dialogue, and promote and protect all the rights of the child living in a world with AIDS. The main objectives of the theme day will therefore be as follows:
(a) To strengthen the identification and understanding of all the human rights of children living in a world with AIDS and evaluate their status at the national level;
(b) To promote the general principles of the Convention in the context of HIV/AIDS, including the rights of the child to be protected from discrimination and to have his or her views taken into account;
(c) To identify measures and good practices to increase the level of implementation by States of rights related to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and the care and protection of children infected with or affected by the virus; to develop appropriate models of advocacy to promote the rights of the child in the context of HIV/AIDS at all levels (governmental, intergovernmental, non-governmental, professional groups, etc.), and in all sectors of society, including in the family and at school;
(d) To contribute to the formulation and promotion of child-oriented policies, strategies and programmes to prevent and combat HIV/AIDS at the national level;
(e) To promote at the national level the adoption of guidelines on HIV/AIDS and child rights, in the light of the Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights jointly issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
In this framework, the Committee on the Rights of the Child invites written contributions on all the issues and topics mentioned above, which should be sent before 15 August 1998 to:
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Secretariat
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10 - Switzerland
Annex VII
LIST OF DOCUMENTS ISSUED FOR THE EIGHTEENTH SESSION
OF THE COMMITTEE
CRC/C/3/Add.41 Initial report of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
CRC/C/8/Add.33 and 37 Initial report of Maldives
CRC/C/8/Add.34 Initial report of Hungary
CRC/C/15/Add.87 Concluding observations: Hungary
CRC/C/15/Add.88 Concluding observations: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
CRC/C/15/Add.89 Concluding observations: Fiji
CRC/C/15/Add.90 Concluding observations: Japan
CRC/C/15/Add.91 Concluding observations: Maldives
CRC/C/15/Add.92 Concluding observations: Luxembourg
CRC/C/27/Rev.10 Follow-up to the consideration of reports under article 44 of the Convention
CRC/C/28/Add.7 Initial report of Fiji
CRC/C/40/Rev.9 Note by the Secretary-General on areas identified by the Committee for technical assistance
CRC/C/41/Add.1 Initial report of Japan
CRC/C/41/Add.2 Initial report of Luxembourg
CRC/C/74 Provisional agenda and annotations
CRC/C/75 Note by the Secretary-General on the States parties to the Convention and the status of submission of reports
CRC/C/SR.454-477 Summary records of the eighteenth session.
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