CRC/C/15/Add.233
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Children belonging to a minority or indigenous group
63.
The Committee, acknowledging the adoption of the new legislation creating three
indigenous comarcas, remains concerned that lack of economic resources is an obstacle to
developing specific programmes on education, health and social services for indigenous children.
The Committee is also concerned about the preservation of the identity of indigenous children
since bilingual education remains a challenge in indigenous areas and education lacks resources
of all kinds.
64.
The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to
ensure that indigenous children enjoy all their rights without discrimination, including
equal access to culturally appropriate services including health, education, social services,
housing, potable water and sanitation. The Committee also recommends that the State
party, with the full participation of indigenous communities and children, develop public
awareness campaigns, including through the mass media, to combat negative attitudes and
misperceptions about indigenous children. The Committee also recommends that the State
party pay particular attention to guarantee the preservation of the identity of indigenous
and Afro-Panamanian children, e.g. by the implementation of the national plan to develop
bilingual intercultural education.
9. Dissemination of documents
65.
Finally, in light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the Committee
recommends that the second periodic report and written replies submitted by the State party be
made widely available to the public at large and that the publication of the report be considered,
along with the relevant summary records and concluding observations adopted by the
Committee. Such a document should be widely distributed in order to generate debate and
awareness of the Convention and its implementation and monitoring within the Government, the
Parliament and the general public, including concerned non-governmental organizations.
10. Next report
66.
In light of the recommendation on reporting periodicity adopted by the Committee
and described in the report on its twenty-ninth session (CRC/C/114), the Committee
underlines the importance of a reporting practice that is in full compliance with the
provisions of article 44 of the Convention. An important aspect of States parties’
responsibilities to children under the Convention is ensuring that the Committee on the
Rights of the Child has regular opportunities to examine the progress made in the
Convention’s implementation. In this regard, regular and timely reporting by States
parties is crucial. As an exceptional measure, in order to help the State party catch up with
its reporting obligations so as to be in full compliance with the Convention, the Committee
invites the State party to submit its third and fourth reports in one consolidated report by
10 January 2008, the due date for the submission of the fourth report. The consolidated
report should not exceed 120 pages (see CRC/C/118). The Committee expects the State
party to report thereafter every five years, as foreseen by the Convention.
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