IIMA is currently attending the 65th session of the
Committee on the Rights of the Child. This body periodically meets with a
delegation from each State Party, to discuss the State`s progress towards
meeting their obligations under the convention and its optional protocols.
The first state to be reviewed was The Republic of Congo. As one of
Africa’s most urbanised countries, with 65% of the population living in cities,
the committee was keen to emphasise the need to protect the rights of children even
in more challenging rural areas. In addition, the committee highlighted the
difficulty the country faces with regards child refugees. The country, with a
population of just over 4 million, has taken 125,000 persons from the
neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. The committee advised the delegation
on the most effective manner in which these problems could be met, while
congratulating them on their laudable reception of such a large number of those
in need.
The second delegation was that of Yemen. This meeting focused on the
very high malnutrition rate in children, the education of girls, the needs of
refugees from Syria and The Horn of Africa, and the laws currently being
drafted to deal with problems of child trafficking and pornography.
Interestingly, new bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia and new legislation
not only allow for extradition in both directions for these crimes, but will
allow perpetrators to be prosecuted in Yemen even if their crimes occurred
extraterritorially.
Later in this session the CRC will also examine Germany, the Holy
See, The Russian Federation and Portugal.
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