By Staff Writer
The United Nations will be watching very closely the Pacific Islands response, to ‘concluding observations’ by the Children’s Rights Committee, CRC, from its recent historic session in Samoa.
Cook Islands, Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia are under the microscope as the member countries reviewed under the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Kiribati was also included but in a pre-reporting review leading up to a meeting with the CRC in September this year.
These island states will study the ‘concluding observations’ from the CRC session, with the UN watchful and hopeful they will lead to new national policies and laws for the rights of the child.
“This is where we’re really pushing hard,” said UN Orest Nowosad, Chief, Groups in Focus Section, Treaty Bodies Division – UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.
“We’re hoping to take the lead from these state Governments once they hold discussions on implementation and follow up.”
The UN senior executive response was to the question of support funding for the island states if needed, to input recommendations from the ‘concluding observations’ of the CRC session into their Government systems.
“That’s why we’re here, so that we can understand on the ground needs and the benefits of reviewing three countries back – you can see specifics and also perhaps regional response as well.”
Nowosad, hinted at the benefits of partnership with UN bodies like UNICEF, UN Women, WHO, UN country offices and others, where assistance maybe channeled to the islands.
Unlike the European Union funding of $150m tala in the fight against domestic violence for women and girls in the Pacific region, the UN has no direct support for national efforts on Child’s Rights.
Nowosad offered, however, to take up the challenge when he returns to the CRC home base in Geneva.
“I’ll be debriefing diplomatic missions in Geneva when I get back and looking at how we can take this forward.
“ The paper on the table needs a voice and an action oriented plan.”
He noted that the way forward in the follow up work is going to be a mix of short to medium term programmes.
Some of the issues to be addressed were identified as cultural and may take a very long time ‘ across generations’ to change.
The CRC lone Pacific Island member and Samoa’s acting Chief Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, referred to the value of following up with member states the ‘concluding observations’.
Justice Vui admitted that while the CRC has no budget for any direct funding similar to the European Union, they can assist with follow up visits.
“We do follow up visits and review any progress they have made with the ‘concluding observations’ and to see how the committee can assist,” Justice Vui said.
The CRC spokesman said the committee members were unanimous that the historic 8th Extraordinary session held in Apia was an eye opening experience and a huge success.
“As a Committee member and also a member of the Pacific I am 170% satisfied it was a good move to bring this dialogue to the Pacific.
‘There’s a big difference meeting on Skype and operating remotely from Geneva and meeting face to face as it was in this historic occasion in Samoa for the Pacific Region.
“ All our committee members were unanimous that it was a very successful outcome.”
The long list of ‘concluding observations’ from the weeklong session were intended for the three countries under review, but could also influence other state members in the Pacific.
Legislations on the rights of the child were encouraged with data collection highlighted as very important.
Independent monitoring of children’s rights, violence, children with disabilities, health and climate change are all covered in the CRC ‘concluding observations’.