COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Fifty-sixth session

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES
UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION

Concluding observations:

New Zealand

1. The Committee considered the third and fourth periodic report of New Zealand (CRC/C/NZL/3-4), at its 1588th and 1589 th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.1588 and 1589), held on 19 January 2011, and adopted at its 1612th meeting, held on 4 February 2011, the following concluding observations.

A. Introduction

2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the combined third and fourth report of the State party as well as the written replies to the list of issues. The Committee also welcomes the positive dialogue held with a multi-sectoral delegation.

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

3. The Committee welcomes the submission by the State party of an updated common core document (HRI/CORE/NZL/2010) on 6 December 2010.

4. The Committee also welcomes, inter alia:

(a) The adoption of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Youth Courts Jurisdiction and Orders) Amendment Act (2010)
(b) The adoption of the Care of Children Amendment Act (2008);
(c) Status of Children Amendment Act (2007);
(d) The Child Support Amendment Act (2006);
(e) The Social Security (Working for Families) Amendment Act (2004);
(f) The Care of Children Act (2004); and
(g) The enactment of the Children’s Commissioner Act in 2003;

5. The Committee notes with appreciation that since consideration of its second periodic report in 2003, the State party has ratified or acceded to, inter alia:

(a) The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in March 2007;

(b) The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in September 2008;

(c) The 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness in September 2006; and

(d) The 2003 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, in January 2004.

C. Main areas of concern and recommendations

1. General measures of implementation (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6, of the Convention)

Committee’s previous recommendations

6. The Committee, while welcoming the State party’s efforts to implement the concluding observations on its previous reports (CRC/C/15/Add.216 (2003) and CRC/C/OPAC/CO/1 (2003)), notes with regret that some of the recommendations contained therein have not been fully addressed.

7. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures to implement those recommendations contained in the concluding observations on
the second periodic report that have not yet or not sufficiently been implemented, in particular on coordination, non-discrimination, abuse and neglect, child labour and juvenile justice, and to provide adequate follow-up to the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. In this context, the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 5 (2004) on general measures of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Reservations

8. The Committee notes efforts taken towards removing obstacles to the withdrawal of its general reservation and its specific reservations with regard to articles 32, paragraph 2 and 37(c). Nevertheless, it deeply regrets that this work has not yet resulted in the withdrawal of its reservations. The Committee also regrets that no progress has been made so far regarding the application of the Convention to Tokelau.

9. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations and urges the State party to:

(a) Withdraw its general reservation and its reservations to article 32, paragraph 2 and 37(c); and

(b) Extend the application of the Convention to the territory of Tokelau.

Legislation

10. The Committee notes with concern that in spite of recent legislative developments in the field of child rights, the harmonization of national law with the Convention and its Optional Protocols is not completed (for example, in the area of adoption legislation) and that not all domestic laws affecting children are harmonized even amongst themselves. The Committee is also concerned that the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill N°6 has been before Parliament since 2007.

11. The Committee urges the State party to

(a) Ensure that all existing domestic legislation relating to children is consistent and is brought in compliance with the Convention and that it supersedes any existing customary law, including Maori customary law;

(b) The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that the principles and provisions of the Convention and its Optional Protocols are applicable to all children in the territory of the State Party; and

(c) Consider all child-related legislation as a priority in the Parliament.

Coordination

12. The Committee notes that the Ministry of Social Development is responsible for leading the implementation of the Convention in the State party and that a Forum of social sector Chief Executives, chaired by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, has been established to ensure coordination of the work programmes of the departments in the social sector. However, the Committee regrets the absence of a coordinating mechanism specific to children’s rights.

13. In line with its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.216, paragraph 11), the Committee recommends that the State party establish a permanent mechanism to ensure high-level and effective coordination of the implementation of the Convention throughout the State party.

National Plan of Action

14. The Committee notes the State party’s indication that comprehensive action is pursued through a collaborative work programme rather than through the development of a national plan of action. The Committee nevertheless regrets that the Convention is not regularly used as a framework for the development of specific policies and strategies. It is particularly concerned at the lack of a comprehensive policy to ensure the full realization of the principles and rights provided for in the Convention.

15. The Committee encourages the State party to adopt a comprehensive policy and corresponding national plan of action for the implementation of the Convention and the Optional protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, in cooperation with the public and private sectors involved in the promotion and protection of children’s rights and based on a child rights approach. In doing so, the State party should take into account the outcome document of the 2002 Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations “A world fit for children” and its Mid-Term Review in 2007. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that there are follow-up and evaluation mechanisms that will regularly assess progress achieved and identify possible deficiencies to enable the full implementation of the comprehensive policy and plan of action.

