Distr. GENERAL CRC/C/Q/LAT/1 13 October 2000 Original: ENGLISH

A. Data and statistics

Please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age, urban or rural areas) covering the period between 1997 and 1999 on the number of children deprived of their family environment:

a) adopted domestically;

b) adopted abroad;

c) living in foster care;

d) living in institutions;

e) living in boarding schools;

f) living in the streets.

With reference to the information provided in paragraph 139 of the report, please provide disaggregated data (by age, sex and types of violations reported), on:

a) the number of reports received by the children's rights protection inspectors per year between 1997 and 1999;

b) the number of reports which have resulted in either a court decision, or a placement of the child outside the parental home or other types of follow-up.

With reference to the information provided in paragraphs 145-157 of the report, please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age, and urban/rural area) on the number and percentage of children with disabilities:

a) living at home;

b) living in boarding schools;

c) living in institutions.

Further, please indicate the number of children with disabilities who have received:

a) allowances under the Law "On Medical and Social Protection of Disabled" of 1992, mentioned in paragraph 146 of the report, between the years 1995 and 1999;

b) assistance for activities to promote their social integration under the Law "On Social Security" mentioned in paragraph 148 of the report.

Please provide disaggregated data (including by sex, age and urban/rural areas) covering the period between 1997 and 1999 on:

a) the enrollment in percentage of children in primary schools;

b) the enrollment in percentage of children in secondary schools;

c) the number and percentage of drop-outs;

d) the percentage of children completing primary and secondary schools.

In light of articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention and with reference to the information provided in paragraphs 224-236 of the report, please provide appropriate disaggregated data (including by sex, age and type of crime) covering the period between 1997 and 1999, in particular on the number of:

a) children between the ages of 11 and 14 who committed a crime placed in juvenile educational facilities;

b) children aged 14 years and older who have allegedly committed a crime reported to the police;

c) juvenile delinquents who have been sentenced and type of punishment or sanctions;

d) detention facilities for juvenile delinquents and their capacity;

e) juvenile delinquents detained in these facilities;

f) and percentage of children in pre-trial detention.

With reference to special protection measures, please provide statistical data (including by sex, age, urban/rural areas) per year between 1997 and 1999 on the number of children:

a) involved in sexual exploitation, including prostitution, pornography and trafficking;

b) involved in sexual exploitation who received rehabilitation treatments;

c) who abuse drugs reported to the police and/or social services;

d) who abuse drugs treated in the commune of "Saulriti" since the beginning of its activity;

e) who abuse drugs sentenced for committing crimes.

1. With regard to the information provided in paragraph 30 of the report, please provide additional information on the Children's Rights Protection Centre, in particular on its mandate, composition, financial and human resources and its coordination with the regional centres. Further, please also indicate whether there is a focal point on children issues within the Government and provide additional information on the elaboration of a united system for the protection of the rights of the child in Latvia referred to in paragraph 29 of the report.

In light of article 4 of the Convention and with reference to the information provided in paragraphs 12-19 of the report, please provide additional information and disaggregated data (by age and sex) on the amount and proportion of national budget devoted to children at central and local level, preferably in the last 3 years (1997-1999), to:

a) education (different types of education, i.e. primary and secondary education);

b) health care (different types of health services, i.e. primary health care, vaccination programmes);

d) social services, in particular support services and allowances for low-income families with children.

a) Please also indicate which ones of the above mentioned services have been delegated to local governments in compliance with the Law "On Local Governments" and the arrangements for budgetary analysis enabling the amount and proportion spent on children to be clearly identified. Further, please provide information on the percentage of international cooperation allocated to children's programmes.

- new bills or enacted legislation

- new institutions

- newly implemented policies

- newly implemented programmes

The dialogue with the State party might include issues such as:

2. Specific measures taken to guarantee that non-discrimination (article 2), the best interests of the child (article 3), and respect for the views of the child (article 12) are fully reflected in legislation as well as in actions taken by social welfare institutions, courts of law and administrative authorities. Examples of implementation of these principles by courts, administrative bodies and schools.

3. Legislation, policies and programmes implemented and/or foreseen to prevent discrimination against the most disadvantaged groups of children, in particular children living in poverty and non-citizen children who are not registered, and to ensure their rights in compliance with the Convention.

4. Steps undertaken to prevent the non-registration of children, in view of the fact that birth registration isn't free of charge.

5. Availability, quality and efficiency of health care services for children and social security and welfare services for families with children. The criteria for granting various social security and welfare benefits at central and local level to families with children, including the number of concerned children and families. Standard of living of children within the country and the minimum standard necessary to secure the child's development and what were the criteria used.

6. The use of corporal punishment in families, schools, care and other institutions and whether alternative disciplinary measures have been developed to combat this practice. Further, eventual reports on cases of children, in particular children living and /or working in streets, who have been the victims of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including cases of police brutality in detention centres for children.

7. The situation of domestic adoptions, including criteria for placement, monitoring, evaluation and follow-up, and of intercountry adoptions and whether the State party considering accession to the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

8. The situation of abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse within the family, and domestic violence. Strategies developed to prevent child abuse and mechanisms established to adequately assist both the victims and perpetrators of abuse.

9. Impact of measures taken to encourage regular attendance at school and to reduce the number of children not attending compulsory primary school.

10. The juvenile justice system (children in conflict with the law) with particular attention to the following topics:

a) deprivation of liberty as a measure of last resort;

b) practical provision of legal aid;

c) protection of the privacy;

d) continued contact between the child and his/her family;

e) effective monitoring of facilities;

f) the separation of children from the general prison population;

g) complaints procedures to deal with issues such as ill-treatment and violations of children=s rights;

h) education, health and social services for children in detention;

1) programmes to ensure the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of children; and

j) special protection for all children below the age of 18 years.

11. Whether children belonging to minority groups, in particular when non-citizen, benefit from equal opportunities, including in relation to health care, education and access to work. The status of the Integration Programme and information on the State Language Law.