Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: A compilation of extracts featuring child-rights issues from the reports submitted to the first Universal Periodic Review. There are extracts from the 'National Report', the 'Compilation of UN Information' and the 'Summary of Stakeholder's Information'. Also included is the final report and the list of accepted and rejected recommendations.
Maldives - 9th Session - 2010
3rd November, 9am to 12pm
Scroll to:
National Report
Compilation of UN information
Summary of Stakeholder information
Accepted and rejected recommendations
23. As such, the MPS has established internal organs and mechanisms with a human rights focus. These include: the Professional Standards Directorate, which is mandated to promote police compliance with the highest ethical and human rights standards; and a designated Human Rights Liaison Officer responsible for mainstreaming human rights issues within the service. It is now mandatory for all new police personnel to undergo human rights training. The Family and Child Protection Department handles all cases related to child victims, offenders and witnesses, and gender-based violence. In 2010, a new Victim Protection Unit was established. Finally, the Strategic Development Department is responsible for continuously assessing and improving the Service, including in the field of human rights.
24. The Child and Family Protection Service within the Department of Gender and Family Protection Services (DGFPS) is responsible for promoting and protecting the human rights of children and women. Currently the work of the Family and Children’s Service Centres (FCSC) are that of generic social service teams in the atolls. There are 20 such teams on 20 atolls. The Department is currently working on strengthening its service provision. These teams are also responsible for support services for persons with disabilities and the elderly population. Lack of information dissemination on the role and functions of the Centres reduces their effectiveness.
28. Over recent years, the Maldives has acceded to the ICCPR, ICESCR, ICERD, CEDAW, CAT, CRPD and CRC. The Maldives also signed the Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED) in February 2007.
29. The Maldives is party to the Optional Protocols to the ICCPR, CEDAW and CAT,and to both Optional Protocols to the CRC. The Maldives supported the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR by the UN General Assembly in November 2008 and will consider ratification in due course along with the Optional Protocol to the CRPD. The Maldives is not yet party to the International Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICRMW).
30. The Maldives has reservations in place under the ICCPR, CEDAW and CRC. The Government is actively reviewing these reservations in light of the changes brought about by the new Constitution. On 26 March 2010, the Maldives officially notified the UN of its decision to withdraw its reservation to Article 7a of the CEDAW, following the removal of the constitutional bar that prevented women from running for presidency.
46. Maldivian citizens with disabilities are among the most marginalised people in society. Institutionalised and systemic discrimination, harassment, denial of their human rights in even basic sectors such as health and education, unequal opportunities, a lack of awareness within society, and a lack of understanding among policy-makers and enforcement bodies, all contribute to a situation in which persons with disabilities face innumerable barriers to the full enjoyment of their human rights. A study conducted in 2008 found that 25% of children with disabilities in Haa Alifu and Haa Dhaal atolls never left their homes; while all persons with disabilities in the Maldives face daily discrimination and prejudice. In October 2008, Maldives signed the CRPD and ratified it on 1 April 2010.
57. Violence against women is a major challenge to human rights reform in the Maldives. A 2005 baseline survey found that many people believe men should be permitted to hit their wives under certain circumstances. A 2007 report by the then Ministry of Gender and Family found that 1 in 3 women between the ages 15-45 reported some form of physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives, 1 in 5 suffered physical or sexual violence at the hands of their partner, and 1 in 6 girls under the age of 15 had suffered from sexual violence. Negative societal perceptions of the issue prevent effective reporting of cases as well as a general attitude that such cases are “private” matters. Thus, the Government is determined to confront this problem through a combination of legal remedy and awareness-raising/education.
59. In February 2008, the Maldives amended the country’s Sentencing Guidelines in order to provide more appropriate punishments for the perpetrators of sexual abuse, including gender-based sexual violence. The change followed recognition that the previous guidelines, which did not allow for the application of prison sentences, were insufficient to tackle such serious crimes. Under the changes, the sentences now available to judges include imprisonment. Moreover, while the previous legal framework included the provision that “children can give consent to sex,” this provision was removed in 2008.
62. Child protection issues are a major challenge to the Government. Plagued by a high divorce rate, a large number of children live in single-headed households. Severe housing conditions, especially in Male’, expose children to physical abuse, exploitation and to substance abuse.
