CRC/C/LVA/CO/2
page 9
(d)
Undertake an examination of the different laws applied to children without
parental care in order to ensure that procedures are in conformity with the principles and
provisions of the Convention, emphasizing the best interests of the child, and taking into
account the recommendations of the Committee at its day of general discussion regarding
children without parental care (2005).
Adoption
34.
The Committee is concerned that the number of children adopted domestically remains
significantly lower than the number adopted through intercountry adoptions.
35.
The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to encourage domestic
adoptions, including through the dissemination of accessible information related to the
conditions for adoption, offering preparatory assistance to persons willing to adopt and
working groups for adoptive parents. The Committee also recommends that the State
party ensure that the best interests of the child is the primary consideration for adoption
and that preference is given to domestic adoption over intercountry adoption.
Abuse and neglect, maltreatment, violence
36.
The Committee notes with appreciation the steps taken by the State party to address
violence against children, including the development of an information campaign and the
training of specialists working with children in crisis situations, as well as the establishment of a
toll-free hotline service for children. However, the Committee is concerned at multiple reports,
including from children themselves, that violence against children remains a widespread problem
in Latvia. While police investigations are reportedly carried out for the most serious cases of
physical and sexual abuse of children, the Committee is concerned that there is a general belief
that violence in the home should be considered as a private matter. The Committee is also
concerned about the lack of systematically collected data on the extent of violence against
children, and about the absence of appropriate measures and mechanisms to address the problem.
37.
The Committee urges the State party:
(a)
To strengthen existing legislation on the protection of children from all forms
of violence and to ensure the systematic collection of data on violence against children;
(b)
To continue and to strengthen its awareness-raising and education
campaigns with the involvement of children and to develop strategies and interventions to
prevent and to combat all forms of child abuse, including through school-based education
programmes aimed at raising awareness and skills among children to address different
forms of violence;
(c)
To establish an effective reporting system for cases of child abuse and neglect
to be used by professionals, children and the public at large, and to ensure that, in
particular, children in institutions and other forms of alternative care have easy and safe
access to this system and bring the perpetrators to justice;
(d)
To provide care, full physical and psychological recovery and social
reintegration for child victims of violence; and