Distr.

GENERAL

CRC/C/SR.201
27 January 1995


Original: ENGLISH
Summary record of the 201st meeting : Denmark. 27/01/95.
CRC/C/SR.201. (Summary Record)

Convention Abbreviation: CRC
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Eighth session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 201st MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
on Friday, 20 January 1995, at 3 p.m.

Chairperson: Mrs. BADRAN
later: Mrs. BELEMBAOGO

CONTENTS


Consideration of reports of States parties (continued)

Denmark (continued)


This record is subject to correction.

Corrections should be submitted in one of the working languages. They should be set forth in a memorandum and also incorporated in a copy of the record. They should be sent within one week of the date of this document to the Official Records Editing Section, room E.4108, Palais des Nations, Geneva.

Any corrections to the records of the meetings of the Committee at this session will be consolidated in a single corrigendum, to be issued shortly after the end of the session.

The meeting was called to order at 3.15 p.m.


CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS OF STATES PARTIES (agenda item 4) (continued)

Denmark (continued) (CRC/C/8/Add.8; CRC/C.7/WP.4)

1. Ms. POULSEN (Denmark), referring to an additional question raised at the 200th meeting, namely how the Danish social services reached the most vulnerable families, stressed the important role played by day-care centres and the health services for families in need of support. Professionals working in day-care centres were always available for counselling on a fairly informal basis. Likewise, health visitors were of vital importance to families with smaller children. Under section 28 of the Social Assistance Act, all citizens were entitled to counselling and guidance. Many municipalities had set up open advice centres, which were not attached to the municipal administration and to which people could go for confidential advice. Research was also currently under way into facilities offered at open day and evening centres which already existed in many municipalities: it was considered that the families and children in greatest need were not benefiting from such services. A survey was therefore being conducted among families with the aim of providing facilities that would cater better to their needs on a country-wide basis.

2. The CHAIRPERSON invited the Committee to take up the section of the list of issues (CRC/C.7/WP.4) entitled "Basic health and welfare", which read:

"Basic health and welfare


(Arts. 6, para. 2, 23, 24, 26, and 18, para. 3,
27, paras. 1-3 of the Convention)


3. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark), responding to issue No. 22, said that the overall purpose of treatment in Denmark was to foster the emotional, intellectual and social capacities of disabled children, irrespective of whether the treatment was provided at home, in day-care centres or schools. Any technical aids used in that connection were intended primarily to ensure a child's optimal personal development and integration into the family and society. In other words priority was given to the emotional aspects of his or her care. As to issue No. 23, a number of measures had been adopted in recent years to address the problem of suicide, including the establishment of a publicly-funded centre for the prevention of suicide and the provision of government subsidies for research. A joint effort in the area had also been launched by the Nordic countries, where suicide rates were very high. It was worth noting that there had been a reduction in the teenage suicide rate in Denmark in recent years.

4. Mrs. SARDENBERG asked for information on the situation of children infected with the HIV/AIDS virus, inquiring whether there were any special programmes in that connection.

5. Ms. KLINGSEY said she could not provide exact figures for the time being but reckoned that the number of children infected with the HIV/AIDS virus in Denmark was not very high. Under Danish social legislation such children enjoyed the same rights as others: their illness would be taken into account and treatment would be provided in day-care centres or elsewhere, as appropriate. Further information on the subject could be made available by the Ministry of Health in due course.

6. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark) said that, in his experience, there was very little discrimination in Denmark against children infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. At any rate, such cases would be followed up by appropriate information campaigns for children and parents in the schools or institutes concerned.

7. The CHAIRPERSON invited the Committee to take up the section of the list of issues (CRC/C.7/WP.4) entitled "Education, leisure and cultural activities", which read:

"Education, leisure and cultural activities
(Arts. 28, 29 and 31 of the Convention)


8. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark), referring to issue No. 24, said that in 1994 the Ministry of Education had issued a publication describing the aims and the main compulsory and optional subjects of the national curriculum under the Primary Education Act. Lessons on human rights were included in the subjects of history and civics.

9. Mrs. BELEMBAOGO asked for clarification regarding the reference in paragraph 36 of the report (CRC/C/8/Add.8) to the effect that, although education was compulsory, school attendance was not. Surely such a system must affect the success rate of students and make it difficult to monitor absentee and problem pupils.

