CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER
ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Costa Rica

1. The Committee considered the third periodic report of Costa Rica (CRC/C/125/Add.4), at its 1044 and 1045 meetings (see CRC/C/SR.1044 and 1045), held on 30 May 2005, and adopted at the 1052 meeting, held on 3 June 2005, the following concluding observations.

A. Introduction

2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the State party’s third periodic report and notes with appreciation the analytical and self critical nature of the report. The Committee also welcomes the written replies to its list of issues (CRC/C/Q/CRI/3), which give updated and detailed statistical information on the situation of children in the State party, and appreciates the very constructive dialogue it had with a high level delegation which contributed to a better understanding of the implementation of the Convention by the State party.

B. Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party

3. The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the State Party to ensure compatibility between the Convention and domestic law through the enactment of a
set of laws, such as Law No. 8101 on Responsible Paternity (2001) and Law No. 8111 on Immunization Coverage (2001), and amendments of existing legislation, such as the revision of Article 174 of the Penal Code which punishes the distribution of pornographic or erotic material in which minors or images of minors appear. The Committee also welcomes the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

4. The Committee notes with appreciation the ratification by the State Party of ILO Convention No. 182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the
Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999, following the Committee’s recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.117 paragraph 26) in August 2001. The Committee also welcomes the ratification by the State Party of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict on 24 February 2003.

5. The Committee welcomes the launch of the National Agenda for Children and Adolescents 2000-2010 initiated by the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CNNA), in consultation with Non governmental organizations, as well as the establishment of various Special Permanent Commissions focusing inter alia on the elimination of child labour and sexual exploitation, the prevention of child maltreatment, the protection of early childhood and responsible paternity.

C. Principal areas of concern and recommendations

1. General Measures of Implementation (arts. 4, 42 and 44, paragraph 6 of the Convention)

The Committee’s previous recommendations

6. The Committee appreciates the State party’s efforts to follow up on the concerns and recommendations formulated in its previous concluding observations
(CRC/C/15/Add.117) upon consideration of the State party’s second periodic report (CRC/C65/Add.7), in particular with respect to basic health and welfare and sexual exploitation, but it regrets that some of the concerns and recommendations it made have been insufficiently addressed, e.g. with regard to child abuse and neglect, child labour, sexual exploitation and street children..

7. The Committee urges the State party to make every effort to address those recommendations from the concluding observations on the second report that
have not yet been implemented and to address the list of concerns contained in the present concluding observations on the third periodic report.

Legislation and implementation

8. In light of its recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.117, paragraph 10), the Committee takes note of the effort made by the State party to establish Children and Adolescents Protection Boards (Juntas de Protección) as decentralized institutions to guarantee the implementation of the Children and Adolescents Code. The Committee regrets however that the mandate of the Protection Boards and the Tutelary Committees have not yet been clearly regulated, as well as the insufficient allocation of financial resources which have hampered the effective implementation of their mandate.

9. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party should take all necessary measures to strengthen the effectiveness of the Protection Boards and the Tutelary Committees and provide them, as well as the National Children's Trust (PANI), with adequate financial resources to enable them to fully carry out
their mandate, and to strengthen its efforts to establish all Protection Boards andTutelary Committees in all cantons and districts respectively.

Co-ordination and monitoring

10. While recognizing the efforts made by the State party to establish a comprehensive protection system, the Committee is concerned that it is not fully functioning in accordance with its mandate under the Childrens and Adolescents Code, as neither the provisions relating to the Protection Boards nor to the Tutelary Committees have been regulated in such a way as to enable those bodies to discharge their responsibilities with sufficient flexibility. The Committee takes note of the submission by the National Children's Trust (PANI), and other institutions belonging to the Council on Children and Adolescents of periodic reports to the Office of the Ombudsman (Defensoría de los Habitantes). It is however concerned at the need for a strengthened coordination between the various entities dealing with issues relating to children both at the national and local levels.

