COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF PORTUGAL'S REPORT
Press Release
HR/4219
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF PORTUGAL'S REPORT
19951113 GENEVA, 10 November (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its dialogue with Portugal on how it was implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The policies of child adoption, kindergarten facilities, child labour, street children, child abuse and neglect were some of the topics which were highlighted during the Committee's consideration of that State party's initial report.With respect to adoption, the minimum age required for adoptive parents had been lowered in certain cases, while the age limit for adoptees had been raised, according to the delegation of Portugal. It was felt that the spirit of the institution, which was aimed at creating a link similar to that of a blood relationship, required those actions. Adoption could be ordered by judicial decision only and it had to present genuine advantages for the child being adopted. Portugal was preparing to adopt The Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, which it had helped to draw up.
As there were only a few cases of refugee children, it was not a major concern to the Government, the delegation said. During the first six months of the current year, only 10 cases of unaccompanied children were treated by the authorities. Since refugee children fell under the category of vulnerable groups, they were granted the necessary social and economic assistance. Portugal did not have any detention centres and did not need them to keep asylum seekers or persons awaiting possible expulsion.
The Portuguese delegation said there were currently 3,000 non-profit-making institutions working for the protection of the family, children and young people. The institutions served as day-care and leisure centres. They undertook to work in cooperation with the social security services and the State contributed financially.
As regarded street children, there were two such categories, Portugal's representatives stated. The first group included street children who had no contacts with their families and lived by their own efforts. Such children had either been abandoned or neglected by their parents. Many of them had migrated from rural areas to towns only to find themselves in the streets. The second group consisted of "children in streets", who lived with their parents but frequented the streets. The Government was taking measures to provide support to institutions engaged in resolving that phenomenon.
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Concerning the administration of justice in respect of children in conflict with criminal law, minors under the age of 16 were exempted from criminal liability. Supervisory measures of protection, assistance and education were provided to children who had committed criminal offences and those who engaged in begging, vagrancy, prostitution, debauchery, abuse of alcoholic beverages or illicit use of narcotics.
Concerning the status of the Convention in Macao, the delegation said that the provisions of the Convention were not implemented in that territory. However, in consultation with the Chinese authorities, implementation of the Convention was envisaged before Portugal handed over the territory to China by 1999.
Committee members recommended that Portugal should design a comprehensive national strategy for children in general. They stressed the need to have systematic collection of data and its integration in the formulation of public policy regarding children. The Committee called for increased collaboration with non-governmental organizations working for the benefit of children. Portugal's ratification of the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 138 on child labour was commended.
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