Submitted by crinadmin on
More than 200 people representing a cross-section of individuals and organisations working with children met to discuss Singapore’s progress in the promotion and protection of children’s rights. The meeting, moderated by Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies Director Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, involved policy-makers from various government agencies, students, educators, social workers, medical and other professionals, and volunteers working with children. They gave and exchanged views on a draft report that Singapore is preparing for final submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva later this month. The participants touched on issues such as the provision for better protection of children, efforts to improve child development outcomes, education, and enhanced standards and practices for early childhood development in Singapore. State Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Yu-Foo Yee Shoon said at the meeting that Singapore’s success in furthering children’s rights was a result of strong people, and public and private sector commitment to the creation of an enabling environment for children to grow and flourish as individuals. She said it was a distinctive formula of collective responsibility in the best interests of their children which had served them well. The meeting was jointly organised by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the National Council of Social Service, and the Singapore Children’s Society. Singapore has been a signatory to the UNCRC since October 1995. As State Party to the convention, it is obligated to provide periodic updates on key developments promoting and protecting the rights of children. India prepares Indian NGOs are also preparing their country assessment report, parallel to the government report which will soon be submitted to the UN committee. Academics, experts and NGOs from different disciplines, spanning health, education and panchayats, met in the city to assess the progress of children in the context of the Convention. While the government is doing a report from 2004 to 2007, the NGOs' report will span a five-year period from between 2002 to 2007. Information is being sourced from government data, NGO reports and grassroots experiences. The government periodic report is due for submission this month. Prof. A. Kundu of Jawaharlal Nehru University commented that a large number of young people from ages 14 to 20 are going into employment although they are semi-literate and illiterate. In a globalising economy, these people needed skill training. Prof. Kundu felt that the Indian definition of poverty should be broadened to go beyond consumption and include infant mortality, maternal mortality and access to basics like water and health. NGOs from Rajasthan complained about the large number of children who were being employed in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. A large number of children participated in the deliberations and their concerns will be included in the audit. [Sources: www.bernama.com; www.asianage.com] Further information