Committee on the Rights of the Child

Fifty-fourth session

25 May-11 June 2010

Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

List of issues related to the consideration of the second periodic report of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (CRC/C/MKD/2)

The Committee may take up all aspects of children’s rights contained in the Convention during the dialogue with the State party. The present list of issues covers only some priority questions on which the Committee would like additional information before the dialogue.

Part I

In this section the State party is requested to submit additional, updated information in writing, if possible before 6 April 2010 .

1.With reference to the coordinating role of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child, kindly provide information on the exact mandate, structure (membership), and specific activities, thus far undertaken by this body. In particular, please specify whether it has specific competencies for the implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols.

2.Kindly clarify the process and criteria, if any, used by the State party to identify civil society partners which may be involved in the design of public policies, strategies and action plans, particularly in areas relevant to children.

3.With reference to the many responsibilities attributed to the centres for social work, please provide information on their structure, capacity, human, technical and financial resources available, including staffing and continuous training, in particular whether these centres are sufficiently equipped to carry out their mandate effectively.

4.Please clarify which children (or their families) are eligible to receive child allowances, depending on the number of children in the family, their school enrolment and/or attendance, the income and employment of parents, the region of origin or residence of the family, under legislation and regulations currently in force.

5.Please explain whether there is a system and procedures in place to ensure the periodic review of placements of children in alternative care, including in foster care and adoption.

6.Please clarify whether the State party has developed targeted measures to address the issue of non-attendance and dropping out of school, as well as the non-registration in schools by children who lack identity documents and birth certificates. Please explain the measures undertaken by the State party to ensure that schools are a peaceful place for all children, including with respect to peer violence and inter-ethnic relations.

7.Please provide information on targeted measures to ensure that Roma children are protected from discrimination, are registered at birth, and have access to educational, health care and social protection services. With reference to the alleged overrepresentation of Roma children in institutions for children with special needs, kindly clarify the criteria and procedure currently in use by the responsible authorities to identify children with special needs to be placed in such institutions.

8.Please provide information on the situation of mental health among children and adolescents in the State party and on the availability of mental health services, including preventive programmes and specialized care. Please further clarify whether primary health care includes the provision of mental health services.

9.Please provide detailed information on the treatment and conditions for children deprived of their liberty, especially in the Educational Correctional Institution in Skopje. In particular, please comment on measures to ensure adequate material conditions, educational/vocational and leisure-time activities, health care, separation from adults, and that disciplinary measures are consistent with the inherent dignity of the child. Please further clarify whether the State party intends to relocate the Educational Correctional Institution, and whether it has issued any guidelines with respect to children in detention.

10.Please indicate the issues affecting children that the State party considers to be priorities requiring the most urgent attention with regard to the implementation of the Convention.

Part II

In this section the Committee invites the State party to provide a brief update 3 pages maximum ) on the information presented in its report regarding:

(a)New bills or laws;

(b)New institutions and their mandate;

(c)Recently introduced policies, programmes and plans;

(d)Ratifications of human rights instruments.

Part III

Statistical and other information, if available

1.Please provide data, if available, for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009:

(a)On the number of stateless children;

(b)On the number of children with disabilities and percentage of all children with disabilities attending regular education, changing schools, and dropping out of regular education, disaggregated by age and sex. Please further provide information on the number, and percentage of all eligible parents of children with disabilities, who have benefited from a one-time cash assistance; special allowance; and a monthly compensation aimed at enabling them to work part-time, respectively;

(c)On the number of Roma children and on the number of children among these who have birth registration; are enrolled and regularly attend primary and secondary school respectively; have access to health care and social protection services.

2.With reference to child abuse, including sexual abuse, please provide disaggregated data (by age, sex, and types of violations reported) for the years 2006-2008 on the cases of child abuse reported, the number and percentage which have resulted in either a court decision or other types of follow-up, and the number and proportion of victims who have received counselling and assistance for recovery.