CRC/C/15/Add.24
page 6
majority of the population which have adversely affected the rights of the
child to, inter alia, adequate nutrition, clothing and housing.
30.
The Committee is of the opinion that a thorough review of the education
system is urgently required. It recommends that measures be taken to improve
the quality of education. It is suggested that more vocational training
should be provided in schools and that further measures be introduced to train
more teachers. It is also suggested that human rights education be
incorporated into the school curriculum.
31.
The Committee recommends that much greater attention be accorded to
improving children’s access to the education system and reducing the high
incidence of school drop-out. In this regard, the Committee takes note of the
suggestion of the Government which has not yet been implemented to organize
the school year around the agricultural seasons with a view to organizing
school vacations at sowing and harvesting periods. Equally, the Committee
would like to suggest that the State party give consideration to the provision
of meals and to complement the provision of health care through the schools.
32.
As regards legislative reform in the area of the administration of
juvenile justice, the Committee wishes to emphasize that any new legislative
measures to be introduced in the State party must be guided by the principles
and provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant
international instruments, in particular, "The Beijing Rules", The Riyadh
Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles
Deprived of their Liberty. In this regard, the Committee urges the Government
to ensure that the age of criminal responsibility is not reduced. The
Committee also wishes to recommend, in particular, that the system of the
administration of juvenile justice must be adequately supported to function
appropriately. This requires, inter alia, that juvenile judges be trained and
function in all areas or "departments" of Honduras. Equally, the Committee
recommends that the systems for the supervision of and visits to places of
juvenile detention must be adequately provided for. It also recommends that
the State party further strengthen measures to reduce the period of custody of
juveniles to ensure that a juvenile’s deprivation of liberty is used only as a
measure of last resort.
33.
To prevent further abuses being committed against children, the Committee
strongly recommends that allegations of abuses against children and the
ill-treatment of children be promptly investigated through an adequately
established system and that persons committing such abuses do not benefit from
impunity.
34.
The Committee recommends that the Government undertake the necessary
measures to introduce legislation for the protection of the rights of
refugees, in line with the relevant international standards, including the
Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol. Technical
assistance from UNHCR may be requested in this regard.
35.
The Committee is of the view that there is an urgent need for the
Government to consider reviewing its legislative and other measures relating
to the minimum age for child labour as to its conformity with ILO Convention
No. 138. In this regard, the Committee recommends that appropriate measures