CRC/C/PRY/CO/3
4.
Civil rights and freedoms (arts. 7, 8, 13-17, 19 and 37 (a) of the
Convention)
Birth registration
33.
The Committee welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State party to promote
timely birth registration, including the new campaign for universal birth registration carried
out through schools. However, it is concerned at the large amount of underreporting of
births of children and the difficulties for some children, particularly indigenous children
and children living in rural areas, to have access to birth registration services for several
reasons, including a lack of knowledge of the process itself.
34.
In light of article 7 of the Convention and in line with its previous
recommendations, the Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary
measures to ensure registration of all children, paying particular attention to
indigenous children and children living in rural areas. It urges the State party to
provide decentralized registration offices and units with the necessary human,
material and financial resources and strengthen its awareness-raising activities in all
communities on the importance of birth registration for all boys and girls.
Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party ensure that
unregistered children are not deprived of their rights, notably to health and
education.
Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
35.
The Committee is concerned about reports of torture, cruel and inhuman treatment
of children living on the streets by the police. It is also concerned at the allegations received
of cruel and degrading treatment received by children who are deprived of liberty.
Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that insufficient information has been provided
on the investigations of these allegations and the measures taken by the State party to bring
alleged perpetrators of these acts to justice.
36.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Adopt appropriate measures to combat torture and cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment, including systematic training programmes at the national and
local level, addressed to all professionals working with and for children on prevention
of and protection against torture and other forms of ill-treatment;
(b)
Investigate and prosecute all cases of torture and ill-treatment of
children, in order to prevent impunity, ensuring that abused children are not revictimized in legal proceedings and that their privacy is protected;
(c)
Ensure that child victims are provided with appropriate services for
care, recovery and reintegration;
(d) Undertake public education campaigns to promote a culture of nonviolence;
(e)
torture.
Establish the national preventive mechanism for the prevention of
Corporal punishment
37.
The Committee welcomes the initiatives undertaken by the State party to prevent
violence against children, such as awareness campaigns organized in cooperation with
relevant organizations. However, it is concerned that there is no explicit prohibition of
corporal punishment in schools, at home, in penal institutions or in situations of
8