CRC/C/ARG/CO/3-4
conduct public awareness campaigns and provide information about parental
guidance and counselling with a view, inter alia, to preventing child abuse and neglect.
It further recommends providing training for teachers, law enforcement officials,
health and social workers and prosecutors on how to receive, monitor, investigate and
prosecute complaints about violence and neglect of children in a child- and gendersensitive manner.
5. Basic health and welfare (arts. 6, 18 (para.3), 23, 24, 26, 27 (paras.13) of the Convention)
Children with disabilities
56. The Committee welcomes the efforts of the State party to implement the rights of
children with disabilities to education, by improving the standards of special education as a
part of the educational system. It notes with concern that only 42 per cent of children with
disabilities under the age of 14 years have health insurance. The Committee further notes
with concern that children with disabilities are often victims of discrimination, including
economic discrimination due to, inter alia, unresolved pension issues and difficulties with
access to housing. The Committee is also concerned at insufficient efforts to ensure,
through training programmes, that all professionals working with children with disabilities
have the necessary knowledge and skills, in particular with regard to inclusive education.
57. In the light of the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96,
annex) and the Committee’s general comment No. 9 (2006) on the rights of children
with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Ensure that children with disabilities are included in the education
system and in health insurance plans;
(b)
Take all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of legislation
providing services for children with disabilities and consider adopting specific
legislation on the issue;
(c)
Continue and further strengthen its programmes and services for all
children with disabilities, including through the development of early identification
programmes, and ensure coverage of all children in need of its services, as well as the
inclusion of special education as part of the school curriculum. In this regard, the
State party should ensure that such services receive adequate human and financial
resources;
(d)
Enhance and broaden training for professionals working with children,
such as medical, paramedical and related personnel.
Health and access to health services
58. The Committee welcomes the efforts of the State party to reduce child mortality as well
as the adoption of a comprehensive Health Action Plan, including the Childbirth Plan (Plan
Nacer) and the programme for universal provision of essential drugs (Programa Remediar).
While noting the establishment of commissions to analyse maternal and child mortality and
the State party acknowledgment of areas in need of improvement, in particular prevention
and the promotion of health during pregnancy and birth, the Committee expresses concern
at the consistently high rate of maternal and neonatal mortality, in particular in certain
provinces. The Committee notes with concern disparities in chronic malnutrition between
the national average (8 per cent) and the average of north-western Argentina (15.5 per
cent). The Committee further expresses concern at the high percentage of maternal deaths,
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