CRC/C/15/Add.120
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5. Family environment and alternative care
Children deprived of a family environment
21.
While the Committee welcomes the measures taken to comply with the Committee’s
recommendation (ibid., paras. 154 and 163), it is still concerned about the insufficient alternative
care available for children deprived of a family environment. The Committee recommends
that the State party continue developing alternative measures to institutional care of
children, in particular by promoting foster care. The Committee further recommends that
the State party reinforce its monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the adequate
development of children living in institutions and to continue taking measures to review
periodically the placement and treatment of children as enshrined in article 25 of the
Convention.
Protection from abuse, neglect and violence (art. 19)
22.
The Committee welcomes the legislative reforms aiming at preventing and combating
domestic violence, but it remains concerned that physical and sexual abuse of children - within
and outside the family - is a widespread phenomenon in the State party. In light of, inter alia,
articles 3, 6, 19, 28 (2) and 39 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State
party continue taking effective measures to prevent and combat abuse and ill-treatment of
children within the family, at school and in society at large, including through setting up
multidisciplinary treatment and rehabilitation programmes. It suggests, inter alia, that
law enforcement should be strengthened with respect to such crimes; that adequate
procedures and mechanisms to deal effectively with complaints of child abuse should be
reinforced in order to provide children with prompt access to justice; and that the use of
corporal punishment at home, in schools and other institutions be explicitly prohibited by
law. Furthermore, educational programmes should be established to combat traditional
attitudes within society regarding this issue. The Committee encourages the State party to
consider seeking to this effect international cooperation from, inter alia, UNICEF and
international non-governmental organizations.
6. Basic health and welfare
Children with disabilities (art. 23)
23.
With regard to the situation of children with disabilities, the Committee remains
concerned at the inadequate infrastructure, limited number of qualified staff, specialized
institutions for these children, and the inadequate resources, both financial and human. In
addition, the Committee is particularly concerned at the insufficient implementation of the
existing governmental policies and programmes for children with disabilities and at the
insufficient monitoring of private institutions for these children. In light of the Standard Rules
on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly
resolution 48/96) and of the Committee’s recommendations adopted on its day of
general discussion on children with disabilities (see A/53/41, chap. IV, sect. C), the
Committee recommends that the State party develop early identification programmes to