Allocation of resources

16. The Committee notes with appreciation the increase in expenditure on children in recent years and the tax-credit initiative to reduce poverty. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned that the increases are not sufficient to eradicate poverty and address inequalities. Furthermore, the Committee regrets that the budgeting process still does not allow clear identification of allocations for children, which prevents the tracking of expenditure on children by the State party and the evaluation of its impact.

17. The Committee recommends that the State party initiate a child budgeting exercise that will allow it to specify strategic allocations to implement children’s rights, track this implementation, monitor results and evaluate impact. In this endeavour, the State party should take into account the Committee’s recommendations of the day of general discussion of 21 September 2007 devoted to "Resources for the rights of the child - responsibility of States". The State party may wish to consider seeking technical cooperation from UNICEF and others.

Dissemination and awareness-raising

18. The Committee notes with interest the initiatives undertaken to disseminate and raise awareness about the Convention. Nevertheless, the Committee regrets that awareness of the Convention remains limited, including among parents, caregivers, teachers, youth workers and children.

19. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen and expand its dissemination and awareness-raising activities in order to ensure that the provisions of the Convention are widely known by the general public, including parents, caregivers, teachers, youth workers and other professionals working with children, as well as children themselves. The State party should take steps to ensure that its initiatives also reach those who are illiterate or lack formal education.

Training

20. While welcoming that training on child rights is provided to police officers, probation officers and teachers working with children, the Committee regrets that such training does not reach all professionals working with or for children.

21. The Committee recommends that the State party develop and further strengthen systematic training on their responsibilities under the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, including all law enforcement officials, teachers, health personnel, social workers and personnel of childcare institutions, as well as state sector and local government officials. In this regard, the Committee recommends that human rights education be included in the official curriculum at all levels of education and in the professional training. It also recommends to develop systematic education and training programmes on the provisions of the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict for all relevant professional groups working with and for children and in particular among military officials involved in recruitment, judges, prosecutors, immigration officials, social workers and the media.

Child rights and the business sector

22. The Committee notes that the State party seems not to have as yet given consideration to the adoption of corporate social responsibility parameters for
operations at home and abroad of New Zealand corporations and other businesses subject to the jurisdiction of the State party, in line with, inter alia, the UN Business and Human Rights Framework which was adopted unanimously in 2008 by the Human Rights Council and outlines the State duty to protect against human rights abuses by businesses; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for more effective access to remedies when violations occur.

23. The Committee encourages the State Party to give due consideration to experiences from around the world in its application of the UN Business and Human Rights Framework to the operations of private and public corporations, and to consider taking effective measures to establish and implement regulations to ensure that the business sector complies with international and domestic standards on corporate social responsibility, particularly with regard to respecting child rights.

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

Non-discrimination

24. While noting with interest the “Child Voices: Youth Choices” project and the various efforts undertaken by the State party to improve the situation of the Maori, particularly in the fields of education and health, the Committee remains concerned at continuing manifestations of discrimination against the Maori population, including children, as evidenced by their unequal access to services.

25. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure full protection against discrimination on any grounds, including by:

(a) Taking urgent measures to address disparities in access to services of Maori children and their families;

(b) Strengthening its awareness-raising and other preventive activities against discrimination and, if necessary, taking affirmative action for the benefit of children in vulnerable situations, such as Maori and Pacific children, refugee children, migrant children, children with disabilities and lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender children and children living with persons from these groups; and

(c) Taking all necessary measures to ensure that cases of discrimination against children in all sectors of society are addressed effectively, including with disciplinary, administrative or – if necessary – penal sanctions.

Respect for the views of the child

26. The Committee notes with regret that the views of children are not adequately respected within the family, in schools and in the community. The Committee also regrets that there are no means by which children can express their views in the public domain, that the State party does not systematically take into consideration children’s views when formulating laws and policies that may affect them and that their right to be heard in judicial and administrative proceedings is not sufficiently respected.

27. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention, and taking into account the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 12 (2009) on the right of the child to be heard:

(a) Promote, facilitate and implement, in legislation as well as in practice, within the family, schools, and the community as well as in institutions and in administrative and judicial proceedings, the principle of respect for the views of the child; and

(b) Systematically consider the views of the child in formulating laws and policies.