63. The Maldives is also witnessing an alarming increase of children involved in gang violence – there has been a rapid recent increase in stabbing cases involving children under the age of 18. Children are also being used in the narcotics trade.
64. There is a significant capacity gap in the Maldives between the demand for interventions to protect children and a lack of appropriately-trained staff. At present, social workers undertake one-year social work training; a review conducted in July 2010 concluded that the current practices of these social service workers were dangerous, and that social they should receive at least tertiary-level training. A registration mechanism and a code of conduct for Social Service Workers are being drafted with the aim of alleviating some of these challenges.
65. A new law covering a child’s removal into State care and minimum standards for children’s homes was drafted in 2007 and is pending approval by the Attorney General’s Office before tabling in Parliament. Until its enactment, child protection teams continue to face difficulties once the child is removed and placed with carers other than parents. Children who are in State care face neglect due to the grave lack of staff. The FCSC’s work is severely hindered by inadequate financial resources. Hence, the child-to-staff ratio is so low that children who are placed in State care actually experience further neglect.
66. There are three institutions for children: a Home – Kudakudhinge Hiyaa for children under the age of 9; Education and Training Centre for Children for boys between the age of 9 and 18; and Feydhoofinolhu – a diversion program for boys who are at risk of committing major crimes. The lack of secure accommodation for girls leave no choice for child protection teams, but to place children who are at risk of abuse or child prostitutes at the Kudakudhinge Hiyaa. Such placement is now beginning to pose a threat to the younger children in the facility.
67. Transactional Abuse (exchange of sex for material goods and money) is an emerging issue with girls as young as fourteen. There is also evidence that minor girls are coerced into prostitution by mothers for generating income for the family.
68. To overcome these prevailing challenges, a revised Children’s Act is being drafted to replace the existing Act on the Protection of the Rights of Children (9/91). Although a number of activities are being carried out to strengthen the child protection system, no efforts are being made to establish programmes for sexual offenders, and unless this is put in place, incidences of sexual offences are unlikely to decrease.
69. In February 2008, the Maldives amended the country’s Sentencing Guidelines to introduce tougher sentencing for perpetrators of sexual abuse, including child abuse. The change followed acceptance of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s observation in 2007 that the previous guidelines, which did not allow for the application of prison sentences, were insufficient to tackle such serious crimes.
70. The recent Act passed by the Majlis, the “Special Measures for Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse” (Law 12/2009) furthers the due diligence standards of the State when attending to child sexual abuse cases. The Act contains harsh sentences of up to 25 years for those convicted and also denies the right to remain silent that is otherwise permitted in the Constitution.
71. The Family Protection Unit at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital established in 2005, is the first Maldivian model of integrated care for abused women and children, offering services for physical, sexual and emotional violence within health services.
72. In 2006, the Maldives initiated the decentralisation of child and family protection services to the atolls by establishing FCSCs which provide services to families and children in need of protection and support. The Family and Child Protection Unit of the Maldives Police Service handles all cases of children, both as victims and offenders.
73. In November 2009, in a ceremony held to mark the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, a new Child Helpline was launched. The new confidential service has proven extremely successful. In its first month of operation alone, the Helpline received over 400 calls.
74. The Government has also moved the Juvenile Justice Unit (JJU) from the AGO to the Home Ministry in an effort to strengthen the juvenile justice system.
75. Today, the Maldives boasts a vibrant media community encapsulating a broad cross-section of political and social views. There are twelve daily newspapers, four private television stations, seven private radio stations, a myriad of magazines and other publications, and countless blogs and on-line chat rooms operating in a country with a population of only 300,000 people. Moreover, criticism of the Government and other organs of the State, and debates on difficult societal issues such as marital rape and child abuse are now commonplace. The 2009 World Press Freedom Ranking, compiled by Reporters without Borders, showed the Maldives making the largest advance of any country in the world – rising 53 places to 51st place – putting the country just behind established democracies such as France, Spain and Italy.
92. Juvenile delinquency is growing at an alarming rate, mainly due to drug abuse and the eruption of gang violence. The vast majority of current offenders start at the age of 12-16 with petty offences, some of them ending up as serious criminals. The current juvenile justice system does not effectively address the problem – it focuses on sanctions such as fines, house arrest, or imprisonment, but does not provide for adequate options and programmes to guide young offenders out of the system, through rehabilitative mechanisms.
