COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD TO HOLD TWENTY-SECOND SESSION AT GENEVA FROM 20 SEPTEMBER TO 8 OCTOBER
Press Release
HR/4433
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD TO HOLD TWENTY-SECOND SESSION AT GENEVA FROM 20 SEPTEMBER TO 8 OCTOBER
19990917Experts to Examine Reports of Venezuela, Russian Federation, Vanuatu, Mexico, Mali and Netherlands
(Reissued as received.)
GENEVA, 17 SEPTEMBER (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on the Rights of the Child will examine reports on the situation of children in Venezuela, Russian Federation, Vanuatu, Mexico, Mali and the Netherlands during a three-week series of meetings beginning 20 September. The Committee's fall session -- its twenty-second overall -- will end on 8 October.
The Russian Federation and Mexico will be presenting their second periodic reports to the Committee while the other countries will be presenting their initial reports. Government delegations are expected to be on hand to introduce the reports and to answer questions from the panel's 10 independent experts.
The preponderance of initial reports is a reflection of the near- universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has resulted in a long queue of nations offering their first summaries to the Committee on efforts to put the Convention into effect. There are 191 States parties, making the Convention the most widely accepted human-rights instrument in the world. Only the United States and Somalia have not ratified it.
During its session, the Committee will celebrate, in conjunction with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, holding a two-day meeting entitled "The Convention on the Rights of the Child: a decade of achievements and challenges@. The meeting will focus on lessons learned from implementation efforts at the national level and is expected to result in the adoption of a set of recommendations for future implementation of the Convention.
At its twenty-second session, the Committee also will discuss cooperation with other organizations operating in the field of child rights, review methods of work, and consider the organization of its future work.
The Committee currently has 10 experts, although States parties have adopted an amendment to the Convention which will enable it to increase its membership to 18 in order to cope with a rapidly growing workload. The amendment will enter into force once it is accepted by a two-thirds majority of States parties.
Committee's Concluding Observations on Last Reports Submitted by Russian Federation and Mexico
In conclusions issued in January 1993 on the initial report of the Russian Federation, the Committee recommended, among other things, that the Government monitor regularly the effects of economic change on children, especially as the country was undergoing a period of "structural adjustment"; that it consider establishing a structure to coordinate implementation of the Convention and to monitor it; and that the primary health-care system be improved, particularly in relation to such matters as antenatal care, health education, family planning, and immunization programmes. The Committee expressed concern, among other things, about the occurrence of maltreatment and cruelty towards children in and outside the family, and suggested that procedures be developed to deal with complaints by children in relation to such treatment. Among positive aspects noted by the Committee were the Government=s willingness to define and appreciate the problems encountered and the introduction of legislative measures to improve the application of the Convention.
In January 1994 findings on the initial report of Mexico, the Committee recommended, among other things, that the Government intensify its action against all violence resulting in cases of ill-treatment of children, in particular when committed by members of the police forces and security services and the military; and that urgent measures to adopted to combat discrimination against children belonging to the most vulnerable groups, in particular children subject to abuse or violence within the family, children living and/or working in the streets, and children belonging to indigenous communities. The Committee expressed concern, among other things, that laws and regulations relevant to the enforcement of the rights the child in Mexico were not always compatible with provisions of the Convention, and at the unequal distribution of wealth in the country. Among positive aspects to the report the Committee cited Government adoption of a National Programme of Action for children, focusing on health, education, basic sanitation, and assistance to minors in especially difficult circumstances.
Tentative Programme of Work
Monday, 20/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. items 1,2,3 Opening/adoption of agenda/Submission of reports/organization of work
3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 6 Methods of work
Tuesday, 21/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Venezuela 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Venezuela
Wednesday, 22/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 [Venezuela] 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. items 5,6 Cooperation with other bodies/Methods of work
Thursday, 23/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Russian Federation 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Russian Federation
Friday, 24/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Vanuatu 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Vanuatu
Monday, 27/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Mexico 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Mexico
Tuesday, 28/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Mali 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Mali
Wednesday, 29/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 [Mali] 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Concluding observations
Thursday,30/9 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 7 Commemoration of the 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 7 10th anniversary of the Convention
Friday, 1/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 7 Commemoration of 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 7 the 10th anniversary of the Convention
Monday, 4/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Netherlands 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Netherlands
Tuesday, 5/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 [Netherlands] 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Concluding observations
Wednesday, 6/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Concluding observations 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 6 Methods of work
Thursday, 7/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. item 4 Concluding observations 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. item 4 Concluding observations
Friday, 8/10 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. items 8, 9 Future meetings, other matters, adoption of report 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. no meeting
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. The Convention makes States which accept it legally accountable for their actions towards children. Work on its drafting began in 1979 -- the International Year of the Child -- at the Commission on Human Rights.
The Convention was opened for signature on 26 January 1990. That day, 61 countries signed it, a record first-day response. It entered into force just seven months later, on 2 September 1990.
Ratifying the Convention entails reviewing national legislation to make sure it is in line with the provisions of the treaty. The Convention stipulates, among other things, that: every child has the right to life, and States shall ensure to the maximum child survival and development; every child has the right to a name and nationality from birth; and, when courts, welfare institutions or administrative authorities deal with children, the child's best interests shall be a primary consideration. The Convention recognizes the right of children to be heard.
Furthermore, States shall ensure that each child enjoys full rights without discrimination or distinctions of any kind; that children should not be separated from their parents, unless by competent authorities for their well-being; States should facilitate reunification of families by permitting travel into, or out of, their territories; and States shall protect children from physical or mental harm and neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation.
Also according to the Convention, disabled children shall have the right to special treatment, education and care; primary education shall be free and compulsory and discipline in school should respect the child's dignity; capital punishment or life imprisonment shall not be imposed for crimes committed before the age of 18; no child under 15 should take any part in hostilities and children exposed to armed conflict shall receive special protection; and children of minority and indigenous populations shall freely enjoy their own culture, religion and language.
A conference of State parties has endorsed efforts to amend the Convention in order to increase the membership of the Committee, while the General Assembly has expressed support for the working group of the Commission on Human Rights on a draft optional protocol to the treaty related to the involvement of children in armed conflict.
Committee Membership
The Convention requires that the members of the Committee have a high moral standing and recognized competence in the field of children's rights. The following experts, nominated by the State parties to serve in their personal capacity, have been elected to the Committee: Jacob Doek (the Netherlands), Amina Le Guindi (Egypt), Francesco Paolo Fulci (Italy), Judith Karp (Israel), Nafsiah Mboi (Indonesia), Esther Margaret Queen Mokhuane (South Africa), Awa N'deye Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Ghassan Salim Rabah (Lebanon), Marilia Sardenberg Gonçalves (Brazil), and Elizabeth Tigerstedt- Tähtalä (Finland).
The Chairwoman is Mrs. Mboi. Vice Chairpersons are Mrs. Sardenberg, Mrs. Mokhuane, and Mr. Rabah. Mr. Doek is Rapporteur.
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