CRC/C/FIN/CO/4
legislative framework covering the full scope of the Convention and of its Optional
Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict.
9.
The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to
ensure that legislation and administrative regulations conform fully to the principles
and provisions of the Convention and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of
children in armed conflict and that it consider drafting consolidated legislation
encompassing all rights under the Convention.
Coordination
10.
While noting that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the
welfare of children, especially for the development of social and health services and income
security for families with children, the Committee remains concerned that – given that the
Ministry’s responsibilities are limited to only certain areas of children’s rights – it may not
serve as an adequate coordination mechanism responsible for the overall coordination of
the Convention’s implementation between all the relevant bodies and institutions at
national, regional and municipal levels, in view of the abundance of programmes and
policies on children’s rights.
11.
The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that it undertakes
measures to establish an effective mechanism for coordinating the implementation of
policies on child rights between all the relevant bodies and institutions at all levels. In
doing so, the State party is urged to ensure that the mechanism is provided with the
necessary human, technical and financial resources to implement policies that are
comprehensive, coherent and consistent at national, regional and municipal levels.
National plan of action
12.
The Committee welcomes the Development Programme for Child and Youth Policy
and the Policy Programme for the Well-being of Children, Youth and Families. However, it
regrets that the State party has yet to adopt a comprehensive rights-based policy and a
harmonized plan for the full and effective implementation of the Convention.
13.
The Committee recommends that the State party develop a comprehensive
policy and plan of action for the full implementation of the Convention. In
formulating such a policy and plan, appropriate attention should be paid to the
outcome document of the twenty-seventh special session of the General Assembly“A
world fit for children” and its mid-term review in 2007. It further recommends that
the plan of action contain specific time-bound and measurable goals and targets to
effectively implement and monitor progress in the enjoyment of all rights by all
children. The plan of action should be linked to sectoral, national and municipal
strategies and budgets to ensure appropriate allocation of the human, technical and
financial resources required for its implementation.
Independent monitoring
14.
The Committee notes the division of competencies between the Parliamentary
Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children, by which the Parliamentary Ombudsman
may receive complaints on violation of children’s rights, including from children
themselves, while the Ombudsman for Children is responsible for monitoring policies on
children. However, the Committee is concerned that children may not be aware of the
complaints procedure of the Parliamentary Ombudsman or understand how it works. The
Committee is also concerned at the insufficient resources provided to the Office of the
Ombudsman for Children.
3