CRC/C/FIN/CO/4
about the campaign to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Convention. Nonetheless,
it remains concerned at the low level of awareness of the Convention among the general
public, including parents and professionals working with children.
21.
The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to
strengthen knowledge among the general public, including children, parents and
professionals working with children, of the Convention, national laws based on the
Convention and other relevant international instruments. The Committee also
recommends the reinforcement of training of all professional groups working for and
with children, in particular, law enforcement officials, teachers, health workers, social
workers and personnel working in all forms of alternative care, to ensure it is
adequate and systematic.
International cooperation
22.
The Committee notes that, in 2010, the State party devoted 0.56 per cent of its
gross national income (GNI) to international assistance and that it has committed to
reaching the internationally agreed target of 0.7 per cent of GNI by 2015. The
Committee encourages the State party to meet and, if possible, surpass the
internationally agreed target of 0.7 per cent of GNI by 2015. It also encourages the
State party to ensure that the realization of child rights becomes a top priority of the
international cooperation agreements established with developing countries. In doing
so, the Committee suggests that the State party take into account the concluding
observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child for the recipient country in
question.
Child rights and the business sector
23.
The Committee regrets that there is no prohibition of direct or indirect use of child
labour by companies domiciled in Finland, as well as no restrictions for businesses to
import or sell goods produced using child labour. The Committee is also concerned that
there are no legal regulations to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods that affect child
nutrition and contribute to childhood obesity and other negative health consequences.
24.
The Committee recommends that the State party provide a framework for
prohibiting use of child labour by Finnish companies engaged with businesses abroad
and multinational companies headquartered in Finland by establishing an effective
monitoring system of their supply chains. The Committee also recommends that the
State party establish restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods that have a negative
effect on children’s health. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt
and implement regulations to ensure that the business sector complies with
international and domestic standards on corporate social responsibility, particularly
with regard to child rights, in line with, inter alia, the Business and Human Rights
Framework adopted unanimously in 2008 by the Human Rights Council which
outlines the duty of States to protect against human rights abuses by businesses,
corporate responsibilities to respect human rights and the need for more effective
access to remedies when violations occur.
B.
General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)
Non-discrimination
25.
The Committee notes the State party’s efforts to reform the Non-discrimination Act,
namely to expand the scope of its application, and its plans to establish the Office of the
Ombudsman on equal treatment. However, the Committee remains concerned at the
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