CONFERENCE OF STATES PARTIES TO RIGHTS OF CHILD CONVENTION DECIDES TO ENLARGE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FROM 10 TO 18 EXPERTS
Press Release
HR/4262
CONFERENCE OF STATES PARTIES TO RIGHTS OF CHILD CONVENTION DECIDES TO ENLARGE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FROM 10 TO 18 EXPERTS
19951212 The Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child met this morning and decided to enlarge the membership of the Committee on the Rights of the Child from 10 to 18 experts. To enter into force, the amendment must be adopted by the General Assembly and approved by two thirds of the States parties.The action was taken by adopting without a vote a draft resolution sponsored by Costa Rica, by which the Conference would consider it a matter of principle and fairness that the number of experts on the Rights of the Child Committee should be the same as that for other similar legal instruments in the field of human rights.
The function of the Committee is to examine the progress made by States parties in achieving their obligations under the Convention. The experts serve in their personal capacity, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to the principal legal systems. They are elected for a four-year term and are eligible for re-election if renominated. At present, the Committee members are elected by secret ballot from a list of persons nominated by States parties. The elections are held at the meetings of States parties, for which two thirds of those parties constitute a quorum.
The Conference was opened by the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, Hans Corell, representing the Secretary-General, who outlined the purpose of the meeting.
The draft was introduced by Emilia Castro de Barish (Costa Rica), who said that since there were now 181 States parties to the Convention, it was appropriate to increase the membership of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The participation of eight additional experts would make the Committee more effective, enabling it to examine the reports of States parties with more speed and efficiency. She expressed the hope that the amendment would be adopted by the current session of the General Assembly.
The Secretary of the Conference, Elsa Stamatopoulou, said that enlarging the Committee's membership would increase its cost of $681,800 by an estimated additional amount of $518,000 for the 1996-1997 biennium.
The Conference, before concluding its brief session, postponed action on a draft decision to revise the procedures for electing members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, as provided for in paragraph 6 of article 43 of the Convention. Most delegates expressed the need for further study of the matter.
Also this morning, the Conference elected Francis Muthaura (Kenya) Chairman of the Conference and Thakur Phanit (Thailand), Colin Willis (Australia), Emilia Castro de Barish (Costa Rica) and Ion Gorita (Romania) as its Vice-Chairmen.
Statements were made by the representatives of Bahrain, Spain, India, China, Benin, Russian Federation, Syria, Egypt, Japan, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Brazil, Ghana, Cuba, Côte d'Ivoire, Philippines, Guinea Bissau and Rwanda.
Convention on Rights of Child
The General Assembly adopted the Convention unanimously on 20 November 1989, 30 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child. It was opened for signature on 26 January 1990. On that day, 61 countries signed it, which was a record first-day response. Seven months later, the Convention entered into force after the twentieth State had ratified it.
The Convention makes States that accept it legally accountable for their actions towards children. It stipulates that every child has a right to life, and that every State shall ensure to the maximum, child survival and development; every child has a right to a name and nationality from birth; the child's best interests shall be a primary consideration when courts, welfare institutions or administrative authorities deal with children.
The Convention also provides, among other things, for the States to ensure that each child enjoy full rights without discrimination or distinctions of any kind; that children not be separated from their parents, unless by competent authorities for their well-being. States should also facilitate reunification of families by permitting travel into or out of their territories; and protect children from physical or mental harm and neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation.
At present, there are 181 States parties to the Convention, which has become, within an exceptionally short period, the international human rights instrument with the largest number of ratifications.
Convention on Rights of Child - 3 - Press Release HR/4262 11th Meeting (AM) 12 December 1995
States Parties to Convention
The following 181 States are parties to the Convention: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia and Lebanon.
Also, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, San Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikstan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Committee Membership, Officers
The following experts, nominated by the States parties to serve in their personal capacity, have been elected to the Committee: Hoda Badran of Egypt, Akila Belembaogo of Burkina Faso, Flora Eufemio of the Philippines, Thomas Hammarberg of Sweden, Judith Karp of Israel, Youri Kolosov of the Russian Federation, Sandra P. Mason of Barbados, Swithun Mombeshora of Zimbabwe, Marta Santos Pais of Portugal and Marilia Sardenberg Zelner Goncalves of Brazil.
The Committee's officers are: Akila Belembaogo, Chairman; Thomas Hammarberg, Flora Eufemio and Marilia Sardenberg Zelner Goncalves, Vice- Chairmen; and Marta Santos Pais, Rapporteur.
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Convention on Rights of Child - 4 - Press Release HR/4262 11th Meeting (AM) 12 December 1995
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