10. Ms. KLINGSEY (Denmark) explained that, although education was compulsory for Danish children between the ages of 7 and 16, they were allowed to choose to be taught in public or private schools or else at home. Almost 90 per cent of Danish children opted for public schools, where education was free of charge, while 10 per cent chose private schools. Attendance at both types of schools was compulsory. The remaining very small percentage of children were taught at home by their parents, where their studies were regularly monitored by the local municipal authorities.

11. Mr. KOLOSOV asked how children taught at home obtained the school leaving certificate.

12. Ms. KLINGSEY (Denmark) said that representatives from the municipal school board regularly visited such children in their homes to test them on various compulsory subjects such as Danish, English and Mathematics, thereby ensuring that their level of education corresponded more or less to that of children attending school.

13. Mrs. SARDENBERG observed that great importance was attached to the activities of voluntary youth clubs and associations in Denmark. She wondered whether there were any organizations for the specific purpose of promoting the rights of children and whether the members were adults or children.

14. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark) said that the Danish Youth Council was an umbrella organization comprising a number of voluntary youth associations which took an active interest in young people's problems. It was also fairly influential in lobbying Parliament and the municipal authorities for the facilities and services that they required. The members were mostly in their upper teens. Efforts to set up a children's council as a forerunner to the Danish Youth Council had proved unsuccessful. Nevertheless, Danish schools normally had pupils' associations which, inter alia, produced their own publications with the aim of making their views known to fellow pupils, teachers and parents.

15. Ms. KLINGSEY (Denmark) added that most schools also had a pupils' board to discuss matters of interest to schoolchildren. It was set up not only in the interests of democracy but also to safeguard children's rights.

16. The CHAIRPERSON invited the Committee to take up the section of the list of issues (CRC/C.7/WP.4) entitled "Special protection measures", which read:

"Special protection measures
(Arts. 22, 30, 32-40 of the Convention)


26. Please describe the measures taken to ensure that the situation in refugee centres are child and family friendly, especially as regards facilities for suitable play and leisure activities.

27. What measures have been taken to avoid asylum-seeking children being kept in custody while awaiting deportation? In this connection, what rules, regulations or guidelines exist to guarantee that detention 'shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time' as provided for in article 37 (b) of the Convention? How are such detentions, if they exist, monitored and evaluated?

28. Please provide information on the functioning of the system of the administration of juvenile justice and programmes developed as alternatives to the imprisonment of juvenile offenders.
abroad?
17. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark) said that, for the sake of brevity, he would merely highlight certain information in the detailed written replies submitted by his delegation. In response to issue No. 26, he would stress that, in view of the increasing number of asylum-seekers and the shortage of facilities available, asylum centres were often set up in buildings such as former schools, army premises and hotels. The Directorate of Immigration made sure that such buildings had all the requisite facilities for refugees and their families, including grounds suitable for exercise and leisure. With reference to issue No. 27, the written replies contained a detailed description of the circumstances under which asylum-seekers could be imprisoned in Denmark.

18. As to issue No. 28, there were no special bodies in Denmark to deal with criminal offences committed by children. However, it was sometimes necessary to place children in special institutions, and details were provided in paragraph 329 of the report (CRC/C/8/Add.8). The written reply to issue No. 29 gave details of steps taken to collect reliable information regarding allegations of sexual abuse of children by Danish citizens abroad. It also described the conditions under which persons who committed such offences could be prosecuted outside Danish territory. In regard to issue No. 30, he drew attention to the measures adopted recently by the Danish Government to prevent the high risk of occupational diseases and accidents among children. The fact that, under Danish legislation, children aged 10 years and above were allowed to engage in light work remained an obstacle to ratification of the ILO Minimum Age Convention (No. 138) of 1973.

19. Ample information was provided in response to issue No. 31 on the situation and conditions of children living in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Regrettably, the present delegation was not very familiar with the home rule scheme governing the internal affairs of those parts of the Kingdom of Denmark but would none the less do its utmost to reply to any further questions. It was hoped that, when Denmark submitted its next periodic report, the delegation which met the Committee would also include representatives from Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

20. Mr. HAMMARBERG, referring to the issue of child labour, said the Committee believed that ratification by Denmark of ILO Convention No. 138, a major international instrument for the protection of children in employment matters, would be a valuable step. That Convention did not prohibit children under the age of 15 from engaging in all types of work, but it did prohibit them from entering into employment relations with an employer. Help around the house and farm work during the summer vacations, for instance, were not prohibited. Furthermore, article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulated that a minimum age for admission to employment should be provided for in the legislation of the State party. The figures revealed in the survey by Denmark of the rate of industrial accidents among young people showed the need for such international standards.