11. The Committee recommends that the State party take effective measures to ensure a clearly regulated and strengthened coordination between all entities dealing with issues relating to children both at the national and local levels. Furthermore, the Committee recommends the reinforcement of Protection Boards and Tutelary Committees, in order to guarantee an articulated and efficient functioning of all actors involved in the implementation of the Convention.

Allocation of resources

12. While taking note of the financial difficulties which the State party is encountering, including a vulnerable economy and significant immigration, the Committee is
concerned at the high rate of children and adolescents living below the level of poverty. It is further concerned at the lack of resources allocated to PANI and the various institutions dealing with issues relating to the protection and promotion of children’s rights both at the national and local levels

13. The Committee recommends that the State party pay particular attention to the full implementation of article 4 of the Convention by a) prioritizing budgetary
allocation to ensure implementation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children to the “maximum extent of the State party’s available resources”; and
b) identifying the amount and proportion of the State budget spent on children in the public sector and for non-profit organizations in order to evaluate the impact and effect of the expenditures and also, in view of the costs, the accessibility, and the quality and effectiveness of the services for children in the different sectors. The Committee further recommends that particular attention be given to children belonging to vulnerable groups, i.e. indigenous populations, migrants, and those living in rural areas, and that funding be identified for programmes aiming at alleviating their disadvantage.

Data collection system

14. While noting with appreciation that, as a follow up to its recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.117, paragraph 12) concerning the need to develop a data collection system on children’s rights, the State party has developed an Information system for Child and Adolescents Rights (“Sistema de Información Estadística de Derechos de la Niñez y Adolescencia”), and welcoming the information provided by the State party in its written reply to the List of Issues, the Committee remains concerned about the lack of disaggregated data on all areas covered by the Convention.

15. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts towards duly processing and regrouping the relevant data available in the various institutions dealing with issues relating to children, which should be used as indicators to monitor the situation of children and adolescents in the country, and
that this data be integrated into the National Data Collection System in order to inform decision making at the policy level. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party produce data with respect to vulnerable groups, i.e. indigenous populations, migrants, refugees, and those living in rural areas, with a breakdown by nationality, gender and age.

Training / dissemination of the Convention

16. The Committee notes with appreciation the efforts made by the State party to train personnel working with the various institutions belonging to the National Council on Children and Adolescents on the provisions of the Convention, as well as law enforcement personnel and academics.

17. The Committee recommends that the State party continue with its efforts to undertake training programmes and that they be extended to all personnel
working with children, such as civil servants, health professionals, social workers, the police and penitentiary personnel, in order to strengthen the rights based
approach in their work. The Committee further recommends that the State party seek the technical cooperation of UNICEF in this respect.

2. General principles (art. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)

Non-discrimination

18. The Committee welcomes the elaboration of the First Indigenous People Development Plan, the translation into indigenous languages of the Children and Adolescents Code, the Law against Domestic Violence and the Law on Responsible Paternity, as well as the incorporation of the rights of indigenous people in the National Plan for Children and Adolescents. The Committee is concerned however at the limited access of indigenous children, migrant children and those living in rural areas, to basic education and health services, and at their low standard of living. The Committee also regrets the absence of information in the State Party’s report on the implementation of its previous recommendation regarding the protection of children of migrants families in irregular situations against discrimination. While welcoming the revocation by Resolution No. 0088557-99 of articles 6 and 7 of Government Order (Decreto Ejecutivo) No.21980-MEP-MTSSS, the Committee is concerned at information received whereby migrant children are still not eligible for scholarships, nor entitled to take part in students councils.

19. The Committee encourages the State party to continue to pay due attention to the needs of indigenous people by taking appropriate measures to address the high rate of infant mortality among the indigenous communities, and to substantially increase their level of education and standard of living, and endorses the
recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its regard (CERD/C/60/CO/3, para.11). The Committee further recommends that
the State party provide information on the number of migrant children who benefited from scholarships since the adoption of Resolution No. 0088557-99. In
addition, the Committee recommends that the State party take steps to disseminate the content of the resolution to the public at large. The Committee also recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to ensure the right of migrant children to take part in students councils. The State Party should provide information in its next periodic report on the action taken to protect children of migrant families in irregular situations against discrimination as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding observations.

