Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: The Kyrgystan government on January 12,
1994 ratified the Convention on the
Rights of the Child.
NGO GROUP FOR THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
PROFILE OF NATIONAL COALITIONS
NAME: Network of Organisations Working with Children
COUNTRY: Kyrgyzstan
REGION: Central Asia
BACKGROUND
The Kyrgystan government on January 12, 1994 ratified the Convention
on the Rights of the Child. The initial Sate report was due to the
November 6, 1996, however it was prepared and submitted to the UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child in 1997. Since ratification of
the Convention some initiatives on child rights have taken
place. Among the more significant developments is the Law of the
Protection of Minors' Rights, which came into force in November 1999.
Although the law when compared to the Convention is not strong,
nonetheless a promising development in some ways. Kyrgyzstan became
independent in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union. Of the
country’s 4.6 millions people, children constitute more than 40
percent. 62.3 percent of the population live below the poverty line
and mainly in rural areas. In the context of Kyrgyz tradition adults
do care for children, but are not seen as rights holders,
consequently children have few avenues for expressing their views.
HISTORY OF THE NETWORK
The Network was established in March 1999 after a workshop on human
rights monitoring organised by the Youth Human Rights Group and other
partners. An initial task for the Network was to prepare an
Alternative Report to the Initial State report for the UN CRC
Committee. It was also formed to monitor the implementation of the
Convention. The Network is very young and does not a formal system of
governance or complex structure. Network members have regular
meetings, once every 2-3 months to carry out an agreed work plan. The
Youth Human Rights Group is presently the lead member responsible for
co-ordinating activities. Fourteen NGOs make up the Network. These
organizations work in a variety of fields including human rights,
social projects, work with vulnerable groups (such as mentally and
physically disabled people, street children and refugees). There
are also teachers and children's groups from 5 oblasts (regions) and
the capital. Mostly members are located in towns but some do work in
rural areas as well. Save the Children (UK) is involved in the
Network as observers. They have been very supportive in both the
workshop and the preparations of the Alternative report. UNICEF
has also shown an interest in the Network’s activities. Meetings are
mainly financed from the resources of its members that are able to
contribute. Financial assistance came from external sources for
organising some meetings, research and translation of the
Commentaries to the governmental report, as well as, for one member
of the Network to attend the pre-session meeting of the CRC committee
in Geneva.
ACHEIVEMENTS
For the first time in Kyrgyzstan’s NGO history the Network was formed
and prepared an Alternative report to a UN treaty body, that of the
CRC Committee. Two members of Network attended the pre-session
meeting of the UN CRC Committee and present their
recommendations for changing the situation with child rights in
Kyrgystan. Members of the Network carry out different activities on
monitoring, promotion and protection of children's rights in
Kyrgyzstan, that has already brought some positive
results. Preparations are on the way for a training course for the
police staff working with children (Inspectorate on Youth Affairs).
In addition, the Network is pursuing activities to lobby government
answer the questions of the CRC Committee.
CURRENT SITUATION
The Network seeks to promote child rights within Kyrgyzstan through
an efficient information exchange system and activities in co-
operation with its members and other interest groups and
organizations. Key Issues. Given the wide range of problems facing
children and young people in Kyrgystan the Network is not able to
address all. However some of the issues that require immediate
attention are:
- The juvenile justice system. Special family and juvenile courts
need to be created.
- Child labour. The phenomenon of child workers is widely evident in
both rural and urban areas. These children are often doing work for
which they are not qualified and hazardous to their health.
-Torture. Torture is prohibited by law but widely practiced by police
and children fall victim to this treatment.
- Children's access to education is limited. Children from poor
families, workingchildren, internal migrants have difficulties to
enter a school and study.
- Inadequate medical services. Formerly medical services were free,
now it costs and access to basic medical care is increasingly
difficult. Challenges. Kyrgystan is a mountainous country with poor
roadways and high travel costs. Since members are in various
locations across the country communications and meetings are
difficult to accomplish. Therefore the Network must find ways to keep
to members informed and active within the group.
CONTACT DETAILS
Network of Organizations Working with Children
C/o Youth Human Rights Group
P.O.Box 1893 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 720000
Tel (996-312) 283354; Fax (996-312) 680283
[email protected]
www.yhrg.elcat.kg