3. Civil rights and freedoms

(arts. 7, 8, 13-17 and 37 (a) of the Convention)

Corporal Punishment

28. The Committee welcomes new section 59 (1) of the Crimes Act (1961), which abolishes the legal use of parental force for the purposes of correction. The Committee recommends that the State party heighten public awareness about the law and continue to promote positive and non-violent forms of discipline in childrearing.

Follow-up to the United Nations study on violence against children

29. The Committee encourages the State party to:

(a) Prioritize elimination of all forms of violence against children, including by ensuring implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Study on violence against children, paying particular attention to gender;

(b) Provide information concerning the implementation by the State party of the recommendations of the Study in the next periodic report, particularly those highlighted by the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against children, namely:

i. The development in each State of a national comprehensive strategy to prevent and address all forms of violence against children;

ii. The introduction of an explicit national legal ban on all forms of violence against children in all settings; and

iii. The consolidation of a national system of data collection, analysis and dissemination, and a research agenda on violence against children.

(c) Cooperate with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on violence against children and seek technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the World Health Organization (WHO), ILO, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNODC, as well as NGO partners.

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

Family environment

30. The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts through, inter alia, legislative and institutional changes and policy and practice integration across different services in order to better support families. However, the Committee is concerned that families in some population subgroups lack adequate assistance in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities, and notably those families in a crisis situation due to poverty, alcohol, drugs or isolation.

31. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities with timely responses at the local level, including services to parents who need counseling in child-rearing, services for the treatment of alcohol- or drug-related problems, and, in the case of Maori and Pacific Islander populations, culturally appropriate services to enable them to fulfill their parental role.

Adoption

32. The Committee regrets that a child’s consent is not required for domestic adoptions and that the review of adoption legislation is currently on hold. The Committee notes with regret that in cases of adoption that are not “open adoptions”, the adopted child does not have access to his/her file, with the name of its biological parents, until the age of 20.

33. The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to ensure that a child’s consent is required, as appropriate, for domestic adoptions. The Committee also recommends that the State party resume its review of adoption legislation and revise it, as appropriate, in order to bring it in line with the Convention as well as with the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The Committee further recommends that the State party lower to at least 18 years the age at which adopted children have the right to have access to their files.

Abuse and neglect

34. The Committee welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State party to tackle the problem of abuse and neglect of children, in particular the increased efforts undertaken in the area of prevention such as through increased fundi ng, the establishment of the Family Violence Ministerial Team, the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families, and the establishment of the Independent Experts Forum on Child Abuse. However, the Committee remains alarmed at the high prevalence of abuse and neglect of children in the family and at the lack of a comprehensive nationwide strategy in this regard. The Committee regrets that there is still no comprehensive system of recording and analyzing abuses committed against children and that mechanisms for physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of victims are not sufficiently available across the State party.

35. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Establish mechanisms for monitoring the number of cases and the extent of violence, sexual abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including within the family, in schools and in institutional or other care;

(b) Ensure that professionals working with children (including teachers, social workers, medical professionals, members of the police and the judiciary) receive training on their obligation to report and take appropriate action in suspected cases of domestic violence affecting children;

(c) Strengthen support for victims of violence, abuse, neglect and maltreatment in order to ensure that they are not victimized once again during legal proceedings; and

(d) Provide access to adequate services for recovery, counseling and other forms of reintegration in all parts of the country.

5. Basic health and welfare
(arts. 6; 18, para. 3; 23; 24; 26; and 27, paras. 1-3, of the Convention)

Health and health services

36. The Committee notes with interest that the Well Child Programme has almost 100 percent coverage and that children under the age of six have access to free primary health care duri ng business hours. While welcoming the State party’s commitment to implement focused policies and initiatives to address the disparities in the health status of children the Committee is concerned that inequalities continue to exist, manifested, inter alia, by the disparities in infant mortality rates between the Maori population and the rest of the State party’s population and in immunization rates which tend to be lower among Maori children.

37. The Committee recommends that inequalities in access to health services be addressed through a coordinated approach across all government departments and greater coordination between health policies and those aimed at reducing income inequality and poverty.

Breastfeeding

38. The Committee, while welcoming the State party’s efforts to encourage exclusive breastfeeding up to six months, remains concerned that only half of children in New Zealand are exclusively breastfed at three months and less than eight percent are exclusively breastfed at six months. The Committee is also concerned that Maori children are more likely than others to be given solids before the age of four months.

39. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to increase the number of infants up to six months of age that are exclusively breastfed, with a particular focus on raising the awareness of the Maori population about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, and that it implement fully the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. The State party should also further promote baby-friendly hospitals and encourage breastfeeding to be included in nursery training.