93. The Maldives is working to address this situation. A Juvenile Justice Bill is in its draft stages and the JJU has been placed under the Home Ministry. In 2009, a “Correctional Training Centre for Children” for at-risk young people was established and offers life skills programmes and vocational training.
110. In particular, vulnerable persons, including children, elderly, and people with a mental disability, have the opportunity to benefit from free-of-charge State care. Government-funded subsidies for electricity and water are also available for those who are eligible and the Government has recently started providing a monthly allowance ranging from Rf1000 to 3000 for single parents.
121. There are 13 years of free schooling in the Maldives – from the age of 3 up to 16. School education is divided into 3 pre-school years (obligatory), 5 years of primary school (obligatory) and 5 years of secondary school. Two years of higher secondary schooling is also available, though with limited capacity.
122. Most of the schools in the Maldives are State-owned and funded. The Maldivian budget contributes approximately 100% of school running costs, and there is universal access to free primary and secondary education. In 2004, the percentage of school-age children in school grades one to seven was 79 percent; in grades eight to 10 it was 62 percent; and in grades 11-12 it was 16 percent. Of the students enrolled, 49 percent were female and 51 percent male. In many instances, parents curtailed education for girls after the seventh grade by not allowing them to leave their home island for another island with a secondary school, mostly due to lack of proper accommodation facilities in these islands.
123. The Maldives is currently pursuing a policy of encouraging the private provision of educational services, although there is a marked lack of financial assistance through student loans, for those looking for further education.
141. Key areas where the Maldives requires urgent support include:
• Judicial sector reform, including the training of judges in human rights concepts.
• Human rights mainstreaming in the provision of public sector services and policy formulation.
• Prison reform and rehabilitation.
• Human capacity development to manage sexual and child abuse cases.
UN Compilation
1. The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)9 recommended that Maldives consider ratifying the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and accede to the 1951 Refugees Convention and its 1967 Protocol.10 The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) encouraged Maldives to consider ratifying ICRMW.
2. In 2009, CRC reiterated its recommendation that Maldives review its reservation to the Convention with a view to withdrawing or limiting it.
5. CRC noted the need to amend the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child to fully comply with the Convention. It regretted the lack of applicable sanctions and an explicit provision on criminalization of child recruitment into the national armed forces.
6. CEDAW urged Maldives to include in the Constitution or in a draft legislation, the definition of discrimination against women, encompassing direct and indirect discrimination, and adequate sanctions for acts of discrimination against women and to ensure effective remedies. CRC recommended incorporation of CEDAW into domestic law.
8. The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) was accredited with “B” status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) in 2008. CRC underlined the importance of respecting the independence of the Commission and not interfering regarding budget allocations and appointment of its members. The Subcommittee on Prevention of torture (SPT) inquired about the exact scope of the visiting mandate of the Commission, as National Preventive Mechanism.
11. CRC recommended that sufficient human and financial resources are provided for the implementation of the National Plan of Action for the Well-being of the Maldivian Child 2001-2010, with the widest participation of civil society.
17. CRC was concerned that children born out of wedlock are not entitled to equal rights and face de facto and de jure discrimination. It recommended improving the system of birth registration. Meanwhile, children whose births have not been registered should be allowed to access basic services. CRC remained concerned about the de facto discrimination faced by children with disabilities who have limited access to social and health-care services and very few opportunities for inclusive education. It recommended including disability aspects in all relevant policymaking and national planning.
19. CRC recommended that Maldives abolish the death penalty related to Hudud offences perpetrated by persons under the age of 18 years.
22. CRC regretted the insufficient measures to address the serious problem of violence against children, child abuse, including sexual abuse, and ill-treatment. It was concerned that the legal framework fails to provide full protection against sexual abuse; that it shifts responsibility on producing evidence to a victim and; that the media sensationalize child protection issues, making the stigma and shame attached to victims worse. It was concerned about reports suggesting that the strong social condemnation of pregnancies out of wedlock has led to abortions in unhygienic conditions and to an increasing degree to infanticide.
23. CRC urged Maldives to ensure that persons who committed crimes while under the age of 18 are not subjected to any form of corporal punishment. SPT recommended the prohibition of all types of corporal punishment.
