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14 January 2000
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AFTERNOON
HR/CRC/00/10
14 January 2000
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION
OF REPORT OF COSTA RICA
The Committee on the Rights of the Child concluded this afternoon its consideration of the second periodic report presented by the Government of Costa Rica on that country's efforts to promote and protect the rights of children.
The Committee did not have time to issue preliminary conclusions and recommendations on the report. However, a Committee expert thanked the members of the delegation for their frank and constructive dialogue and encouraged the Government of Costa Rica to continue its efforts in promoting the rights of children. The expert stressed that much remained to be done for street children and against sex tourism.
Formal conclusions and recommendations will be issued in writing towards the end of the Committee's three-week session which concludes on 28 January.
The discussion over the course of the afternoon meeting focused on the general topics of the definition of the child; education, leisure and cultural activities; and special protection measures.
The delegation of Costa Rica consisted of Jorge Sanabria, Technical Director of the National Children's Trust of Costa Rica; Sergio Corella, Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica at Geneva; Alejandro Solano of the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Culture; and Christian Guillermet, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica at Geneva.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Costa Rica must submit periodic reports to the Committee on efforts to improve the circumstances of the country's children. Government delegations generally appear before the Committee to discuss these reports and to answer questions raised by Committee members.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 17 January, it will take up the report of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Discussion
Responding to pending questions raised by Committee experts during the morning meeting, the members of the Costa Rican delegation said that the Government had adopted a series of measures to ensure access to basic services such as clean drinking water and sanitation which would reduce infant mortality. The measures particularly focused on persons living in the rural and marginal urban areas as well as among indigenous and Afro-Costa-Rican communities. In addition, specific projects had been implemented to reduce infant mortality by 2 per cent every year until the year 2002. Additional measures were also undertaken to combat endemic diseases affecting children.
Although teenage pregnancy was not a major problem in the country, two projects were underway to solve problems arising from such incidents, the delegation said. Special programmes on reproductive health had been established for adolescents in order to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies. One project, which was started a number years ago, dealt with the comprehensive treatment of teenage children and the teaching of sexual education for both sexes. The other project, run by the office of the "First Lady", focused on social protection of teenagers who were pregnant or had given birth. It was noted that there was an increasing tendency among teenagers of child pregnancy. On a related issue, recently, a law had been passed on the consumption of drugs and alcohol with the aim of protecting teenagers.
With regard to special programmes for the protection of the rights of children with disabilities, the delegation said that there were 536 schools for mentally retarded children, 10 schools for multiple deficiencies, and 21 schools for the deaf. Additional programmes had also been implemented to assist those segments of the population to integrate them into the society. The measures were in line with the full implementation of the Government’s equal opportunities policy and the participation of the disabled children in the society.
The Government annually provided the amount allocated to assist needy children under the social development and family allowance provision, the delegation said. In addition, new policies had been developed to improve the situation of children belonging to poor families. Poverty has been identified as one of the major problems in Costa Rican society, and the State was increasingly concerned.
Education was compulsory and public schools were free and paid for by the Government, the delegation said. In cooperation with the World Bank, basic education projects had been undertaken by the Government. Through the assistance extended to economically vulnerable children in the rural areas, the Government had also implemented projects to reduce school drop-outs.
In the course of their consideration of the report of Costa Rica, Committee members raised additional questions on issues such as violence in schools and in the family; a plan of action to eliminate bullying in schools; sexual harassment in and outside schools; breast-feeding; sexual tourism; and juvenile justice, among other things.
In response to the questions raised by Committee experts, the Costa Rican officials said that breast-feeding had been encouraged by the society and that the Government had also been promoting breast-feeding.
Violence in the Costa Rican society had deep roots in the culture, the delegation said. Following a campaign against violence, the number of complaints brought to the attention of the authorities had increased in recent years. The complaints referred to problems both within the family and at schools. The change in attitude was stressed by the Government as an important step to eliminate domestic violence against children. Between May 1998 and May 1999, 125 individual complaints had been received by the Children's Ombudsman.
Concerning criminal justice involving juveniles, children above 12 years were criminally liable, the delegation said. Offenders below the age of 12 were referred to the National Children's Trust for psycho-social treatment. Between February 1998 and February 1999, 73 per cent of juvenile law offenders were given alternative community service duties while 15 per cent were sentenced to prison terms. Juvenile and adult offenders were kept in separate prison cells.
Asked about the situation of the estimated 3,000 minors who were victims of prostitution, the delegation said that programmes were undertaken to rehabilitate them through a campaign of self-esteem and empowerment. The figure could be higher than 3,000. The Government had plans to help them to escape the situation they were in. In addition, the Government was in contact with other States to punish their nationals who committed sexual exploitation.
Further, Costa Rican law prohibited child labour. The Government was presently studying the International Labour Organization's convention on extreme forms of labour exploitation.
In conclusion, a Committee expert thanked the members of the delegation for their frank and constructive dialogue and encouraged the Government to continue its efforts in promoting the rights of children. The expert stressed that much remained to be done for street children and against sex tourism.
