COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF GERMANY'S REPORT
Press Release
HR/4211
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF GERMANY'S REPORT
19951108 German Delegation Advises of Decision To Ban Manufacture and Distribution of Land MinesGENEVA, 7 November (UN Information Service) -- Germany had decided to ban totally the manufacture and distribution of land mines, which caused the mutilation and death of thousands of children around the world, the Committee on the Rights of the Child was told this morning by the German delegation as it concluded consideration of that country's initial report of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Committee also further discussed with the German delegation children's social benefits, poverty, the educational systems, health care, leisure time and cultural activities, with the main focus on that country's implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Responding to questions posed by Committee members, the German representatives stressed that there was no causality between environmental pollution and the increase in diseases affecting children. However, the Government had taken measures to prevent pollution of the soil, air and water which could protect the environment.
With regard to HIV-infected children and those with AIDS, the delegation highlighted the efforts exerted in that area since the mid-1980s through education and dissemination of information. Counselling services were extended to families and to schools. Blood testing for HIV infection was done free of charge. The Government was doing all it could to prevent an epidemic by promoting early measures.
As to the integration of disabled children in the society and in schools, the German delegation told Committee members that there was no specific focus on handicapped children as a policy. However, the majority of schools had accommodations for students with disabilities.
The social security insurance system had been functioning effectively in German society since the reformation by Bismark in the nineteenth century, according to the delegation. It covered illness, unemployment and old-age care. Children were entitled to benefits deriving from their parents' insurance. Under the pension insurance scheme, a child was entitled to an orphan's benefit in the event of the parents' death.
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Committee members raised the question of psychological stress in schools. The German representatives said that the pedagogical approach was not only to convey knowledge but also to prepare the children for future responsibility. The educational expectations of parents for their children could have direct psychological impact and could create stress on the children. Such problems, when they arose, were treated through appropriate counselling and psychological therapy.
Responding to questions relating to leisure time and cultural activities of children, the German delegation indicated that the Government had made available to all children, including the disadvantaged, facilities within and outside schools. The right of the child to enjoy rest and leisure and to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child was promoted by public measures; the actual exercise of that right by the child, however, largely fell within the sphere of responsibility of the parents. The Government endeavoured to ensure that as many children as possible had an opportunity to participate in cultural life and thus fully develop their intellectual, physical and artistic capabilities.
All measures were taken in order to narrow the disparity between the eastern and western German regions, the delegation said. Training of unemployed persons had been intensified so that they could be employed. Last year alone, 45,000 persons were given training. However, that figure could be considered insignificant compared to the 3 million unemployed in the country.
Concerning poverty, the Government was attempting to alleviate the burdens of parents and families through the scheme of social benefits. Some 1.9 million households received social assistance. However, a number of social assistance recipients were above the poverty level, the delegation said.
In their preliminary concluding remarks, the Committee experts said they appreciated the German delegation's frankness and its cooperation in clarifying the information sought by the experts. They urged Germany to abide by all the provisions of the Convention to reaffirm the rights of the child. The legal reforms should incorporate the rights enshrined in the Convention. The principle of non-discrimination had to be reflected with regard to all children, including refugees and children born out of wedlock. Fair hearings should be practised in courts involving juveniles. Committee Members applauded the decision of Germany to ban land mines, which affected many children around the world. The need to have a permanent coordinating and monitoring mechanism was also recommended.
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