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Summary: Daily updates from the 61st Session of the UN
Commission on Human Rights in Geneva
Child rights at the 61st Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights
Thursday 31 March 05
LATEST NEWS - NGOs get their voices heard
Today, the Commission concluded its general debate on economic, social
and cultural rights, after hearing statements from 42 NGOs. Issues raised
related to the right to health, right to education, and the right to an
adequate standard of living, including access to drinking water, sanitation
and other basic infrastructures and resources, among others. The
speakers raised awareness about the situations of specific groups and
communities in many countries. Many expressed concern about the impact
of globalisation, especially as this affects developing countries, and
emphasised the importance of reaffirming the universality,
interdependence, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights --
civil, cultural, economic, political and social -- in the lead up to the five-year
review of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS - morning briefings
A rights based approach to education: meeting with the Special
Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Mr Muñoz Villalobos
The Special Rapporteur met with NGO representatives to explain how
education should be rights based. He discussed his mandate and how it is
essential to link the right to education and children's rights in general. This
process will involve looking at seven points: the aims of education; access
to education; the quality of education; children's participation; diversity;
the best interests of the child; and monitoring necessities to improve
public policies.
Some of his main comments referred to exclusion and the three categories
therein; namely, political, economic, and social and cultural exclusion.
Special consideration should be given to child migrants, children with
disabilities, indigenous children and other minority groups and the girl
child. He explained, for instance, how even where some countries have
abolished fees, often girls are still excluded because of cultural reasons.
The Special Rapporteur's next report will focus on the right to education for
the girl child. He will also undertake two country missions, however, these
have not been chosen yet. The Special Rapporteur is very keen to hear
from NGOs and others about their concerns, experiences and ideas. Please
email him on: vmunoz@dhr.go.cr or vernormu@yahoo.es
More information about his work is available here:
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/education/rapporteur/
PLENARY SESSION - Wednesday, 30 March
Item 10: Economic, Social and Cultural rights - Some highlights:
A number of observers held statements at the meeting, including:
UNAIDS underlined that 1/6 of children in the African countries where
HIV/AIDS is most widely spread, will be orphans because of aids. They
highlighted the importance of having access to medicine and healthcare,
as well as providing assistance to vulnerable groups such as women and
girls. They also mentioned the importance of education to stop the
spreading of HIV/AIDS.
UNESCO mentioned that the inequalities in the education of girls and boys
have to be eradicated and underlined that they aim to ensure education is
for all, and end all forms of discrimination in education.
NGO SIDE EVENTS - afternoon meetings
Children persecuted by political regimes: China and Falun Gong
practitioners
This meeting, organised by Interfaith International, focused on violations
of the rights of children involved in Falun Gong (FG) practice in China. The
president of the Global Mission to Rescue Persecuted Falun Gong
Practitioners (GMR) explained how the Chinese Communist party began a
persecution campaign against FG in July 1999. According to sources from
China, at least 2.500 practitioners have been tortured to death over the
last five years. Increasingly, it is the children who are bearing the brunt of
this persecution.
As many parents have been killed or imprisoned, children are abandoned
in mental hospitals and in orphanages, and most are denied any
government assistance. For fear of government reprisals, relatives of
these children have refused to help them. The meeting was also attended
by a victim of this persecution who spoke about his personal case.
Many NGO side events are organised every day during the session, more
information is available on the CRIN website and on the OHCHR website -
www.ohchr.org
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For detailed reports, visit : http://www.crin.org/chr/reports.htm
This update is also available on the CRIN website at
www.crin.org/chr/news
COMING UP
Monday 4 April
9 - 10 AM, Room E-3025: Violations of children's rights in Latin America,
Andean Commission on Jurists, Colombian Coalition against the use of
child soldiers.
Tuesday 5 April
9 - 10 AM, Room E-3025: Protection from torture, Special Rapporteur on
Torture, Mr M Nowak.
1 - 3 PM: Making the CRC more accessible to local legislators, presentation
of a training manual, International Catholic Child.
Full agenda is available online at: http://www.crin.org/chr/agenda.htm
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This update has been produced by the Child Rights Information Network,
in collaboration with the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, Subgroup for the Commission on Human Rights. These updates
are also available at the following link: www.crin.org/chr/news. You can
sign up to receive these by email. Send an email to: childrightscaucus_chr-
subscribe@domeus.co.uk . Further information about the 61st Session is
available on the CRIN website at: www.crin.org/chr. To submit information,
contact Veronica Yates on vyates@crin.org. CRIN, c/o Save the Children, 1,
St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK.
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