CRC/C/BOL/CO/4
page 7
field of child rights, and especially in the reporting process, including follow-up, to the
Committee.
2. Definition of the child
(art. 1 of the Convention)
26.
The Committee reiterates its concern at the low legal minimum age for contracting
marriage, as well as the discrepancy between the minimum age for girls (14 years) and for boys
(16 years).
27.
The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party set the minimum
age for marriage for girls and for boys at a higher and equal level. It further recommends
that the State party adopt a comprehensive legal reform to uniform the definition of the
child and their rights in the civil, family and criminal code.
3. General principles
(arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)
Non-discrimination
28.
The Committee welcomes the broad definition of discrimination in the new Constitution,
the creation of the National Office for the Prevention of Any Form of Violence due to Gender or
Generational Differences and the National Plan for Equal Opportunities for Women (2008). It is
however concerned about the non-existence of coherent institutional and legal mechanisms to
respond to the challenges of discrimination, and about the reported increase in acts of racism
against indigenous peoples and afro-descendants, often leading to violence, and about how this
affects children. The Committee is further concerned about the significant disparities in the State
party in the implementation of the rights enshrined in the Convention, reflected in a range of
social indicators such as enrolment in and completion of education, infant mortality rates and
access to health care, indicating persistent discrimination against indigenous and afro-descendant
children, girls, children with disabilities, children living in rural and remote areas and children
from economically disadvantaged families.
29.
In light of article 2 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State
party intensify its efforts to implement the National Plan for Equal Opportunities for
Women, strengthening the National Office for the Prevention of Any Form of Violence due
to Gender or Generational Differences, and develop awareness-raising campaigns to
prevent and eliminate all forms of de facto discrimination against indigenous and afrodescendant children, children with disabilities, girls, children living in rural and remote
areas and children from economically disadvantaged families. The Committee would also
like to draw the State party’s attention to the principles of the Declaration and Programme
of Action adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, as well as the outcome document adopted at the 2009
Durban Review Conference.