COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDForty-sixth session

17 September- 5 October 2007

OPTIONAL PROTOCOL ON THE INVOLVEMENT

OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT

List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration

of the initial report of BULGARIA (CRC/C/OPAC/BGR/1)

The State party is requested to submit in written form additional and updated information, if possible, before 6 August 2007 .

Please provide information on the competent governmental departments and bodies responsible for the implementation of the Optional Protocol and their coordination with regional and local authorities, as well as with civil society. Please also indicate whether there is any mechanism available for monitoring and periodically evaluating its implementation.

Please provide information as to whether Bulgaria assumes extraterritorial jurisdiction over the war crime of conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 into the armed forces, or using them to participate actively in hostilities. Also in relation to extraterritorial jurisdiction, please indicate whether Bulgarian courts have jurisdiction in cases of forced recruitment or involvement in hostilities of a person under 18 if committed outside Bulgaria, by or against a Bulgarian citizen.

Please indicate whether there is any legal provision criminalizing forced recruitment or the involving in hostilities of a person under 18.

Please provide information on education and training on the provisions of the Optional Protocol, on the human rights education available, in particular regarding the scope of application of the Optional Protocol in the Bulgarian armed forces. Considering that Bulgaria is engaged in UN peacekeeping

GE.07-42897

operations, please provide information on education and training on human rights, in particular on children’s rights, provided to Bulgarians serving in these operations abroad.

Please inform the Committee of the status of children attending military schools, in particular whether they can be enlisted in the armed forces in cases of emergencies or armed conflict.

Please provide information about impartial complaints and investigations mechanisms available for children attending military schools, and on how frequently such mechanisms are used.

Please provide disaggregated data by age and sex on the number of children under 18 pursuing their studies at a military academy. Furthermore, please provide details of the school curricula and the age at which practice with weapons begins. In addition, please provide information on the percentage of graduates who join the armed forces.

Please provide disaggregated data (including by sex, age and country of origin) covering the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 on the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children coming to Bulgaria from areas affected by armed conflict; on procedures in place to identify those that may have been recruited or used in armed conflict; and measures taken with regard to their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration.

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