24. CRC noted with concern the lack of legal framework preventing the use of child labour and protecting children from economic exploitation, in particular from hazardous work.61 It was seriously concerned about many children who come from the atolls to Malé to search for a job or to work as domestic servants.
25. CEDAW expressed its deep concern about the prevalence of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence. The 2004 Common Country Assessment Report (CCA) indicated that the number of cases of violence against women reported to law enforcement was very low. CEDAW urged Maldives to give priority attention and adopt comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls,and to enact legislation on domestic violence and on all forms of sexual abuse, including sexual harassment.
26. CEDAW was concerned about the lack of attention to the problem of trafficking in women. CRC was concerned about information regarding links between drug abuse and child prostitution; about the potential vulnerability of children to sexual exploitation, including child prostitution and child pornography and; about the inadequate legal framework for the prevention and criminalization of sexual exploitation. CEDAW urged Maldives to: pursue a holistic approach to provide women and girls with educational and economic alternatives to prostitution; provide rehabilitation and economic empowerment programmes for women and girls exploited in prostitution; combat all forms of trafficking in women and girls, including by enacting specific and comprehensive legislation; consider formulating a plan of action with clear goals, to train police officers, to cooperate with other countries in the region and to improve prevention of trafficking through information exchange; prosecute and punish traffickers; and ensure the protection of the human rights of trafficked women and girls.
31. CRC noted with concern that: the administration of juvenile justice is still based on the principle of punishment and detention rather than on the restorative model. It recommended that Maldives: expedite efforts to draft and enact a Juvenile Justice Act in compliance with the Convention; raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 12 years; establish specialized juvenile courts; provide children in conflict with the law with access to education and; improve the condition of detention for children.
32. CRC regretted the lack of incorporation of the offences under OP-CRC-SC into the Penal Code. It was concerned that children, who have been victims of offences under the Optional Protocol, may be treated as offenders; that court proceedings and procedures fail to take into account the needs of children who have been victims; that victim compensation is not available and; that reintegration and recovery measures are inadequate.
34. CRC was seriously concerned at the rapidly growing drug addiction problem and regretted Maldives’s approach to address the problem of child drug addiction by treating children as criminals and not as victims.
35. CRC was concerned that the number of children in need of alternative care is increasing due, inter alia, to parents and guardians’ incapacity of providing financial support, changing family structures caused by divorces, separations and remarriages, abuse and neglect of the child within the family, alcohol and drug abuse; and that Maldives’s developing system of alternative care faces multiple challenges in responding to the needs of these children.
37. CRC noted that Maldives’s Constitution and other legislative provisions are based on religious unity, prohibiting the practice of any religion other than Islam. The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief noted that apostasy is a criminal offence under applicable, although uncodified sharia law92 She was informed that on the rare occurrences in which Maldivians have been suspected of having converted to another religion, they have been detained and subjected to coercion in order to encourage or force them to reaffirm their faith in Islam.93 She considered that the restrictions provided for in the Law on Religious Unity; Law on Prohibited Items and; Law on Associations may well be disproportionate and go beyond what would be considered legitimate within the framework of international human rights law.
38. According to the Special Rapporteur, a number of limitations undermine the freedom of religion or belief of Muslims, in that they are bound to follow the official interpretation of Islam. The right to freedom of religion or belief of foreign prisoners was not fully respected. CRC was concerned that the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is not fully respected.
42. The Special Rapporteur noted that article 32 of the revised Constitution guarantees the right to assembly without prior permission of the State. CRC noted that cooperation with non-governmental organizations should be further promoted and reinforced.
45. The 2007 CCA highlighted the main challenge for economic development of Maldives as the rising problem of unemployment and underemployment, particularly among the women and youth. CEDAW expressed concern at the discrimination faced by women in employment and at barriers that women face in entering the tourism and fishing sectors. CRC urged Maldives to establish by law, the minimum age for admission to employment.
49. CRC recommended that Maldives continue to allocate resources for effective poverty-reduction measures and strengthen its efforts to address the standard of living among its population living in poverty.
