6 October 2005 - CRINMAIL 719
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- CHILDREN AND VIOLENCE: Pinheiro Presents Progress Report to the General Assembly [news]
- EUROPE: Election of New Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights [news]
- ARGENTINA: New Law Recognises Children as Rights-Holders [news]
- CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN EUROPE: Commission Drafts a Communication [news]
- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: Assistance Programme [call for applications]
- EMPLOYMENT: Childhope Director [job posting]___________________________________________________________
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Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at [email protected]. Adobe Acrobat is required for viewing some of the documents, and if required can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html If you do not receive this email in html format, you will not be able to see some hyperlinks in the text. At the end of each item we have therefore provided a full URL linking to a web page where further information is available.
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- CHILDREN AND VIOLENCE: Pinheiro Presents Progress Report to the General Assembly [news]
Date: 14 October 2005
Location: UN Headquarters, New York
The Independent Expert will present his progress report to the General Assembly on 14 October 2005. The report will focus on the strategy which was adopted for the collection of information for the Study, including the government questionnaires, the regional and other consultations, field visits of the Independent Expert, analysis of the CRC observations and recommendations, the work of the special procedure mandate holders of the Commission on Human Rights, the Expert Thematic Meetings, the public submissions, etc.
The Report will be made availabe shortly. Side events on thematic issues will also be taking place at the UN. Visit www.childrenandviolence.org for CRIN's coverage of the events.
For more information, contact:
Secretariat for the UNSVAG
9-11, Rue de Varembé, PO Box 48, 1211 Geneva 20 CIC, Switzwerland.
Tel: +41 22 791 9340; Fax: +41 22 791 9341
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.violencestudy.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=6273
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- EUROPE: Election of New Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights [news]
[STRASBOURG, 05 October 2005] - Thomas Hammarberg, currently Secretary General of the Olof Palme International Centre in Sweden and a former Secretary General of Amnesty International, was today elected as Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights by the Organisation's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE).
Mr Hammarberg received 104 of the votes cast in the second round of the election, which took place during the Parliamentary Assembly's Autumn plenary session in Strasbourg. Marek Antoni Nowicki (Poland) received 93 votes and Marc Verwilghen (Belgium) received 33 votes.
PACE President René van der Linden declared Mr Hammarberg elected for a non-renewable term of office of six years starting on 1 January 2006 and hoped he would be able to take up his office as soon as possible. He paid tribute to the excellent quality of all three candidates and extended his warmest congratulations to the new Commissioner. "Mr Hammarberg will play one of the most important roles in the Council of Europe's human rights protection system. The Assembly looks forward to continuing the close and fruitful working relations it has enjoyed with his predecessor, Alvaro Gil-Robles, to whose outstanding work it pays tribute."
Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, also congratulated Mr Hammarberg on his election and thanked Mr Gil-Robles for his outstanding work. "The Commissioner for Human Rights makes an essential contribution to the work of the Council of Europe, confirming our organisation as the political, legal and moral authority on human rights in Europe," he said.
Mr Hammarberg has previously served as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia and as an adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He is also a former Secretary General of Swedish Save the Children, and a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Office of Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent, non-judicial institution within the Council of Europe whose task is to promote human rights awareness, support national human rights structures, identify shortcomings in human rights law and practice and promote the full enjoyment of human rights in all 46 of the Council of Europe's member states.
The Commissioner undertakes regular visits to member states for dialogue with governments and civil society and prepares reports on subjects falling within his mandate.
[Source: Council of Europe]
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6274&flag=news
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- ARGENTINA: New Law Recognises Children as Rights-Holders [news]
[29 September 2005] - Last Wednesday in Argentina, after 15 years of legislative wrangling, MPs passed the Law of Full Protection of the Rights of Children and Young People. This has replaced the controversial Law on the Welfare of Minors which considered minors "objects of the legal system" and not as "subjects of rights", as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child which was ratified by Argentina in 1990.
The new law clearly states that a parent or guardian's lack of resources cannot be used as a reason "to authorise the separation of a child from his or her family nor can it be used to justify his or her institutionalisation." This is particularly important because the Law on the Welfare of Minors allowed the State to institutionalise a minor for being the accused or victim of a crime, or "if a minor were found materially or morally abandoned or in moral danger."
