CRC/C/15/Add.204
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(b)
Undertake a study of children involved in the commercial sex industry and
use the data to design policies and programmes to prevent commercial sexual exploitation
of children, including through the development of a National Plan of Action on
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children as agreed at the first and second World
Congresses against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children held in 1996 and 2001;
(c)
Train law enforcement officials, social workers and prosecutors on how to
receive, monitor, investigate and prosecute complaints in a child-sensitive manner that
respects the privacy of the victim;
(d)
Prioritize recovery assistance and ensure that education and training as well
as psychosocial assistance and counselling are provided to victims;
(e)
Cooperate with countries in the region to combat commercial sexual
exploitation and trafficking of children.
Juvenile justice
59.
The Committee is concerned that the minimum age of criminal responsibility of 9 years
is too low; children between the ages of 15 and 18 in conflict with the law are tried as adults;
juvenile offenders who have been deprived of their liberty are not separated from adults and
there are no programmes for their rehabilitation and integration.
60.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Ensure that juvenile justice standards are fully adhered to, in particular
articles 37, 39 and 40 of the Convention, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for
the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules) and the United Nations
Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh Guidelines), and in the
light of the Committee’s 1995 day of general discussion on the administration of juvenile
justice (CRC/C/46, chap. III, sect. C);
(b)
Ensure, as a matter of urgency, that juveniles in detention are kept
separately from adults;
(c)
Set a clear minimum age of criminal responsibility which is at an
internationally acceptable level;
(d)
Ensure that all children from that minimum age till the age of 18 are
accorded the special protection guaranteed under the Convention;
(e)
Establish juvenile courts;
(f)
Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF and OHCHR in
reforming the juvenile justice system, in particular with regard to juvenile detention and
rehabilitation services.