CRC/C/NIC/CO/4
(c)
Develop a nationwide education and awareness-raising programme for
children on their rights and the steps to take if they experience abuse, including sexual
abuse;
(d)
Provide child victims with protection from the threat of further abuse,
including the availability of shelters, and ensure that the existing Helpline is available
to all children in the territory, for all complaints;
(e)
Ensure that child victims have access to justice, including support to
cover the costs of seeking justice and reparation, and obtain an effective remedy, and
that the criminal justice system does not re-victimise them;
(f)
Prosecute and punish perpetrators appropriately in accordance with the
gravity of the crime, without recourse to mediation;
(g)
Provide training to teachers, law enforcement officials, social workers,
prosecutors and other professionals concerned on receiving, investigating and
prosecuting complaints about abuse, including sexual abuse, in a child-sensitive
manner; and
(h)
Consider the formulation of a National Plan for the Prevention, Care
and Reparation of Violence against Children (including corporal punishment and
sexual abuse) and the appointment of a focal point with overall leadership and
coordination functions.
6.
Basic health and welfare (arts. 6, 18 (para. 3), 23, 24, 26 and 27 (paras.
1-3) of the Convention)
Children with disabilities
60.
While welcoming the appointment of a Special Ombudsperson for Persons with
Disabilities and the principle of inclusive education contained in the Education Law, which
has resulted in doubling school enrolment of children with disabilities, the Committee is
concerned at the deficiencies of the education system, including the training of teachers to
address this challenge, weakness of early intervention and rehabilitation services, and the
fact that a high proportion of children with disabilities does not have access to public health
services.
61.
In light of art. 23 of the Convention, the Committee’s general comment No. 9
(2006) on the rights of children with disabilities (CRC/C/GC/9) and the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State
party:
(a)
Develop family support mechanisms and awareness-raising activities for
families and communities to enable them to help children with disabilities exercise
their rights;
(b)
Ensure that the education system is fully equipped to implement the
policy of inclusive education, by providing the appropriate financial and technical
resources, and ensure that all children with disabilities have access to education; and
(c)
Build the capacity of health and social services to prevent, detect and
provide care to children with disabilities and thereby support families and
communities.
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