This law recognises under-18-year-olds as "rights-holders" under article 3. Article 24 sets out their right to have their opinions taken into account; this is extended to all spheres of their life, in the family, community, at school and in science, culture and sport.
Gabriel Lerner, the National Director of Rights and Programmes for the National Council for Childhood, Adolescence and the Family, said in an interview with Argentian newspaper Clarín: "The law has three broad themes. Firstly, it enforces children's rights as recognised in the Convention. Secondly, it names as the principal guarantors of children's rights the National Executive Power and the provincial authorities and those of the city of Buenos Aires. It is the job of judges to ensure that these rights are upheld, not to take them away. Finally, new institutions must be established in accordance with the law."
A group of organisations advocating for the rights of Children and Young People including the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Brothers and Sisters for Truth and Justice for the Disappeared, Serpaj and Cels declared that "this highly democratic law gives all children and young people equal status before the law."
Lerner warns that the law is necessary but not sufficient to change old practices, which will also require cultural change on the part of the State and civil society.
[Source: Red por los Derechos de la Infancia en México]
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- CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN EUROPE: Commission Drafts a Communication [news]
For many years Save the Children has called for a Commission Communication on the promotion and implementation of Children's Rights, both in EU's internal and external policies. After the June consultation with the civil society, [the Department] for Freedom, Justice and Security is now drafting the Communication text. The draft will be shared with other [Departments] and in December a seminar is planned to be held at the Innocenti Research centre where different stakeholders, including the civil society, will discuss the final draft. The Communication is planned to be finalised by the end of December.
A core group of NGOs have prepared a joint message on issues the Communication should be based on:
- Having the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as base
- Being a visionary document outlining the Commission's strategy to create a coherent strategy to integrate children's rights throughout the organisation;
- Positioning the Commission as champions on protecting children's rights, aiming at successfully reporting on World Fit for Children + 5 (2007)
- Including mechanisms for civil society consultation including children's participation in EU policy and programming
- Developing a Programme for Action on European Commission (EC) child rights policy which includes provisions for proper implementation including clear objectives for each Department,
delineation of resources, a timetable and benchmarks; etc.
For more information, contact:
Save the Children Alliance, Brussels Office
Rue Montoyer 39, 1000 Brussels Belgium
Tel: + 32 2 512 78 51; Fax: + 32 2 513 49 03
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.savethechildren.net
To read the full article, visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=6264
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- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: Assistance Programme [call for applications]
Harvard College International Development Organisation (HIDO) is inviting organisations in developing countries working towards youth development and empowerment to submit project proposals with applications for technical and financial assistance.
HIDO is an undergraduate student organisation at Harvard University that partners with developing communities to support them in their efforts to promote and achieve sustainable development solutions. It is seeking to assist promising youth-led or youth-focused development initiatives working at the grassroots level in developing countries through technical assistance and capacity building.
HIDO is inviting eligible organisations to submit applications outlining their current activities and potential areas for assistance from HIDO without charge. Proposed forms of technical assistance include:
- Publicity, advocacy and campaigning through established student and youth networks worldwide
- Exposure through website design.
- Research and information, learning from academia, internationally established best practices and the experience of similar organisations worldwide.
- Fundraising and grant-writing assistance, guidance on writing successful project and business proposals, and links to grants and funds from relevant development agencies.
Deadline application: 24 October 2005
For more information, contact:
HIDO Programmes Manager
Email: [email protected]
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- EMPLOYMENT: Childhope Director [job posting]
ChildHope UK is an international non-governmental organisation working for vulnerable children in Africa, Asia and Latin America, by sustaining local organisations in the difficult and sensitive work they do, offering organisational development support, and by providing resources, information, technical support and training.
Childhope UK is looking to recruit a Director who can manage and respond creatively and inclusively to a broad set of demands. S/he will help to make sense of the complex work that Childhope is doing with partners in the developing world, as well as being an ambassador and spokesperson for ChildHope UK in ways that boost its credibility and increase organisational resources.
The Director will help develop a focused programme, and meet the demands of donors, as well as finding other means of generating the funds to make it all happen. Fluency with finance will be essential. Able to motivate, support and encourage, the successful applicant will be constantly developing ways of demonstrating the quality of Childhope's work and making links inside and outside the organisation. S/he will also have substantial overseas development experience.
Application deadline: Friday 21st October 2005
For more information, contact:
Chris Mowles
Tel: + 44 20 7065 0960
Email: [email protected]
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