21. Presumably, the trend towards self-rule in Greenland and the Faroe Islands had made the Danish authorities somewhat reluctant to act as the representatives of those territories in the context of the Convention. Nevertheless, Denmark was indeed their legitimate international representative and, by virtue of its ratification of the Convention, the provisions thereof were applicable in those territories. Had the Danish authorities consulted elected bodies in Greenland and the Faroe Islands before finalizing their report? What measures did they envisage to encourage those bodies to take account of the Convention in their political decisions?

22. Miss MASON noted that there was no mention in the report of the involvement of social workers in the administration of juvenile justice. She asked how successful the youth contract scheme referred to in paragraph 323 of the report (CRC/C/8/Add.8) had been as an alternative to imprisonment for juvenile offenders. On the question of sexual exploitation and abuse, reference was made to various legislative enactments, but the report did not indicate whether such exploitation and abuse were a problem in Danish society. Could they be linked to the incidence of teenage suicides? Lastly, prostitution was not in itself a punishable offence: was there any intention to review the legal status of prostitution in the light of the provisions of the Convention?

23. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark) said that Denmark had indeed consulted the Greenland and Faroese authorities before finalizing the report, sections of which bore witness to the fruitful cooperation with the Greenland authorities. In the case of the Faroe Islands, cooperation had so far yielded fewer concrete results, but when fuller information became available his delegation would share it with the Committee. One result of the trend towards self-rule had been an increased involvement of representatives of Greenland and the Faroe Islands in international meetings and conferences, particularly in the field of human rights. The authorities of those territories were keen to use the knowledge they had gained from that participation to enhance their ability to disseminate, publicize and implement the rules set forth in international conventions.

24. He had noted Mr. Hammarberg's views on the need for Denmark to review ILO Convention No. 138. Actually, ILO Conventions were reviewed periodically as a matter of course. While he could not guarantee the outcome of the process, he undertook to draw attention to the need to look at Denmark's position with regard to ILO Convention No. 138.

25. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark), referring to the role of the social authorities in criminal cases involving children, said that those authorities were always called upon to intervene in cases where children under the age of 18 came into contact with the police in criminal matters. They also provided guidance and special services for children following a court decision. The youth contract scheme had been a temporary programme, and was not operating at the present time. In view of its success, however, it would in all likelihood be reintroduced on a permanent basis. She had no information on possible links between sexual abuse and teenage suicide. There were currently no plans to criminalize prostitution. Instead, the authorities were attempting to provide guidance to girls at risk, through the social authorities. A body known as SSP, consisting of school, social and police authorities, met once or twice a month in every municipality to discuss and coordinate possible action to avoid criminal conduct among the young.

26. Mrs. SARDENBERG, reverting to the question of child labour, asked what explanation the Danish delegation could give for the extremely high rate of industrial accidents among young persons between the ages of 15 and 25 years, referred to in paragraph 341 of the report.

27. Miss MASON, noting that the Danish attitude towards sexual activity could fairly be described as very liberal, wondered whether the view that a clampdown on prostitution would be an infringement of individual rights might not legitimately be regarded as over-permissive, particularly where young girls were involved. Were there any school programmes to prevent prostitution, sexual exploitation and teenage pregnancy, and was any research done into the causes of those phenomena? Referring to paragraph 351 of the report, she asked why the provision of the Criminal Code allowing for the imposition of a penalty upon any person who - by grossly abusing a superior position due to age and experience - seduced a person under the age of 18 years to intercourse, was no longer applied in practice.

28. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark) said the Danish position was that persons over the age of 15 had the right to a sex life. In practice, therefore, persons seducing a child of between 15 and 18 years of age were not normally prosecuted. However, if the child involved was under the age of 15 or the perpetrator was the parent of the child, the practice was to prosecute and the usual penalty was imprisonment.

