CRC/C/PAN/CO/3-4
indigenous peoples is considered necessary and other cultural assets and traditions
may be affected;
(d)
Establish 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 the United Nations Business and
Human Rights Framework which was adopted unanimously in 2008 by the Human
Rights Council and 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.
29.
The Committee is concerned with the role the media and advertising industries play
in reinforcing gender-based prejudice and discrimination against, notably, AfroPanamanian children, depicting them as a threat to public security, victimizing them and
negatively impacting on their development and relations with their peers.
30.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Enact provisions to regulate the media and advertising industries´
treatment of children in line with article 17 and with other provisions on fundamental
freedoms of the Convention
(b)
Bearing in mind the right to freedom of expression, promote the
adoption of voluntary codes of conduct, especially regarding the rights of children to
privacy, to have access to appropriate information and to express their views; and
(c)
the media.
B.
Implement mechanisms for monitoring the respect of children’ rights by
Definition of the child (art. 1 of the Convention)
31.
The Committee remains concerned at the disparity in the minimum age of marriage,
set for boys at 16 and for girls at 14 years of age.
32.
The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State Party review its
legislation with a view to raising the minimum legal age for marriage for boys and
girls to 18 years, in line with the recommendation made by the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2010 (CEDAW/CO/PAN/7, paras. 50
and 51) and noted during the universal periodic review in 2010 (A/HRC/16/6, para.
70.17).
C.
General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)
Non-discrimination
33.
The Committee remains concerned at the continued disparities affecting AfroPanamanian, indigenous children and children with disabilities with regard to access to
health care, education and other basic services,, as is made evident by the higher rates of
infant mortality, especially due to preventable diseases, malnutrition, maternal mortality
and school dropout. It is also concerned at discrimination by police and other security
forces against Afro-Panamanian children living in marginalized urban neighbourhoods,
who are wrongly perceived as potential delinquents, as a result of such measures as curfew
for children and campaigns through mass media linking adolescents to alleged increases in
criminality.
34.
6
The Committee recommends that the State party: