COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF ICELAND REPORT
Press Release
HR/4279
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF ICELAND REPORT
19960117 The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its consideration of the initial report of Iceland, making numerous recommendations to that State party with regard to its implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.Before concluding, the Committee received additional responses to its questions pertaining to basic health and welfare; education, leisure and cultural activities; and special protection measures regarding children.
With respect to disabled children, considerable support was given to families with disabled or chronically ill children, according to the delegation. The support took the form of direct financial assistance as well as securing specific health services for the children. The placement of disabled children in specialized institutions was said to be rare in Iceland except for severely disabled children who were in need of permanent care.
About 75 per cent of children aged three to six years, and about 15 per cent of those aged zero to two years, attended nursery school every day, the delegation said. Around 220 nursery schools operated in the country, of which 70 were located in Reykjavik, the capital city, for a population of 266,000.
Additional responses were also given concerning the school system in connection with the Primary Schools Act of 1995. The delegation stated that further provisions were under preparation for inclusion in that Act concerning compulsory sex education and drug prevention instruction in schools. The rate of literacy was said to be near 100 per cent.
The delegation recalled that 90 per cent of school staff members were women and that in schools there was a new tendency to teach boys home economics, unlike in the past. The participation of more and more women in the labour market had also reversed the traditional labour division where men were considered bread-winners while women remained in the house. The delegation was of the view that there was a correlation between that tendency and the rate of divorce in Iceland, thus affecting children.
Concerning special protection measures for refugee children, the delegation acknowledged that, although Iceland was a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, it was still not possible to speak of an established comprehensive policy concerning refugees or refugee
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children. However, in autumn 1995, the Refugee Council set up by the Government had submitted a proposal concerning refugee policy and necessary measures that should be taken in that respect. Refugees who were accepted in Iceland had so far enjoyed special assistance and treatment, the delegation said.
Preliminary Concluding Observations
The Committee commended the Government of Iceland for the constructive dialogue it held with the delegation during its examination of the report. It welcomed the recent establishment of the Ombudsman to children and the Government Agency for Child Protection. The Committee further welcomed the efforts of the Government to continue its cooperation with non-governmental organizations dealing with the protection and promotion of the rights of the child.
The Committee recommended that the Government reconsider its reservation concerning the separation of children from adults during detention. The Government should also adopt an active position in the interpretation of the Convention concerning protection and care of the rights of the child and should introduce new legislation in that regard. It further asked the Government to pay special attention to non-discrimination of refugee children. The Government was also recommended to establish a coordination mechanism for its various decision-making organs regarding the child. The Committee also asked the Government to share its expertise and resources not only on multilateral but on bilateral bases to the most disadvantaged countries. The Government should introduce the teaching of the rights of the child in school curricula, experts stated.
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