CRC/C/KIR/CO/1
page 4
Resources for children
17. The Committee notes that the State party assigns significant resources to the health and
education sectors. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned about the economic difficulties
that the State party encounters which prevent it from allocating more resources to children
and families.
18. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to
significantly increase the proportion of the budget allocated to the realization of
children’s rights to the “maximum extent…of available resources,” including through
international cooperation, paying special attention to children who belong to
economically disadvantaged groups. The State party should ensure that international
cooperation in its various forms also supports activities to implement the Convention.
Dissemination of the Convention
19. The Committee is concerned that the Convention has not been fully incorporated into
domestic legislation which could lead to a conflict between domestic laws and the provisions
of the Convention. The Committee is also concerned that no apparent efforts have been
undertaken by the State party to disseminate the Convention or to make it known to relevant
stakeholders, including children and their parents and professionals working with and for
children.
20.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Initiate the process of incorporating the Convention into its domestic law;
(b)
Take steps to disseminate the Convention, including through the use of
the radio as well as child-friendly materials and school curricula in primary and
secondary schools;
(c)
Expand its programmes to sensitize children and parents about the
Convention; and
(d)
Ensure that the Convention and related domestic legislation form an
integral part of education and training of professional groups working with and for
children, including judges, lawyers, teachers and social workers, to firmly establish in
Kiribati a legal culture supportive of the rights of the child.
Cooperation with civil society
21. The Committee welcomes the participation of NGOs in the work of KNACC and the
creation of the Kiribati Association of Non-Governmental Associations (KANGO). However,
the Committee notes that there are few associations which are active on issues related to the
rights of the child.
22. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to facilitate the
creation of (NGOs working on the rights of the child and their active involvement in
KANGO.