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Direct Link to Concuding Observations of UN Committee on the Rights of the Child:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC.C.SLE.CO.2.pdf

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UN Convention on the Rights of the Child:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm

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UN Committee on the Rights of the Child:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/

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http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/crcs48.htm

Committee on the Rights of the Child

48th Session (19 May - 6 June 2008)

 

States examined

Timetable

State Reports

Lists of Issues and Written Replies*

Delegation List & Statement

Concluding Observations

 

                                             


SIERRA LEONE

Thursday, 29 May 2008 am & pm

CRC/C/SR.1330 CRC/C/SR.1331

Second Periodic report

CRC/C/SLE/2

E | F | S

CRC/C/SLE/Q/2

E | F | S

CRC/C/SLE/Q/2/Add.1

E | F | S

List

Statement

CRC/C/SLE/CO/2

E | F | S

 

 

Excerpts of Gender-Related Issues Covered in the

Concluding Observations re: The Girl Child in Sierra Leone:

 

*Birth Registration of all children. "The Committee welcomes the various measures taken to promote birth registration of all children. It notes with concern, however, that the birth registration rate continues to be low, particularly in the rural areas.

 

*The committee is concerned, at under-five and maternal mortality rates in the State party, which continue to be among the highest in the world.

 

*The Committee, while noting efforts by the State party to combat violence against children, is concerned nevertheless that violence against children is still widely practiced against children in various forms.

 

*Harmful Traditional Practices - The Committee notes with appreciation that the recently adopted Child Rights Act prohibits harmful traditional practices such as early/forced marriage, forced initiation, child betrothal and any other harmful cultural rite, custom or tradition that may inflict physical, psychological or emotion pain on a child or otherwise endanger him/her and criminalizes and penalizes the commission of such acts....The Committee notes with interest that alternative strategies are being implemented to make practitioners of FGM and traditional secret societies positively useful. The Committee nevertheless remains concerned about the persistence of harmful traditional practices and expresses particular concern that female genital mutilation (FGM) is not explicitly prohibited by law. In this regard, the Committee reiterates the concern expressed by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/SLE/CO/5, paragraphs 22 and 23) over the persistence and high incidence of FGM and the serious health and social complications for girls that may arise out of this harmful practice.

 

*The Committee urges fully implementing the HIV/AIDS prevention, control and treatment plan and continuing and strengthening implemention of the 'Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission' programme......

 

*Education - The Committee is concerned that despite increased enrolment and completion rates in primary schools, enrolment is still low, in particular for girls, and that the number of teachers, in view of the large class sizes, is too small. The Committee also expresses concern at the practice of public schools to charge additional fees. Finally, the Committee is concerned over reports of sexual abuse of children, mostly girls, by teachers and the continued practice of corporal punishment in schools.

 

*The Committee notes with concern that available data on sexual abuse demonstrates a marked increase in rape, indecent assault, and carnal abuse of children shortly after the civil war.

 

*The Committee notes with concern that while the practices of sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography are decreasing, they neverless remain prevalent in the country.

 





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