Adolescent health

40. The Committee notes the efforts undertaken by the State party in the areas which affect adolescent health. However, the Committee is concerned at the increasing rate of teenage pregnancies, especially among girls from a lower socio-economic or Maori background and at the high suicide rates of teenagers, particularly Maori teenagers.

41. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to provide adolescents with appropriate reproductive health services, including reproductive health education, in school and to promote a healthy lifestyle for adolescents; and

(b) Continue to address the issue of suicidal behaviour among adolescents across the State party, including by studying the root causes of this problem in order to provide targeted preventive measures.

Standard of living

42. The Committee notes with appreciation the efforts undertaken by the State party to improve the standard of living. However, the Committee, while noting that the extent of child poverty has declined in recent years, is nonetheless concerned that still about 20% of children in the State party are living under the poverty line.

43. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to provide appropriate support to allow disadvantaged families and their children to move out of poverty in a sustained way while, at the same time, continuing to provide assistance to those who remain under the poverty line.

6. Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts. 28, 29 and 31 of the Convention)

Education, including vocational training and guidance

44. The Committee notes with appreciation the numerous efforts of the State party in the sphere of education, including the new Education Amendment Act and Maori Education strategy (2008-2012). The Committee also welcomes the legal guarantee of access to free education accorded to undocumented children. However, the Committee is concerned that several groups of children have problems being enrolled in school or continuing or re-entering education, either in regular schools or alternative educational facilities, and cannot fully enjoy their right to education, notably children with disabilities (children with special educational needs), children living in rural areas, Maori, Pacific and minority children, asylum-seeking children, teenage mothers, dropouts and non-attendees for different reasons. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned:

(a) That only 20 hours of free early childhood education and care are available and that there is limited access for many children, especially those in need;

(b) That many public schools are pressuring parents to make “donations”;

(c) That bullying is a serious and widespread problem, which may hinder children’s attendance at school and successful learning; and

(d) At the number of school suspensions and exclusions and that it affects in particular children from groups which in general are low on school achievement.

45. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure that all children have access to high quality early childhood education and care that, at a minimum, is free for socially disadvantaged families and children;

(b) Continue and strengthen its efforts to reduce negative effects of the ethnic (cultural, regional) and social background of children on their enrollment and attendance in school;

(c) Invest considerable additional resources in order to ensure the right of all children, including children from all disadvantaged, marginalized and school-distant groups, to a truly inclusive education ;

(d) Use the disciplinary measure of permanent or temporary exclusion as a means of last resort only, reduce the number of exclusions and ensure the presence of social workers and educational psychologists in school in order to help children at risk with their schooling

(e) Take steps to ensure that parents are not pressured into making donations to schools and that children are not stigmatized if their parents do not, or are unable to, make such donations; and

(f) Further intensify its efforts to eliminate bullying and violence in schools, including through teaching human rights, peace and tolerance.

Rest, leisure, recreation and cultural activities

46. The Committee notes with regret the absence of a sufficient number of after-school care services and activity programmes available to parents and families. The Committee is also concerned that programmes that do exist are not sufficiently financed and are not equitably distributed geographically.

47. The Committee recommends that the State party develop and allocate sufficient funding for services and programmes for school-age children after school and during holiday periods. Such programmes can serve multiple functions, including providing structured supervision for children outside the home, providing tutorial services if needed and allowing children access to services their parents could not otherwise afford. The State party should ensure, in as much as possible, that these programmes are financially and geographically accessible to all parents and their children on an equal basis.

7. Special protection measures
(arts. 22, 30, 38, 39, 40, 37 (b)-(d), and 32-36 of the Convention)

Economic exploitation including child labour

48. While the Committee notes with interest the development of the Children’s Employment Work Programme in 2004, it deeply regrets, that no efforts have been undertaken in order to address the Committees previous recommendations on economic exploitation including child labour. Furthermore, the Committee is particularly concerned that children between the ages of 15 and 18 are allowed to work in dangerous workplaces.

49. The Committee recommends the State party take appropriate measures, legislative and otherwise, to ensure that no person under the age of 18 is allowed to work in a dangerous workplace. The Committee also reiterates its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.216, paragraph 48) that the State party ratify the ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age of employment.

Sexual exploitation and abuse

50. The Committee notes the State party’s indication that work to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography is advancing and that remaining issues will be addressed through the Child and Family Protection Bill, which is currently before the House of Representatives. The Committee also notes the activities undertaken by the State party to combat commercial sexual exploitation and abuse. However, the Committee is concerned about the exploitation of migrant girls in prostitution, and about the lack of data on child victims of sexual exploitation.

