Committee on the Rights of the Child
Seventy-fifth session
15 May-2 June 2017
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Consideration of reports of States parties
List of issues in relation to the report submitted by Bhutan under article 12 (1) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
The State party is requested to submit in writing additional, updated information (10,700 words maximum), if possible before 23 February 2017. The Committee may take up all aspects of children’s rights set out in the Optional Protocol during the dialogue with the State party.
1.Please provide statistical data, disaggregated by sex, age, nationality, ethnicity, socioeconomic background and urban or rural residence, for the past three years, on:
(a)The incidence of all forms of sale of children;
(b)The number of children engaged in prostitution and the number of those cases that are linked to sex tourism;
(c)The extent to which child pornography is produced, imported, distributed or consumed within the State party, including through live performances;
(d)The number of prosecutions and convictions for offences under the Optional Protocol, disaggregated by offence.
2.With reference to paragraph 19 of the State party report (CRC/C/OPSC/BTN/1), please inform the Committee whether the State party has considered evaluating the efficiency of the mechanisms and procedures for collecting data on offences under the Optional Protocol.
3.Please provide information on the measures taken to prevent and address trafficking in children, namely the procedures for identifying and referring child victims and proactively investigating potential cases of trafficking. Please also provide detailed information on the reported cases of trafficking between 2007 and 2010, including on the prosecution and conviction of perpetrators and the protection of the rights of child victims.
4.With reference to paragraphs 20 and 21 of the State party report, please clarify how the newly adopted legislation, amendments, rules and regulations specifically give effect to the Optional Protocol. Please inform the Committee about the laws in force prohibiting the production and dissemination of material advertising any of the acts prohibited under the Optional Protocol, and the applicable sanctions for such offences.
5.Please provide information on the entity responsible for the implementation of the Optional Protocol and the budget allocated to the various activities related to its implementation.
6.Please inform the Committee how the concept of “children in difficult circumstances” encompasses the offences under the Optional Protocol and takes into consideration the rights of child victims.
7.Please describe the methods used by the Child Protection System, the civil society organization Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women (RENEW), the Community-based Support System and the Youth Development Fund to identify children vulnerable to offences under the Optional Protocol and indicate how social programmes and policies protect children. Please provide information on the one-stop crisis centre operated under the Ministry of Health and on the police youth programmes.
8.Please indicate which legal provisions establish jurisdiction and extraterritorial jurisdiction over the offences under the Optional Protocol. Please explain how the Extradition Act covers all offences under the Optional Protocol and indicate whether extradition requires the existence of an extradition treaty. Please inform the Committee whether the State party has entered into any extradition agreements and whether any extraditions have been granted.
9.Please describe the legal basis, including international agreements, for cooperation with other States parties with regard to investigations and criminal proceedings related to offences under the Optional Protocol.
10.Please describe the law, policy and practice regarding the investigation of offences under the Optional Protocol in cases where the age of the victim is undetermined.
11.Please provide detailed information on programmes that provide social reintegration, physical and psychological recovery and family reunification for child victims of sale, prostitution and pornography. Please inform the Committee about measures to help all child victims recover their identity, such as nationality, and provide information on any differences between the assistance provided to children who are nationals and non-nationals.
12.Please describe the remedies and procedures available to child victims of sale, prostitution and pornography to seek compensation for damages from those who are legally responsible.