CRC/C/NGA/CO/3-4
including children in street situations and orphans, being forced into prostitution in urban
centres of the State party.
89. The Committee strongly recommends the State party to take effective measures to
prevent and combat sexual exploitation of children. Specifically, the Committee
recommends that the State party:
(a) Develop appropriate policies and strategies to effectively address sexual
exploitation of children, including by disseminating the findings of the National
Baseline Survey on Child Protection regarding sexual exploitation of children
among relevant authorities;
(b) Develop an awareness-raising campaign on schools free from sexual
violence and abuse in close cooperation with parents, teachers, school
administrators and children;
(c) Undertake extensive trainings and other forms of sensitization programs for
law enforcement agencies on sexual exploitation and abuse of children and
consider the appointment of staff/unit with specialized expertise on this topic;
(d) Develop and implement appropriate policies and programs for prevention,
recovery and social reintegration of child victims, in accordance with the
Declaration and Agenda for Action and the Global Commitment adopted at the
1996, 2001 and 2008 World Congresses against Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children as well as the outcome of other international
conferences on this issue.
Administration of juvenile justice
90. The Committee appreciates the introduction in the new Child Rights Act of a chapter
dedicated to children in conflict with the law and welcomes the establishment of family
courts to deal with juvenile offenders, while noting with regret that these have only been
established in eight states to date. It also notes the increased training for judges, magistrates
and law enforcement officers concerned with juvenile justice and the establishment of
specialized police units in charge of children. However, the Committee recalls its serious
concern at the existence of the death penalty to persons below 18 under sharia law
(CRC/C/15/Add.257, para. 32) and expresses great concern over information indicating that
there is not a minimum age for criminal responsibility and that children younger than 18
years of age can be tried and deprived of their liberty in rehabilitation centres or even in
detention facilities. The Committee is also concerned at the remaining number of children
in adult jails and ill-treatment of children in custody by police, including in pretrial
detention, and the absence of penal procedural rules during their trial before the family
courts.
91. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation that the State party bring
the system of juvenile justice fully in line with the Convention, in particular articles
37, 39 and 40, and with other relevant standards including the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules), the Guidelines for
the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines), the Rules for the
Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty (the Havana Rules), the Vienna
Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System; and the
Committee’s general comment No. 10 (2007) on the rights of the child in juvenile
justice. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party, inter alia:
(a) Ensure with immediate effect that neither the death penalty nor life
sentence are imposed for offences committed by persons under 18 years of age;
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