51. The Committee encourages the State party to adopt the Child and Family Protocol Bill without delay in order to eliminate any obstacles to the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Committee recommends that the State party take adequate measures to combat the exploitation of migrant girls in prostitution and that it intensify its efforts to collect data on the extent of sexual exploitation and abuse of children, which is essential for the preparation of adequate responses to combat these phenomena.

Helplines

52. The Committee notes with interest the existence of three child helplines in the State party. The Committee regrets, however, that these helplines are not accessible twenty four hours a day through a short telephone number that is free of cost.

53. The Committee recommends that the State party allocate sufficient funding to enable toll-free, 24-hour access to the child helplines. The Committee further recommends that the child helplines be 3 or 4 digit telephone numbers accessible from everywhere in the country.

Administration of juvenile justice

54. The Committee reiterates its concern regarding the low age of criminal responsibility and regrets that the State party has lowered it from 14 to 12 years for grave and repeated offences, without providing a clear definition of these offences, and maintains the age of penal majority at 17 years. While noting the State party’s indication that it has made significant progress towards the removal of the reservation to article 37(c) of the Convention regarding the separation of juveniles and adults in detention facilities, with reference to paragraphs 8 and 9 of the present concluding observations, the Committee expresses concern that females under the age of 18 in conflict with the law are held in the same places of detention as older female detainees. The Committee also regrets that, despite the existence of “Family Group Conferences”, the judiciary uses a punitive approach more often than a restorative approach.

55. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations (CRC/C/15/Add.216, paragraph 50) and recommends that the State party fully implement international standards of juvenile justice, in particular articles 37, 39 and 40 of the Convention, as well as general comment No. 10 on children’s rights in juvenile justice, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (“the Beijing Rules”), the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (“the Riyadh Guidelines”) and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Their Liberty (“the Havana Rules”). It also recommends that the State party:

(a) Raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility in accordance with the Committee’s general comment No. 10, and notably its paragraphs 32 and 33;

(b) Consider setting the age for criminal majority at 18 years;

(c) Develop a broad range of alternative measures to detention for children in conflict with the law; and establish the principle that detention should be used as a measure of last resort and for the shortest period of time as a statutory principle;

(d) While awaiting the expeditious withdrawal of its reservation to article 37(c) of the Convention, ensure that, unless in his or her best interests, any child, male or female, deprived of liberty is separated from adults in all places of detention;

(e) Make use of the technical assistance tools developed by the United Nations Interagency Panel on Juvenile Justice and by its members, which include UNODC, UNICEF, OHCHR and NGOs, and seek technical advice and assistance in the areas of juvenile justice and police training from the members of the Panel.

Protection of witnesses and victims of crimes

56. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure, through adequate legal provisions and regulations, that all children victims and or witnesses of crimes are provided with the protection required by the Convention, and in so doing, take fully into account the United Nations Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (annexed to Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/20 of 22 July 2005).

Children belonging to minority groups

57. The Committee encourages the State party, in its efforts to improve the situation of children belonging to indigenous groups, to take into account the observations and recommendations made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous People following his visit to New Zealand in July 2010, including with regard to the principles enshrined in the Treaty of Waitangi. The Committee also draws the attention of the State party to its General Comment No. 11 on indigenous children and their rights under the Convention (2009).

8. Ratification of international human rights instruments

58. The Committee recommends that the State party swiftly proceed with the ratification of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

59. The Committee encourages the State party to consider ratifying the international human rights instruments to which it is not yet party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

9. Follow-up and dissemination

Follow-up

60. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure full implementation of the present recommendations, inter alia, by transmitting them to the Head of State, the Supreme Court, Parliament, relevant ministries and local authorities for appropriate consideration and further action.

Dissemination

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

10. Next report

62. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report by 5 May 2015 and to include information on the implementation of the present concluding observations. The Committee draws attention to its harmonized treaty specific reporting guidelines adopted on 1 October 2010 (CRC/C/58/Rev.2) and reminds the State party that future reports should be in compliance with the guidelines and not exceed 60 pages. The Committee urges the State party to submit its report in accordance with the guidelines. In the event that a report exceeding the page limitation is submitted, the State party will be asked to review and resubmit their report in accordance with the above -mentioned guidelines. The Committee reminds the State party that if it is not in a position to review and resubmit the report, translation of the report for purposes of examination by the treaty body cannot be guaranteed.

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