List of issues : Brunei Darussalam. 03/07/2003.
CRC/C/Q/BRN/1. (List of Issues)

Convention Abbreviation: CRC
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Thirty-fourth Session
Pre-sessional Working Group
10-13 June 2003


IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the initial report of Brunei Darussalam (CRC/C/61/Add.5)

PART I

Under this section the State party is requested to submit in writing additional and updated information, if possible, before 6 August 2003:

A. Data and statistics, if available


Please provide data and statistics, as requested below under 1-8, disaggregated by age, sex, and minority (i.e. indigenous, religious background) and for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, if available, on:

1. the under-18 population, including non-citizen.

2. national and local budgetary allocation and spending for social needs (as percentages of total expenditures). In particular, how much was spent on:
(a) education (including allocations for primary and secondary education, Islamic religious schools, salaries, preservation of school buildings, etc.);
(b) health (including allocations for primary health care, vaccinations, adolescent health care and other health care services for children);
(c) child protection (e.g. institutional or foster care);
(d) juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation; and
(e) other social services.

3. (a) The rates of infant and child mortality;
(b) The proportion of children with low birth weight.

4. adolescent health, including early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, mental health, suicides, and drug and alcohol abuse.

5. the number of:(a) children separated from their parents;
(b) foundlings; and
(c) children placed with relatives and in welfare institutions.

6. the enrolment and completion rates (in percentages for the relevant age groups), according to type of school (i.e. public, and private) in:
(a) kindergarten/pre-school education;
(b) primary;
(c) secondary;
(d) vocational; and
(e) Islamic religious schools.

7. Specify the number of children with disabilities:
(a) living with their families;
(b) in institutions;
(c) attending regular schools; and
(d) attending special schools.

8. The number of children:
(a) who allegedly committed a crime which was reported to the police;
(b) who were sentenced by courts to sanctions, and the nature of the sanctions imposed (e.g. fines, imprisonment, community service, or other);
(c) number of suspended sentences;
(d) where the sanction is deprivation of liberty, please specify the period of imprisonment; and
(e) the percentage of recidivism cases.

B. General Measures of Implementation


1. In light of the recommendations adopted in the Declaration and Plan of Action of the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights (1993), please indicate what consideration the State party has given to the possibility of reviewing its general reservation and its reservations upon articles 14, 20 and 21 of the Convention with a view to its withdrawal.2. Please indicate whether the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been invoked directly in domestic courts, and if it has, please provide examples of such cases.3. The State party report indicates that the Social Affairs Services Unit, within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is the co-ordinating body for the implementation of the Convention. The State party report also indicates that part of the mandate of the National Children's Council is to coordinate children activities organised by various bodies and organisations. Please specify :
(a) How coordination is ensured among the different bodies?
(b) The decision-making and implementation processes of these bodies as they relate to inter-sectoral coordination at the central and local levels
(c) (d) If there is a comprehensive plan of action to implement the Convention.

4. Please describe how disaggregated data of persons under 18 is collected and analysed in order to design policies and programmes to implement the Convention.5. Noting that the National Children's Council is charged with monitoring the implementation of the Convention—in addition to coordination—together with other mechanisms (e.g. the two committees mentioned in paras. 19 and 20 of the State party report),
(a) How effective are they to receive and address complaints in a child-sensitive manner?
(b) How is monitoring ensured among the different bodies?6. In light of article 15 of the Convention, and other international standards on freedom of association, please describe what efforts have been made to facilitate the involvement of civil society throughout all stages of the implementation of the Convention.7. Please explain the measures taken and their effectiveness with respect to the State party's public awareness campaigns of the Convention, particularly for professionals working for and with children (e.g. Government officials, community-based organisations, religious leaders, the mass media), and the public-at-large, including children themselves.

8. Please indicate the issues affecting children that the State party considers to be the priorities requiring the most urgent attention with regard to the implementation of the Convention.
PART II

Please provide the Committee with copies of the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in all official languages of the State party as well as in other languages or dialects spoken, when available. If possible, please submit these texts in electronic form.
PART III

Under this section, States parties are invited, whenever appropriate, to briefly (3 pages maximum) up-date the information provided in their report with regard to:

- new bills or enacted legislation
- new institutions
- newly implemented policies
- newly implemented programmes
PART IV

The following is a preliminary list of major issues (that does not contain issues already covered in Part I) that the Committee may take up during the dialogue with the State party. They do not require written answers. This list is not exhaustive as other issues might be raised in the course of the dialogue.

1. Implementation of the general principles of the Convention, such as non-discrimination (article 2), the best interests of the child (article 3), and the right of the child to express views and have them taken into consideration (article 12).2. Measures taken to eliminate discrimination of women and girls (e.g. nationality legislation, and in personal status matters), as well as discrimination of children born out of wedlock, children of migrant workers and of non-citizen of Brunei Darussalam.

3. Implementation of civil rights and freedoms (articles 13-17) contained in the Convention.

4. With respect to ill-treatment of children, issues such as legal provisions to protect children from being ill-treated, mechanisms for children to file complaints and have them addressed, and preventive measures including awareness campaigns on its negative consequences.

5. With respect to children with disabilities, issues such as adequate access to services, public awareness campaigns to combat negative attitudes, support for families and steps for inclusion in regular schools.

6. In the area of health, issues such as quality of care in rural areas, as well as, measures to ensure that adolescents are provided with information relating to physical and mental development, including education on reproductive health, STIs and HIV/AIDS prevention, substance abuse, and the availability of child-sensitive counselling and rehabilitation services.

7. In the area of education, issues such as quality in rural areas and disciplinary practices, as well as, low pre-school enrolment, and the inclusion of human rights education in the school curricula.

8. Economic exploitation.

9. With respect to the treatment of juvenile offenders, issues including the low age of criminal responsibility, and the conformity of legislation and practice in the area of juvenile justice with international juvenile justice standards.

10. Indigenous children


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