CRC/C/15/Add.58
page 7
up to the year 2000. With a view to ensuring the implementation of
articles 28 and 29 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State
party focus greater efforts on providing for compulsory and free primary
education, eradicating illiteracy and ensuring the availability of bilingual
education for indigenous children. Moreover, greater efforts should be made
in training qualified teachers. Such measures will contribute to the
prevention of any form of discrimination on the basis of language with regard
to the right to education.
38.
The Committee recommends that provision be made for offering social
assistance to families to help them with their child-rearing responsibilities
as laid down in article 18 of the Convention as a means of reducing
institutionalization of children. Further efforts are also required to ensure
the active participation of disabled children in the community in conditions
which ensure their dignity and promote their self-reliance, as well as to
ensure that disabled children are separated from adults suffering from mental
ill-health. The Committee recommends that measures be taken to review
periodically the placement and treatment of children as required under
article 25 of the Convention.
39.
The problems of children traumatized by the effects of armed conflict and
violence in society are, in the Committee’s view, a matter of serious concern.
In this connection, the Committee recommends that the State party give
consideration to the implementation of specific projects for children, to be
carried out in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and
dignity of the child.
40.
In view of the fact that the Constitution of Guatemala recognizes the
predominance of duly ratified international conventions in the field of human
rights, the Committee urges the State party to apply the principles and
provisions of the Convention in the area of juvenile justice, rather than
the provisions of the national legislation which are in contradiction with
the Convention, in particular those relating to the system of "irregular
behaviour". The Committee further recommends that the juvenile justice system
be revised to ensure that it is compatible with the principles and provisions
of the Convention, including its articles 37, 39 and 40, as well as other
relevant international instruments in the field. In this connection, it is
recommended that the State party consider requesting technical assistance from
international organizations, including the United Nations Centre for Human
Rights.
41.
As a means of tackling the interrelated issues of education and child
labour, the Committee recommends that all necessary measures be adopted to
ensure that children have access to education and that they are protected from
involvement in exploitative activities. The Committee further recommends that
effective public awareness campaigns be launched for the prevention and
elimination of child labour in the light of article 32 of the Convention. In
this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party seek technical
assistance from the International Labour Organization.
42.
The Committee recommends that the State party consider developing
an agenda for priority action to ensure an integrated approach to the