29. The rate of teenage pregnancy was not high in Denmark, with about 2,000 to 3,000 girls under the age of 18 becoming pregnant annually. The right to abortion also existed, and an abortion might be performed if a very young girl became pregnant.

30. Miss MASON asked whether abortion was used as a means of contraception, and of reducing the number of teenage pregnancies. What account was taken of the girl's views when a decision was taken to perform an abortion?

31. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark) said that in Denmark a girl had the right to request an abortion. Currently, parental consent was required before an abortion could be performed, but consideration was being given to abolishing that requirement in the case of girls aged 15 to 18. Abortion was not, of course, used as a method of contraception: girls were given information on abortion, and also on how to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

32. Mr. HAMMARBERG asked for clarification of the situation regarding child prostitution. Was it permitted to buy sex from a child aged 15 to 18? If so, was it not inconsistent to prosecute Danish "sex tourists" who engaged in such practices abroad? He stressed that the Committee's concern was to criminalize, not the activity of the person engaging in prostitution, but that of the person who, by exploiting the body of a child, was violating an important principle.

33. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark) said the rule that persons aged 15 and over had the right to a sex life applied also where prostitution was an issue. When Danish citizens were prosecuted for engaging in "sex tourism", children under the age of 15 had usually been involved.

34. Mrs. BELEMBAOGO said that liberal sexual mores had important repercussions for public health. Were there any legislative provisions requiring prostitutes to undergo routine checks so as to prevent the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmissible diseases?

35. Mr. HAMMARBERG said his impression was that it was generally accepted in Denmark that children required some parental guidance up to the age of 18; yet it was apparently permissible for an adult to buy sex from a 16-year-old girl who had been reduced to prostitution by desperate economic or social circumstances. Was there not some inconsistency between the two positions, and did not such activity constitute exploitation?

The meeting was suspended at 4.25 p.m and resumed at 4.45 p.m.


36. Mrs. Belembaogo (Vice-Chairperson) took the Chair.

37. Mr. HAMMARBERG said that article 34 of the Convention, which prohibited "the exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices", was not subject to any limitation or exception and therefore applied to all children as defined in article 1 - in Denmark's case, children under 18. Child prostitutes aged 15 or 16 working in the street were probably already in serious trouble elsewhere. It might be necessary for Denmark to review its legislation to prevent any exploitation of such situations. As always, the focus must be on the child as victim and on the exploiter as criminal.

38. Mrs. EUFEMIO said that she would like to know more about the relationship between drug abuse and child prostitution. What was the incidence of drug abuse by children and what measures did Denmark take to prevent such abuse and the exploitation of children in drug production and trafficking? With regard to their economic exploitation, she did not understand why it was the responsibility of the police to give permission for public commercial performances by children or for children to appear in films.

39. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark), replying to Mrs. Sardenberg, said that the 70,000 accidents involving young people in the workplace referred to in the report had occurred over a period of five years. The daily average was therefore very low, and almost any minor accident was counted. The question of safety in the workplace was kept under constant scrutiny.

40. As to the question by Mrs. Belembaogo, there was no mandatory requirement for HIV testing. Denmark's philosophy was that, while such tests were useful, they were valid only for a day. Denmark preferred to concentrate on information programmes, especially among young people; sex education was part of the school curriculum, beginning with 11-year-olds.

41. With regard to child prostitution, the question of criminalizing the exploitation of girls for sexual purposes was under constant consideration in Denmark. A recently enacted law made it a criminal offence to possess child pornography materials. Denmark was aware that policies must be kept under review as social attitudes changed.

42. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark) said that all public performances required police authorization because the police had to make sure that public order was not threatened. Parental permission was required in the case of performances by children, and economic exploitation was not a problem. A big effort was made in the schools to educate children about drug abuse and a recent information campaign had produced good results. Child drug users working as prostitutes were taken in charge by the social services and received considerable assistance. The aim of the newly established Prevention Policy Board was to eliminate the drugs problem, especially among children.

43. Responding to a question put at the previous meeting, she said that the figures for the number of children from other countries adopted in Denmark were 431 for 1992 and 466 for 1993. Only 25 Danish children had been adopted in Denmark in 1993.

