CRC/C/15/Add.93
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and educational programmes, in particular in the rural areas and for concerned
governmental officials, and of rehabilitation of the victims. Cooperation
with neighbouring countries is strongly encouraged.
31.
The Committee is concerned at the absence of data and of a comprehensive
study on the issue of sexual commercial exploitation of children. In the
light of article 34 and related articles of the Convention, the Committee
recommends that the State party reinforce its legislative framework to protect
children fully from all forms of sexual abuse or exploitation, including
within the family. It also recommends that the State party engage in studies
with a view to designing and implementing appropriate policies and measures,
including care and rehabilitation, to prevent and combat this phenomenon. The
Committee recommends that the State party continue implementing the
recommendations formulated in the Agenda for Action adopted at the 1996
Stockholm World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
32.
With regard to the juvenile justice system in the State party, the
Committee is concerned about its full compatibility with articles 37, 39 and
40 of the Convention and with other relevant standards such as the Beijing
Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines and the United Nations Rules for the Protection
of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. In particular, the Committee is
concerned that deprivation of liberty is not systematically used as a measure
of last resort only, at the slow pace at which cases are processed, at the
insufficient provision of legal aid for children and at the situation of
children under seven years of age living in prisons with their parents. It
recommends that the State party envisage undertaking further measures to
ensure the full compatibility of the juvenile justice system with the
Convention, especially articles 37, 39 and 40 and other relevant
United Nations standards. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring
that the deprivation of liberty is only used as a measure of last resort, that
children have access to legal aid and that alternative care (for example, in
foster families) should be provided for children living in prisons with one of
their parents. Training programmes on the relevant international standards
should be conducted for all professionals involved with the juvenile justice
system. In this regard, the Committee further suggests that the State party
consider seeking technical assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Centre for
International Crime Prevention, the International Network on Juvenile Justice
and UNICEF through the Coordination Panel on Juvenile Justice.
33.
The Committee recommends that additional information, taking into
account the concerns expressed during the dialogue held with the State party,
be prepared and submitted to the Committee by April 1999.
34.
Lastly, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the
Committee recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by
the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that
consideration be given to publishing the report, along with the relevant
summary records and the concluding observations adopted by the Committee.
Such a document should be widely distributed in order to generate debate on
and awareness of the Convention, its implementation and monitoring within the
Government and the Parliament and among the general public, including
concerned non-governmental organizations.
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