CRC/C/ERI/CO/3
page 4
previous concluding observations that there is no independent national human rights institution
to monitor and promote the Convention (CRC/C/15/Add.204, paras. 10 and 11).
15.
The Committee recommends that the State party establish an independent national
human rights institution in full compliance with the Paris Principles. Such an institution
should be accessible to children and be provided with adequate human and financial
resources to receive, monitor and investigate complaints from or on behalf of children on
violations of their rights as well as recommend remedies. In this regard, the Committee
draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 2 (2002) on the role of
independent national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of the
rights of the child.
Resources for children
16.
The Committee notes information that resources in some areas have been increased, but
remains concerned that the allocated resources are insufficient to effectively improve the
implementation and protection of children’s rights. The Committee is further concerned that
information regarding allocations for children is imprecise and not related to the total budget or
gross domestic product. In particular, the Committee notes the considerable military expenditure
in contrast to allocations to education and health.
17.
The Committee urges the State party to take into account the recommendations
issued by the Committee following its day of general discussion held on 21 September 2007
on “Resources for the Rights of the Child - Responsibility of States”. In the light of article 4
of the Convention, the Committee also urges the State party to prioritize and increase
budgetary allocations for children at both national, regional and sub-regional levels to
improve the implementation of the rights of the child throughout the country and, in
particular, to pay attention to the protection of the rights of children belonging to
vulnerable groups, including children belonging to minority groups, children with
disabilities, children affected by and/or infected with HIV/AIDS and children living in
poverty and in remote and rural areas.
Data collection
18.
The Committee welcomes the improvements made with regards to data collection since
the last periodic review in 2003. However, it notes that the figures given do not indicate the
proportion of children in need and that updated data remains lacking in numerous areas, inter alia
on alternative care, child abuse, sexual exploitation and child labour.
19.
The Committee encourages the State party to further strengthen its system of data
collection and analysis as a basis for assessing progress achieved in the realization of
children’s rights and to help design policies to implement the Convention. The Committee
also recommends that the State party seek technical assistance, including from the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in order to establish a DevInfo–based national
database.