HR/CRC/00/10
14 January 2000
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION
OF REPORT OF COSTA RICA
The Committee on the Rights of the Child concluded this afternoon its consideration of the second periodic report presented by the Government of Costa Rica on that country's efforts to promote and protect the rights of children.
The Committee did not have time to issue preliminary conclusions and recommendations on the report. However, a Committee expert thanked the members of the delegation for their frank and constructive dialogue and encouraged the Government of Costa Rica to continue its efforts in promoting the rights of children. The expert stressed that much remained to be done for street children and against sex tourism.
Formal conclusions and recommendations will be issued in writing towards the end of the Committee's three-week session which concludes on 28 January.
The discussion over the course of the afternoon meeting focused on the general topics of the definition of the child; education, leisure and cultural activities; and special protection measures.
The delegation of Costa Rica consisted of Jorge Sanabria, Technical Director of the National Children's Trust of Costa Rica; Sergio Corella, Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica at Geneva; Alejandro Solano of the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Culture; and Christian Guillermet, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica at Geneva.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Costa Rica must submit periodic reports to the Committee on efforts to improve the circumstances of the country's children. Government delegations generally appear before the Committee to discuss these reports and to answer questions raised by Committee members.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 17 January, it will take up the report of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Discussion
Responding to pending questions raised by Committee experts during the morning meeting, the members of the Costa Rican delegation said that the Government had adopted a series of measures to ensure access to basic services such as clean drinking water and sanitation which would reduce infant mortality. The measures particularly focused on persons living in the rural and marginal urban areas as well as among indigenous and Afro-Costa-Rican communities. In addition, specific projects had been implemented to reduce infant mortality by 2 per cent every year until the year 2002. Additional measures were also undertaken to combat endemic diseases affecting children.
Although teenage pregnancy was not a major problem in the country, two projects were underway to solve problems arising from such incidents, the delegation said. Special programmes on reproductive health had been established for adolescents in order to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies. One project, which was started a number years ago, dealt with the comprehensive treatment of teenage children and the teaching of sexual education for both sexes. The other project, run by the office of the "First Lady", focused on social protection of teenagers who were pregnant or had given birth. It was noted that there was an increasing tendency among teenagers of child pregnancy. On a related issue, recently, a law had been passed on the consumption of drugs and alcohol with the aim of protecting teenagers.
With regard to special programmes for the protection of the rights of children with disabilities, the delegation said that there were 536 schools for mentally retarded children, 10 schools for multiple deficiencies, and 21 schools for the deaf. Additional programmes had also been implemented to assist those segments of the population to integrate them into the society. The measures were in line with the full implementation of the Government’s equal opportunities policy and the participation of the disabled children in the society.
The Government annually provided the amount allocated to assist needy children under the social development and family allowance provision, the delegation said. In addition, new policies had been developed to improve the situation of children belonging to poor families. Poverty has been identified as one of the major problems in Costa Rican society, and the State was increasingly concerned.
Education was compulsory and public schools were free and paid for by the Government, the delegation said. In cooperation with the World Bank, basic education projects had been undertaken by the Government. Through the assistance extended to economically vulnerable children in the rural areas, the Government had also implemented projects to reduce school drop-outs.
In the course of their consideration of the report of Costa Rica, Committee members raised additional questions on issues such as violence in schools and in the family; a plan of action to eliminate bullying in schools; sexual harassment in and outside schools; breast-feeding; sexual tourism; and juvenile justice, among other things.
In response to the questions raised by Committee experts, the Costa Rican officials said that breast-feeding had been encouraged by the society and that the Government had also been promoting breast-feeding.
Violence in the Costa Rican society had deep roots in the culture, the delegation said. Following a campaign against violence, the number of complaints brought to the attention of the authorities had increased in recent years. The complaints referred to problems both within the family and at schools. The change in attitude was stressed by the Government as an important step to eliminate domestic violence against children. Between May 1998 and May 1999, 125 individual complaints had been received by the Children's Ombudsman.
Concerning criminal justice involving juveniles, children above 12 years were criminally liable, the delegation said. Offenders below the age of 12 were referred to the National Children's Trust for psycho-social treatment. Between February 1998 and February 1999, 73 per cent of juvenile law offenders were given alternative community service duties while 15 per cent were sentenced to prison terms. Juvenile and adult offenders were kept in separate prison cells.
Asked about the situation of the estimated 3,000 minors who were victims of prostitution, the delegation said that programmes were undertaken to rehabilitate them through a campaign of self-esteem and empowerment. The figure could be higher than 3,000. The Government had plans to help them to escape the situation they were in. In addition, the Government was in contact with other States to punish their nationals who committed sexual exploitation.
Further, Costa Rican law prohibited child labour. The Government was presently studying the International Labour Organization's convention on extreme forms of labour exploitation.
In conclusion, a Committee expert thanked the members of the delegation for their frank and constructive dialogue and encouraged the Government to continue its efforts in promoting the rights of children. The expert stressed that much remained to be done for street children and against sex tourism.