20. The Committee requests that specific information be included in the next periodic report on the measures and programs relevant to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child undertaken by the State party to follow up on the Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the 2001 World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and taking account of Committee’s general comment No. 1 on the aims of education (2001).

Respect for the views of the child (art. 12)

21. The Committee notes with appreciation the State party’s many and various efforts to implement and promote the child’s rights to express her/his views and to participate in decision making processes and other activities regarding her/his position. But it also notes the State party’ concern that cultural problems are a factor which impedes the implementation of these rights in the family.

22. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake further and targeted measures to promote the child’s rights to express her/his views freely within the family context and in institutions such as shelters and other institutions for children. The Committee further recommends that the State party ensure that the child’s view is taken into account in any proceedings dealing with child issues. The Committee further recommends that the media take into account the views
of the child. Finally, the Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to promote the awareness among children and adolescents of their participatory rights in the family, at school, within other institutions and in society in general through educational programmes on the implementation of these principles, and strengthen their opportunity to participate.

3. Civil rights and freedoms art. 7, 8, 13-17, 19 and 37 (a))
.
Freedom of Association (art.15)

23 The Committee is concerned at the contradiction between the information provided by the Ministry of Education in the State party’s report whereby students have the right to freedom of association, including the right to participate in students political parties, and article 18 of the Children and Adolescents Code which establishes that persons below the age of 18 have the right to freedom of association, except for political or lucrative activities.

24. The Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to ensure the coherence of its legislation with regard to the right of persons below
the age of 18 to be involved in political activities.

Freedom of religion (art. 14)

25. While recognizing the State party’s acceptance of freedom of religion, the Committee is concerned at the fact that classes of Catholicism are part of the curriculum, which is discriminatory for non-catholic children.

26. The Committee recommends that the State party devise a curriculum that will ensure that the child’s freedom of religion can be fully realised in the educational
system without any discrimination.

Access to information (art. 17)

27. The Committee notes the media involvement in the dissemination of information on the Convention inter alia via a weekly educational programme. But it is concerned at incidences of sensationalized coverage of problems children may encounter or cause. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of information regarding the legal and other provisions which protect children from harmful information.

28. The Committee recommends the State party to call on the media to promote and strengthen its role in the dissemination of information on the Convention,
address the incidences of the sensationalization of news regarding children, e.g. by duly regulating the activities of mass media and the internet with a view to prevent the dissemination of harmful information and by promoting the training of professionals working for mass media on the adequate treatment of child issues , in conformity with the provisions of the Convention and on the guidelines on reporting on children adopted by the International Federation of Journalists.

Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (art. 37(a))

29. While taking note that a bill prohibiting and penalizing torture is being examined by the Legislative Assembly, the Committee is concerned at the fact that the use of torture, in particular on children, is still not formally prohibited and criminalized in the Penal Code.

30. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party take all necessary measures to ensure the prohibition and penalization of torture in its
legislation.

Corporal punishment

31. The Committee welcomes the efforts made by the State party to sensitize the different actors involved on the need to eradicate corporal punishment in the family, in school and in other institutions, and the fact that the Legislative Assembly is examining a bill prohibiting corporal punishment. The Committee remains however concerned at the fact that corporal punishment is still not explicitly prohibited in domestic law, as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding observations, and still perceived as “sometimes necessary” by a large portion of the population.( CRC/C/15/Add.117, para. 17).

32. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party should incorporate the prohibition of corporal punishment in its legislation and continue
to take appropriate measures to raise the awareness of the general public on the negative consequences of corporal punishment and other forms of violence in the
upbringing of children, and to sensitize parents, teachers and others working with and for children about the alternative, non violent means of discipline in light of article 28.2 of the Convention.

4. Family environment and alternative care (art. 5, 18 (paras. 1-2), 9-11, 19-21, 25, 27 (para. 4) and 39)

Children deprived of family environment

33. The Committee recognizes the continuum of alternative care services available from PANI for children deprived of family environment. It is however concerned at the considerable duration of interim placement, which in some cases may last over three years, before the matter is brought before a judge for a decision on the final placement of these children.

