The main issues of the UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child on how to respect the right of childhood
in our country, will be converted in the fall to the official delegation of
Kazakhstan. The questions is will Astana be left for the “Second year” after
that.
The forthcoming report of
Kazakhstan in the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child presented its vision
of Kazakhstani non-governmental organizations in cooperation with UNICEF staff.
From 4 to 6 February, this Committee held a hearing the report of the
“third sector” on the implementation of the Republic of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child and received in 2003 and 2007
recommendations.
February 18 representatives
of the NGO Working Group of Kazakhstan “On protection of the rights of
children” who participated in the preparation of a report and its
presentation, told reporters, as passed precession in Geneva and what for to
pay attention to the Kazakh authorities in the light of the upcoming
“exam.”
It should be noted that the
first report of our country was held in 2003, a year earlier in Kazakhstan
Working Group was established NGOs of Kazakhstan “On protection of
children’s rights.” At that time there was no law on the rights of the
child, there was no institution of the Commissioner for Human Rights. Now we
have it all, and human rights activists have noted the implementation of the
National Action Plan for Human Rights is a part of the legislative and
institutional initiatives relating to children. However, legislative changes
are not yet complete guarantee of success in this area.
The main
“unofficial” rapporteur from NGOs in Geneva became the chairman of
the Children’s Fund of Kazakhstan Elvira Vatlina:
– We are well aware of our responsibility when we provide some problems,
maybe some problems are quite critical, but we try to make it not to be
unfounded, and certainly for each phrase, each position to have a
specific supporting information, – she
said.
This time the concern of UN
experts has once again caused violations of children’s rights in the field of
access to quality education, health and social protection. Particular focus was
placed on the issue of lack of Commissioner for the Rights of the Child (this
Republic of Kazakhstan was recommended as early as last time), sexual abuse,
child trafficking, abuse, corporal punishment in schools.
– Despite the activities of the Committee for the Protection of the
rights of children its departmental affiliation to the Ministry of Education
and Science largely reduces the possibility of the Committee, and virtually all
activity are reduced in the scope of educational programs – Elvira Vatlina said.
While the country has not
created the institution of “child” of the Ombudsman its role is
performed by the active Commissioner for Human Rights, in turn, did not
complied with the Paris Principles in terms of its independence.
– We have appealed to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, so
they gave recommendations to Kazakhstan, to create the State Institute for
the Protection of the rights and interests of the child, and we advocated that
for creating the Commissioner for Children’s Rights. Both could complement
each other: state institution, the other – independent – shares
details Roza Akylbekova, director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for
Human Rights. – In 2007, 16 departments
were created (the Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights – Ed.) on the places, ie in 16 cities were created
their departments, but, unfortunately, as it turned out, they again went into
executive power – in the governorates. This shows that the complaints mechanism
is not presented, it is necessary for all children absolutely. Adults can not
get into governorates, children are not even mentioned! How a child, who has
faced such trouble as domestic abuse, may apply to the city administration? He
does not even know where he was consulted. Therefore, the human rights
community does not depart from the public reception, therefore the “hot
line” continues to exist.
Public Foundation
“Aman-Saulyk” together with the Ministry of Health by the UN carried
out a project related to reproductive health. And problems such as early
marriage, pregnancy and childbirth, abortion among minors, are now on the
cutting edge and are reflected in the alternative NGO report – first reported
by Bakhit Tumenova, president of “Aman-Saulyk.”
– Today we have raised the issue of children with autism, which are
becoming more and more and are not eligible to receive a disability in their
disease; two outbreaks of hepatitis C, the causes of which are still not
clearly elucidated, it is the small range of issues that we on our part have
included in the report – expanded
range of problematic Bahyt Tumenova.
Also, in addition to the
early and still unsolved problems in the country appeared new problems,
including force-majeure, such as mass disease of children in the village of
Berezovka; increased children’s suicide; eviction of families debtors banking
site with children, unauthorized destruction of homes builders and homes, “brushed
aside” for state needs or the needs of private corporations.
Regarding the latter point Roza
Akylbekova says:
– With regard to the rights of the child not only parents are
responsible, but also the state. It is important to understand that the principles
of the Convention – and in particular Article 3 says, both public and
non-governmental, commercial structures, should always proceed from the
interests of the child, especially when he has a problem to health. And I hope
that the government will find a way until autumn to resolve the issues that
have not yet been resolved, once again not to blush in the UN Committee on the
Rights of the Child.
On precession Kazakh human
rights activists presented their 26 recommendations, for their part, members of
the UN were asked about 40 questions of different plan, showing that members
are well informed about the current situation in the country, and from a
variety of sources. How Bahyt Tumenova added,
most of their questions, UN experts left until the fall for the official
delegation.
Kazakhstan joined to the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1994, together with the performance of
its obligations norms. Until recently, according to reports from the UN and
international organizations for the protection of children, in many positions
Kazakhstan occupies the level of third world countries.