44. Miss MASON asked what types of offence were usually committed by children aged 15 to 18 and what happened to children under 15 who committed criminal offences - since they could not be brought before the courts. What measures were taken to prevent habitual child offenders from being exploited for criminal purposes by adults? Again, once child offenders reached the age of 18, were their offences expunged from the record?

45. Ms. SCHMIDT (Denmark) said that theft and burglary, and to a lesser extent acts of violence, were commonly committed by children aged 15 to 18. Child offenders under 15 were treated by the social services. It was rare in Denmark for adults to exploit such children for criminal purposes, but if they did so they would be punished as accomplices. Young children committing serious offences were placed in institutions; in less serious cases they remained with their parents. All offences remained on a child's record after the age of 18.

46. Ms. KLINGSEY (Denmark), responding to a question raised at the previous meeting, said that each teacher training college decided on its own curriculum, but the framework regulations established by the Ministry required them to ensure that students covered such vital areas as human rights and gender equality. As far as general information about the Convention was concerned, Denmark currently had a weekly television programme on the Convention, and over the next 15 weeks an hour-long programme on the Convention aimed at 10 to 14-year-olds was to be broadcast every week.

47. The CHAIRPERSON invited the members of the Committee to make their concluding remarks.

48. Mr. HAMMARBERG said that it was important to consider how a developed society like Denmark could provide safeguards for the 15 per cent of its children said to be at some kind of risk. The establishment of the Children's Council was therefore welcome as evidence of a serious attempt to provide an effective ombudsman mechanism for children. The Council should be provided with the resources to carry out its own research and investigations. Particular importance should be given to its functions of monitoring and enhancing awareness of the Convention. Perhaps Denmark could, in fact, do more to disseminate information about the Convention and to incorporate it in the training of professionals. It might be useful to conduct a study of the latter point. With regard to implementation of article 4 of the Convention, he appreciated the new legal initiatives taken by Denmark in such areas as child pornography and the custody of children.

49. There should perhaps be more discussion in Denmark as to how to maximize budgetary resources for children's services, and activities at the local level should be monitored in order to determine the effect on children of, for example, changes in class sizes. The relationship between central and local authorities in such matters was not in fact clear. Denmark was a very decentralized country, but the central authorities must remain responsible for ensuring local implementation of the Convention. It would also be interesting to know whether any safeguards existed to prevent discrepancies between municipalities in that matter.

50. Mrs. SARDENBERG said that it had been rewarding to assess the implementation of the Convention in a society with a tradition of respect for human rights and the rights of the individual. While she applauded Denmark's work in regard to children's rights, several recommendations none the less came to mind. First, the measures undertaken by the Danish Government on behalf of children might be more closely allied to not only the spirit but also the letter of the Convention. Denmark should consider adopting a more consistent, comprehensive policy towards children, incorporating the principles of the Convention in, for example, the mandate of the Children's Council. Furthermore, the notion of the child as the subject of rights should be clearly described in the relevant legislation.

51. While NGOs had not taken part in the elaboration of the report by Denmark, they might be invited to participate in the implementation of the Committee's recommendations; a stronger partnership should be forged between Government and NGOs in the promotion of children's rights. Moreover, in view of the growing trend toward racial violence in Danish society, the Government should focus particular attention on developing measures to enhance interracial understanding and to eradicate prejudice. Lastly, she welcomed Denmark's announcement that it would review its position with respect to the ratification of the 1973 Minimum Age Convention (No. 138) of the International Labour Organisation.

52. Mrs. SANTOS PAIS commended Denmark for its work in the field of children's rights. Improvements could, however, be made in several areas. To begin with, Danish policy for children should be better coordinated and more comprehensive. Indeed, in a country like Denmark, where policy was established at the central governmental level and reshaped at the municipal level, a clearly established coordination and division of responsibilities were essential. Where all levels of government were working together, priority areas could be identified and solutions found. Second, Parliament should undertake to consider the situation of the rights of the child and the implementation of the Convention with a view to identifying matters requiring reform, especially in the area of resource allocation. Furthermore, ways should be found to monitor the allocation of resources on the central and local levels, and policies should be reshaped to benefit children from all levels of society, rich and poor.

53. Denmark should consider ways of educating society in the principles of the Convention on an ongoing basis. School curricula should, in particular, be developed to instruct children in the principles of the Convention, using simple language. In addition, training in the principles of the Convention for persons working with children should be more systematic. The United Nations Decade of Human Rights Education, for instance, might be used to spark lively debates in Danish society on the principles of both human and children's rights.

