CRC/C/NIC/CO/4
Training
26.
The Committee is concerned at the low level of awareness of the Convention among
professionals working with and for children.
27.
The Committee recommends reinforcement of adequate and systematic
training of all professional groups working for and with children, in particular, law
enforcement officials, teachers (including those in indigenous and Afro-descendant
communities, rural and remote areas), health workers, social workers and personnel
working in all forms of alternative care.
Cooperation with civil society
28.
The Committee is concerned that the long-standing tradition of collaboration
between the State party and an extensive network of national and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) has recently become more limited due, inter alia, to the
weakening of CONAPINA.
29.
The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures to reinstate
the climate of trust and cooperation with civil society and systematically involve
communities, including indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, civil society
and children’s organisations in the planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of policies, plans and programmes related to child rights.
Child rights and the business sector
30.
The Committee takes note of the State party’s collaboration with the business sector
to finance specific public projects, as explained during the dialogue. The Committee is
concerned that there are no policies or regulations in place related to the impact of the
activities of mining, agro-industry and other large scale operations on children’s safety,
standard of living and exercise of rights.
31.
The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that appropriate
policies and regulations are adopted with regard to the need for the corporate
business sector (whether private or state-owned) to protect and respect the rights of
children, and to operate in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. In that
respect, the Committee encourages the State party to ensure coordination between
state departments dealing with children’s issues and agencies related to investment
and trade, labour, innovation, technology and the environment, among others.
Furthermore, the Committee encourages the State party to study the adoption of
clauses on the rights of the child when negotiating investment treaties and other
foreign investment agreements with multinational corporations and foreign
governments.
International cooperation
32.
The Committee notes with concern that international cooperation for both budget
and programme support may be on the decrease, and that since the State party depends
considerably on international cooperation, this may not be in the best interests of the child.
33.
The Committee encourages the State party to strive for balance and
transparency in its budgetary allocations from both domestic and international
sources, while aiming to increase financial and technical resources to implement the
Convention from both domestic revenues and international cooperation.
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