50. CRC noted with appreciation progress in reducing under-five child mortality and infant mortality. However, it expressed concern about the significant gap between the rate of reduction between Malé and the atolls; the high rates of child malnutrition; the quality and accessibility of maternal health care; the prevalence of traditional medical practices; threats caused by communicable diseases and the unavailability of essential medicines on many of the small islands. Maldives has one of the highest known incidences of Thalassemia in the world.
51. The 2007 CCA mentioned that access to health services remains a significant challenge. CEDAW urged Maldives to continue improving the quality of health and social services for women and to integrate a gender perspective into all health sector reforms. CRC recommended providing adolescents with tailored and youth-sensitive health services and counselling and promote adolescent health, including sex and reproductive health education.
52. The 2007 CCA indicated that, although HIV infection levels were low, the vulnerability to HIV was high. CRC noted with appreciation that the National Plan of Action towards the Well-being of the Maldivian Child 2001–2010 aims at, among other things, reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS.
56. The 2007 CCA stated that the Maldives has met the ‘Education For All’ goal and MDG2 of providing universal primary education by the year 2015. While taking note of Maldives’s intention to make primary education compulsory by law, CRC regretted the slow legislative process in this regard. It noted with concern that the cost of school books and school uniforms burdens low-income families and dangers children’s equal access to education. It was concerned at the limited availability and still unsatisfactory enrolment rate in secondary education and that gender biases and stereotypes in textbooks, curricula and school management and the lack of appropriate sanitary facilities impede the full participation of girls in education, particularly in secondary schools. UNICEF indicated that since opportunities for higher education are available only in urban areas on some islands, continuing education becomes nearly impossible for girls for safety reasons.
57. CRC recommended strengthening efforts to improve the quality of education and include human rights education in the official curriculum at all levels of education.
59. CRC encouraged Maldives to establish an identification mechanism for asylum-seeking and migrant children who may have been recruited or used in hostilities, and regretted the lack of measures for their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration.
64. CRC acknowledged that the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has largely devastated Maldives’s low-lying islands, giving rise to a number of economic and social difficulties and affecting the lives of many children.
70. CRC recommended seeking international support for cooperation projects relating to implementation of the provisions of the OP-CRC-SC in particular, in order to provide assistance for victims and training for professionals.
71. CRC recommended that Maldives continue to seek advice and assistance from international organizations on the compliance of the HRCM with the Paris Principles. It also made recommendations on children with disabilities; violence against children; economic exploitation of children; drug addiction; the treatment of Thalassemia; and education issues.
4. JS1 also noted that in November 2009, Parliament passed a bill on special procedures for child sex offenders with harsher penalties and longer jail terms. The law proposed jail terms without the possibility of parole or early release, and suspended the right to silence and release from detention while investigation is ongoing. However, under article 14 of the Act, if a person is legally married to a minor under Islamic Shariah, none of the offences specified in the legislation would be considered a crime.6 JS1 further recommended: passing and enacting legislation for state protection of neglected children; establishing proper social services system; sensitizing influential groups, such as island leaders, imams and women’s committees, to child rights; reviewing and reforming the state protection mechanism for orphans, juveniles and delinquents; considering mechanism for fostering of children under Kafalah of Islamic law; outlawing under-age marriages; and improving counseling at schools.
14. HRCM noted that the national child protection mechanisms and procedures remained severely inadequate to deal with the dramatic increase in child abuse cases reported to the Department of Gender and Family Protection Services, and the Maldives Police Service. Co-ordination between stakeholders is a major area for improvement. Despite the recent legislation protecting children from sexual abuse, overly strictevidentiary requirements, and the gravity of the crime not being adequately reflected in the severity of the sentence, and non-enforcement of sentences still existed as problems. Non-institutional rehabilitative measures for child victims were extremely limited, and there was a pressing need for improved counseling services, especially in the atolls. Preventive programmes needed to be organized in a more systematic manner and as a collaborative effort between the various stakeholders.
16. Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (GIEACPC) noted that corporal punishment was lawful as a sentence for crime. As such, corporal punishment can be applicable to any person who has reached puberty for crimes of apostasy, rebellion, fornication, defamation, drinking, theft and offences relating to homicide. According to GIEACPC, the 2006 draft Penal Code does not allow for retribution or amputation, but it authorizes lashes. GIEACPC also stated that there was no explicit prohibition of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure in penal institutions.