54. In broad terms, thought should be given to the application of the principles of the Convention in both law and practice. In connection with family law, for example, the Legal Incapacity and Guardianship Act could more explicitly incorporate the notion of the child as the subject of rights as well as the principle that the child's best interests must also be considered when conflict arose with the interests of the parent. Parents should be seen as having, more than authority, a responsibility toward their children. Furthermore, the prohibition against the parental chastisement of children should be reflected in civil not criminal law, which was too severe. Denmark should also consider elaborating a more detailed legislative framework to govern the enjoyment and exercise by children of their fundamental freedoms.

55. Finally, the Alien Act merited re-evaluation to ensure that applications for family reunification were handled humanely and effectively. While the measures undertaken by Denmark on behalf of refugee children in health and education were welcome, the terms of the Convention called for a more proactive approach to ensure that all children subject to Danish jurisdiction enjoyed the same rights.

56. Miss MASON said that consideration should also be given to reducing the time that elapsed between the arrival in Denmark of a refugee and a full review of his case, so as to avoid violating the terms of the Convention in regard to health and education. Again, research should be conducted into the causes of teenage suicide, with attention to the link between family disputes, especially in matters of custody, and suicide. Moreover, the problem of child prostitution, its causes and consequences, should be scrutinized and national legislation should be revised to bring it into conformity with article 34, so as to protect children, at the very least, from physical harm. In addition, efforts should be undertaken at the legislative level to consolidate the rights of a father vis-à-vis a child born out of wedlock. Lastly, she would urge Denmark to continue its good work on behalf of children. Despite the various concerns that had been voiced, a Danish child was indeed fortunate.

57. Mrs. EUFEMIO suggested that Denmark should reassess its policies concerning children born as a result of the use of artificial fertilization techniques, in view of the fundamental right of a child to know his origins. She was especially interested in the parents' guidance project, and looked forward to news of its success; a mid-term study might be the basis for launching further programmes of that kind.
58. The study conducted by the Danish National Institute for Social Research concerning foreign children adopted into Danish families had shown that many of those children left home before the age of 18 or did not continue their education; furthermore, 50 per cent were unemployed or working at unskilled jobs. A closer look should be taken at the underlying causes, and the findings could form the basis of a revised adoption policy. Denmark had indicated its intention to ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Inter-Country Adoption, in the context of its policy with regard to internationally displaced children. It might also find the terms of that Convention useful in considering inter-country adoption more broadly. The study in question had also revealed that many of those children had not been adopted until the age of three, a disturbing fact. Countries generally applied the principle of last resort; it should be remembered that international adoption had emotional implications for the adopted child. Did that child wonder, for instance, why he could not have been provided for by his own country?

59. Furthermore, it would be useful to consider whether the issue of chastisement, or what she preferred to call "non-physical degrading treatment", and its attendant emotional and psychological injuries, might merit a study by the Danish National Institute of Social Research. The Danish Government should also consider establishing a surveillance system for prompt detection of cases of children subjected to degrading treatment.

60. The CHAIRPERSON, summing up the discussion, said that the Committee had commended Denmark for its many favourable policies on behalf of children, and for its efforts to integrate the provisions of the Convention into Danish law. The Committee had encouraged the Danish Government to develop a more comprehensive and coordinated policy with regard to children and to review the allocation of budgetary resources so as to ensure equal benefits for all Danish children. It had made several specific suggestions for revisions to the Civil and Criminal Codes and had requested that special attention be paid to the issues of refugee children, teenage suicides, and child prostitution. Lastly, the Committee had expressed its interest in the outcome of studies currently under way.

61. Mr. KLINGENBERG (Denmark) said that the Danish delegation had found the discussion both inspiring and useful, and had been profoundly impressed by the Committee's perceptive analysis of Denmark's initial report and written replies. It was grateful for the Committee's praise and took account of its criticisms and recommendations, which would unquestionably help in improving the conditions of life for children in Denmark. He assured the Committee that its concluding observations would be accorded serious attention in the various government departments concerned with the situation of the rights of the child in Denmark.

The meeting rose at 6 p.m.

©1996-2001
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva, Switzerland