COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONTINUES DISCUSSION OF ITALY'S REPORT
Press Release
HR/4202
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONTINUES DISCUSSION OF ITALY'S REPORT
19951107 GENEVA, 31 October (UN Information Service) -- the principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and the legislation of Italy were aligned and there was no contradiction between them, the representatives of Italy assured the Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon, as it continued to discuss the initial report of that State party.The delegation responded to the list of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the report. It indicated that although the economic and social structures of Italy varied from one region to another, the Government had made efforts to reconcile the principles of the Convention with those structures. The necessary support was also given to the regions faced with difficulties in adapting themselves to the principles enshrined in the Convention. Regional disparity, for example the industrial North and the less developed South, had been a concern of the Italian authorities in the effective application of the Convention. Government officials and their subalterns were also made conscious about the principles of the Convention.
Corporal punishment of children was prohibited and any damage caused by maltreatment was punishable by law, they said. The cases of excessive means of correction by parents were not clearly indicated, either in the civil or criminal codes. However, any ill-treatment of children was punishable, while simple kicking of one's child was not prohibited.
There were two groups of Roms Gypsies in the country, one of which had chosen Italy as its permanent place of residence and for a long time enjoyed Italian nationality. However, the second group was a problem because of its instability and its non-resident status. Certain criminal activities were attributed to the latter group, which had entered Italy in recent years. Owing to the high percentage of crimes committed by non-Italian Roms, municipal and other social organizations were undertaking positive measures to assist them. Those Gypsies were not properly domiciling in a specific place, which thus complicated their situation in matters of social integration. To educate them was found to be difficult only because they were permanently "travellers".
Stigmatization of foreigners was remarked on by one expert, who said that Roms and other groups of foreigners in Italy were excluded and discriminated against without having access to social services within the urban areas. Such persons were obliged to live in small and remote pockets or
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ghettos. The measures to combat racism and xenophobia were also raised by experts to which the delegation responded by saying that the majority of discriminatory crimes committed during the last five years were attributed to skinheads. There had been approximately 200 or so such crimes. Judges commuted the penalty for crimes committed by the so-called skinheads against adults, giving them a social penalty which compelled them to render service to the society.
With regard to children born out of wedlock, the representatives stated that Italian law recognized all children as equals except in case of refusal by one of the parents to recognize its parenthood. In that case, the family subvention could not be obtained, as in the case of two parents. Concerning television violence, the measures taken by the authorities to protect children from such screen violence were not clearly pronounced. However, the positive role of the media was highly recommended. Protection of children from obscene publications was also mentioned and the representatives assured Committee members that the law prohibited such publications to reach the hands of children.
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