34. The Committee recommends that interim placement is done for the shortest period of time and regularly reviewed in accordance with article 25 of the Convention. The Committee further recommends that the matter be brought before a judge at the initial phase of the separation of the child from her or his parents.
Adoption (art. 21)

35. The Committee welcomes the proposed amendment of the Adoption Act as a follow up to its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.117, para. 19) to review its legislation in order to bring it in full compliance with article 21 of the Convention and the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. But it remains concerned that this bill is still pending with the Legislative Assembly and that the practice of private or direct adoption which results in cases of trafficking is still not effectively prohibited.

36. The Committee recommends the State party to take all effective measures to expedite the adoption of the above mentioned amendments, implement the
recommendations made by the Office of the Ombudsman (2001-2002) following the investigation undertaken on the process of adoption both at the national and
international level , in order to put an end to the practice of private/direct adoptions, and ensure that they fully comply with article 21 of the Convention and the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, in particular by providing the Council on Adoption and the National Commission on Adoption with the resources necessary for the effective performance of their mandates.

Abuse and neglect (art. 19)

37. With reference to its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.117, para. 20) concerning the prevention of abuse and ill-treatment of children, the Committee notes the effort made by the State Party to address the problems of child abuse and neglect, inter alia by promoting the reporting of alleged cases of child abuse, the waiver of civil/criminal responsibility in case of reporting in good faith, the establishment of a protocol for dealing with cases of child abuse and the functioning of the helpline 911. But the Committee is concerned that the provision of services to child victims is to a large degree left to Non-governmental organizations and that a comprehensive prevention policy has not been developed.

38. The Committee recommends the State Party to strengthen its efforts to combat child abuse and neglect in particular by actively supporting helplines such as 911 and Línea Cuenta Conmigo, increase its support to Non-governmental organizations and implement programmes under PANI’s responsibility to ensure that child victims do receive the necessary protection, counselling and other support. The Committee also recommends to review the existing legislation in order to ensure that legal procedures dealing with cases of child abuse are child sensitive, do respect the child’s privacy and prevent revictimization of the child inter alia by accepting video taped testimony of the child victim as admissible evidence. The Committee further recommends the State party to develop and implement a comprehensive policy for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Finally, the Committee recommends that the State party provide information in its next periodic report on the number of cases of abuse concerning children with disabilities both in the family and in institutions which have been brought to courts.

5. Basic Health and Welfare (art. 6, 18 para 3, 23, 24, 26, 27 paras 1-3)

Children with disabilities

39. The Committee has noted the steps undertaken by the State Party to strengthen the access to health services and information for children with disabilities, and train professionals working in public health institutions on the rights of disabled children, as well as the efforts to include children with disabilities in the regular school, the prenatal and post-natal screening programmes. The Committee remained concerned however at the limited coverage of these progresses to the economically disadvantaged and rural populations.

40. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue to expand programmes for children with disabilities including the pre and post-natal screening programmes, and ensure their access, inter alia through mobile clinics, to economically disadvantaged people in rural areas. The Committee further recommends that the State party strengthen its policy to integrate children in regular schools.

Right to health and access to health services

41. The Committee welcomes the efforts made by the State Party to combat infant mortality and strengthen the immunization coverage at the country level, as well as the progress made by the State party with respect to basic health care coverage. It remains concerned however at the regional inequality in access to health services, in particular for adolescents.

42. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure access to basic health care to all children and adolescents at the country level, and that priority be given to regions and communities with the lowest coverage rates. The Committee further recommends that the State party
seek the technical cooperation of UNICEF in this respect.

Adolescent health

43 The Committee notes with appreciation the measures taken by the State Party to implement its recommendation to develop adolescent-sensitive health policies and strengthen reproductive health education and services in order, inter alia, to prevent and reduce teenage pregnancies, and to enhance the prevention of substance abuse among adolescents. The Committee is concerned however that the number of teenage pregnancies remains significantly high.

44. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen reproductive health education in secondary schools such as “Young Love” to prevent teenage pregnancies. The Committee also recommends that professional and administrative staff are adequately trained in order to improve their interactions with teenage mothers.

6. Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities (art. 28, 29, 31)

45. The Committee takes note of the efforts made by the State Party to increase the level of school infrastructure at the country level, , and ensure that all children, including refugee children, have access to education. The Committee also notes with great appreciation that 90% of children attend pre-school. The Committee welcomes the variety of measures by which children are relieved from additional costs of school attendance. The Committee takes note of new projects which provide opportunities of education for children who have left school before completion. Although courses and institutions for technical and vocational training were expanded, the Committee regrets that not more children between 15 and 18 receive vocational training in order to facilitate their transition to qualified labour, and the low completion rate of secondary school, in particular in rural areas, especially of deprived children and indigenous children, as well as the lack of school infrastructure in remote areas of the country.

46. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue to take effective measures to increase enrolment in primary and secondary school, reduce the
high rate of drop-out students and repeaters, in particular in rural areas, and find ways to address the lack of school infrastructure in these areas, inter alia by
finding alternative educational methods, e.g. vocational and apprenticeship programmes, which would take the specific needs of these populations into consideration. The State party should focus on the improvement of secondary education.

7. Special Protection Measures (arts. 22, 30, 32-36, 37 b-d, 38, 39, 40)

Economic Exploitation

47. The Committee welcomes the ratification by the State Party of ILO Convention No.182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999; the measures taken by the State Party to prohibit the economic exploitation of children; as well as the various projects implemented with the technical and financial assistance of ILO/IPEC to eliminate child labour. The Committee also welcomes the State party’s efforts to prohibit hazardous work for persons below the age of 18. The Committee remains concerned however at the large number of working children between the age of 5 and 17 who work in the “informal” labour market and have consequently been excluded from the educational system, in particular in rural areas.

48 The Committee recommends that the State Party continue to take effective measures, with the technical and financial assistance of ILO/IPEC, to eliminate
prohibited child labour, in particular in rural areas where the phenomenon is more prevalent, inter alia by designing special programmes aiming at combating child labour.

Sexual exploitation and abuse

49. The Committee welcomes the ratification by the State Party of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, as well as the measures taken by the State Party to prevent and combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The Committee further welcomes the inclusive participation of Non-Governmental organizations in this process and the development of a National Plan against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (2001). The Committee also welcomes the direct initiatives in cooperation with hotels and the travel industry to combat sex tourism. However, the Committee remains concerned at the low level of coordination among institutions, the lack of assistance available for victims of sexual exploitation, as well as information received by the Committee whereby the number of children victims of sexual exploitation might be increasing, in particular among street children.

50. The Committee endorses the recommendations of the ILO/IPEC Assessment on the commercial sexual exploitation of minors of April 2002 whereby the State
Party should promote and develop universal policies that directly address the social, economic and ideological factors which render the under-18 population so
vulnerable to sexual exploitation and foster the commission of this crime; promote and develop inter-sectorial programmes and institutions aimed at early prevention and at assisting young girls and adolescents at risk of sexual exploitation, or who are already its victims; promote and develop programmes of comprehensive assistance to victims; reform the legislation with a view to bringing penal standards into line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ILO Convention No.182, as well as the allocation of a larger budget dedicated specifically to battling sexual exploitation. In developing these programmes, the Committee recommends the participation on a voluntary basis of adolescents who were themselves victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The Committee further recommends that the State party seek the technical cooperation of UNICEF in this respect. The Committee further recommends that that the State party take appropriate measures to strengthen the role of PANI and the Ministry of Labour including through allocation of resources in combating child labour, in particular in the “informal” market. Finally, the Committee recommends that the State party provide information in its next periodic report about the measures taken to protect child domestic workers.

Street Children

51. The Committee regrets the lack of information on street children in the State party’s report, while the occurrence of children living in the street appears to be widespread. The concern is accentuated by the fact that, as indicated by the State party, a high number of street children are addicted to drugs and are victims of sexual exploitation.

