COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD EXAMINES REPORT OF MONGOLIA

11 January 1996

Press Release
HR/4271

COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD EXAMINES REPORT OF MONGOLIA

19960111 GENEVA, 10 January (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon took up the initial report of Mongolia on how it was implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The delegation of Mongolia introduced the report and responded to questions posed by members of the Committee.

The delegation of Mongolia is headed by the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Shirchinjav Yumjav. He was accompanied by Nordaov Bolormaa, Director of the National Centre for Children; Tsedenjav Sukhbaatar, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission in Geneva; Namsrain Tungalag, of the Ministry of Justice; Sorogjoogiin Tumur, Member of Parliament; and Rabdangyn Samdandovj, member of the National Council for Children.

Introduction of Report

Introducing the initial report, Mr. Yumjav, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, stated that the strong market-oriented reform policy undertaken by the Government and the financial support extended by the international community had started to produce results. Political reforms and democratization of the society were taking place in an atmosphere of political stability. Those favourable conditions had given the Government more opportunities to address crucial social issues such as poverty and improvement of the situation of the vulnerable segments of the population.

He recalled that, during the past two years, his country's Parliament had adopted a number of new laws regulating various elements of the country's social and economic life. Those laws covered pensions, allowances, benefits and services for vulnerable populations, including children, mothers, the disabled and the poor. According to the new Law on Education, every child had the right to primary and secondary education free of charge.

The National Assembly on "Child-Development-Protection" held last April and which had involved government officials, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations, individuals and human rights activists, had adopted national concepts on the protection and development of children and the creation of national mechanisms for that purpose.

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He assured the Committee of the Government's strong commitment to comply with its obligations under international instruments and to do its utmost in the best interest of its children.

Discussion of Report of Mongolia

Responding to the list of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the report and to additional oral questions by members of the Committee, the delegation stated that, in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Mongolian Government had launched an information campaign on the protection and promotion of the rights of the child. The National Centre for Children, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, had been organizing seminars dealing with the rights of the child. The Centre was responsible for the formulation of State policy on children and for its implementation.

The national teachers' training institute had organized an information seminar last year. As part of the school curriculum, the right of the child was being introduced and taught to students. Also, for the first time, UNICEF had organized an educational conference and training programmes for persons working in juvenile centres. Despite the difficulties encountered by the Government in reaching all children, particularly those living in rural areas, efforts and resources were invested in promoting and protecting their rights.

As to child labour, the delegation said that the Labour Code of 1991 had provided a list of prohibited child labour and established the minimum age of employment, labour conditions, remuneration, working hours and preferential terms of employment and vocations for children. Fifteen years of age was set as the minimum age of employment, and employed children were subjected to regular medical examination.

According to the delegation, the Government had recently established a telephone hot-line for children in trouble to provide direct contacts with organizations protecting the rights of children.

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