CRC/C/RWA/CO/3-4
made in the areas of data collection and awareness-raising but recommends that the
State party further:
(a)
Strengthen its data collection system to ensure availability of up-to-date
data on children in the most vulnerable situations, including children heading their
own households, children with disabilities and living in poverty, children affected by
HIV/AIDS and from marginalized Batwa communities. In this regard, the NCC, the
Child Rights Observatory and the National Institute for Statistics should coordinate
and harmonize their data collection to avoid duplication and discrepancies in data and
information on children; and
(b)
Intensify public education and training on the provisions of the
Convention for all professionals working for and with children, in particular
parliamentarians, judges, lawyers and law-enforcement officials at the provincial,
district and sector levels.
Legislation
9.
The Committee notes with concern that the implementation of national legislation
related to the promotion and protection of the rights of children remains weak and
inconsistent in the State party.
10.
The Committee recommends that the State party undertake all measures,
including the establishment of effective monitoring mechanisms, to ensure that childrelated laws are effectively and consistently implemented at national, provincial,
district and sector levels and address disparities in the fulfilment of children’s rights.
Comprehensive policy and strategy
11.
While commending the adoption of the Integrated Child Rights Policy (ICRP) and
its Strategic Plan in 2011, the Committee expresses concern that their implementation is
weak and hampered by the lack of clear and adequate budgetary allocations.
12.
The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen the
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Integrated Child Rights Policy and
its Strategic Plan and increase its budgetary allocations.
Coordination
13.
The Committee notes that the NCC was recently established under the Ministry of
Gender and Family Promotion as the leading coordinating body for the protection and
promotion of children’s rights. However, it is concerned that the NCC lacks sufficient
stature, independence and adequate capacity, including decentralized coordination
structures at the district and sector levels, to perform its role effectively.
14.
The Committee strongly recommends that the State party take all the necessary
measures to provide the NCC with the stature, authority and independence as well as
the human, technical and financial resources to effectively coordinate and influence
necessary actions for children’s rights across all technical sectors at national level and
among all provinces, districts and sectors. Furthermore, the Committee recommends
that the State party strengthen the capacity of the NCC to monitor and evaluate the
implementation of all activities to fulfil children’s rights under the Convention.
Allocation of resources
15.
While noting the positive response of the development partners towards supporting
efforts of the State party to fulfil children’s rights, the Committee is concerned that reliance
on donors to implement the various activities, including under the ICRP, could affect
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