17. GIEACPC further noted that corporal punishment is lawful in the home. GIEACPC further noted the Government’s commitment to prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings, including the home. According to GIEACPC, the 2006 draft Penal Code would introduce a legal defence for the use of corporal punishment in the home and other settings. GIEACPC also stated that there was no explicit prohibition of corporal punishments in schools. According to GIEACPC, the Ministry of Education has stated that corporal punishment should not be used, however, the draft Penal Code would introduce a legal defence for the use of corporal punishment by teachers. GIEACPC further noted that corporal punishment is lawful in alternative care settings.
18. GIEACPC recommended that the Government enact and implement legislation to ensure complete prohibition of corporal punishment of children, including within the family home and as a judicial sentence under Islamic law.
24. JS1 further stated that failure to sensitize judges to human rights was believed to be responsible for the low conviction rate and lenient sentences for child abuse cases. In the case of the 12-year old girl who was gang raped, the four male suspects cleared of the crime were later sentenced to two years of banishment following a High Court appeal and public outcry. Moreover, a lack of creativity in working around the limitations of the existing and outdated penal code and rigidity in sentencing contributes to the low conviction rate.
38. According to HRCM, although universal primary education has been achieved, availability of quality education, provision of secondary and, to a greater extent, tertiary education faces resource and capacity constraints. Access to mainstream education for children with disabilities, and increased inclusivity of local communities in school management are important areas for review and improvement. Work to incorporate human rights into school curricula is presently underway.
44. HRCM noted that raining of care workers, police, court officials and judges needed to be improved to ensure that child abuse cases are processed with the best interests of the child as the primary concern.
Accepted and Rejected Recommendations
The following recommendations were accepted:
100.3. Consider the ratification of ICRMW and the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Philippines).
100.22. Continue legislative reforms aimed at guaranteeing the effective implementation of the rights and obligations contained in international instruments, such as CEDAW, CRC and CAT (Brazil).
100.44. Adopt measures to curb discrimination against women and violence against children (Bangladesh).
100.48. Establish equal rights for all children, regardless of the marriage status of their parents (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
100.70. Prioritize legislation on women's rights, sexual harassment, domestic violence and the protection of children against abuse (Australia).
100.72. Adopt and implement the draft law on domestic violence referred to in the national report, taking into account the recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child concerning the incorporation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into domestic law (Mexico)
100.73. Increase efforts to address the serious problem of violence against children, including by ensuring full legal protection against the sexual abuse of children (Norway).
100.74. Continue efforts to prevent violence and sexual abuse against boys and girls, and increase its efforts to bring to justice those responsible (Argentina).
100.75. Continue ensuring the promotion and protection of the human rights of children in the country, including through the establishment of appropriate programmes and measures aimed at combating the spread of a culture of violence among Maldivian youth and children (Malaysia).
100.76. Take further measures to strengthen child rights and the child protection system, in particular to prevent sexual and physical abuse, to tackle underage marriage/concubinage and to ensure that children under 18 years are not punished as adults in the judicial system (United Kingdom).
100.85. Expedite efforts to enact a Juvenile Justice Act in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Ghana).
100.86. Ensure that children in conflict with the law have access to education (Ghana).
100.87. Strengthen the role of the family in order to protect children from drugs and sexual exploitation, and reduce juvenile delinquency (Qatar).
100.111. Continue the policy of free education for all children, through cooperation and assistance from the international community (Bhutan).
100.120. Give further consideration to enacting legislation and formulating national action plans with concrete goals: to prevent the economic exploitation of and hazardous work by children; and to combat drug abuse, human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and children (Japan).
100.124. Take all measures for the purpose of post-disaster reconstruction and adaptation to climate change, with a human-rights-based approach, and carry out consultations with the concerned local communities, giving special attention to women, children and persons with disabilities in this process (Finland).
The following recommendations were rejected:
100.10. Consider ratifying the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto, and the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Brazil).
100.15. Review reservations to ICCPR and CRC with a view to withdrawing or limiting them (Slovenia).
100.16. Reconsider their reservations to CRC (Palestine).
100.17- Make further efforts with a view to withdrawing reservations to CRC (Brazil).
100.19 - Withdraw reservations to articles 14 and 21 of CRC (Slovakia).
100.21 - Withdraw reservations to CRC (Spain).
No recommendations were left pending