52. The Committee recommends that the State party :
(a) carry out an investigation for action to assess the scope and the causes of the phenomenon and consider establishing a comprehensive strategy to address the
high number of street children, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable groups, with the aim of preventing and reducing this phenomenon in the best interest of these children nd with their participation;
(b) provide street children with recovery and reintegration services and when necessary with adequate nutrition, housing, necessary healthcare and educational opportunities; and
(c) seek assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF.

Substance abuse

53. While noting the provision of the Juvenile Justice Law allowing the rehabilitation of convicted children and/or adolescents suffering from drug addiction as an
alternative to imprisonment, the Committee is concerned at the scarcity of treatment centres for drug addiction which also limits the possibility to place children in
conflict with the law.

54. The Committee recommends that the State party continue with the development of voluntary drug rehabilitation programmes. The Committee further recommends that the State party take administrative, social and educational measures to protect children from the illicit use of substance abuse and prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.

Administration of juvenile justice

55. While welcoming the measures taken by the State Party to find alternatives to the imprisonment of children and adolescents, the Committee remains concerned at the insufficient number of judges specialized in the rights of the child.. The Committee is further concerned at allegations of ill-treatment of children during detention and regrets in this respect the absence of information on provision of adequate training and control of the police and prison personnel, as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding observations.

56. The Committee recommends the State party in particular to:
a) ensure systematic training for all personnel working in the juvenile justice;
b) continue to take all necessary measures to ensure that persons below 18 benefit from alternatives to detention and, when needed, are only deprived of liberty as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;
c) ensure that persons below 18 when in custody are in any case separated from adults and those waiting for sentences are separated from those sentenced to deprivation of liberty;
d) take urgent measures to efficiently ensure the prevention of ill-treatmnent of persons below 18 in detention, in police centres and other detention places;
e) ensure the periodic review of deprivation of liberty;
f) strengthen the system of alternative measures to imprisonment through capacity building and financial resources.
g) seek technical assistance from the UNICEF and OHCHR, among others;

Children belonging to indigenous groups

57. With respect to indigenous communities, the Committee takes note of the State party’s efforts to increase the number of schools providing bilingual education. It is however concerned at the insufficient number of indigenous teachers and schools, and at the fact that education does not fully take into account indigenous culture.

58. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue to increase the number of indigenous schools and adequately trained indigenous teachers, and ensure the right of indigenous children to learn to read and write in their own language through methods adapted to their own culture. The Committee recommends that the State party provide relevant information to indigenous children and their communities on, inter alia, birth registration procedures, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, child abuse and neglect, child labour and sexual exploitation in order to raise awareness of their rights. The Committee further recommends that the State party strengthen mechanisms for the collection of data on children so as to identify existing gaps and barriers to the enjoyment of human rights by indigenous children, and with a view to developing legislation, policies and programmes to address such gaps and barriers.

8. Follow-up and dissemination

Follow-up

59. The Committee recommends the State party to take all appropriate measures to ensure full implementation of the present recommendations, inter alia, by
transmitting them to the members of the Council of Ministers or the Cabinet or a similar body, the Parliament, and to provincial or State Governments and Parliament, when applicable, for appropriate consideration and further action.

Dissemination

60. The Committee further recommends that the initial report and written replies submitted by the State party and related recommendations (concluding observations) it adopted be made widely available in both Entities, including through Internet (but not exclusively), to the public at large, civil society organizations, youth groups, and children in order to generate debate and awareness of the Convention, its implementation and monitoring.

9. Next report

61. The Committee underlines the importance of a reporting practice that is in full compliance with the provisions of article 44 of the Convention. An important aspect of States parties’ responsibilities to children under the Convention is ensuring that the Committee on the Rights of the Child has regular opportunities to examine the progress made in the implementation of the Convention. The Committee appreciates the State parts performance in this regard and it invites the State party to submit its next periodic report (4th) by 19 September 2007. Such a report should not exceed 120 pages (see CRC/C/148). The Committee expects the State party to report thereafter every five years, as foreseen by the Convention.