COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Forty-eighth session

19 May – 6 June 2008

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION

ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

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

initial report of Serbia (CRC/C/SRB/1)

PART I

Under this section, the State party is requested to submit in written form additional and updated information, if possible before 31 March 2008

A. Data and statistics, if available

1. Please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age, ethnic group, urban and rural area) covering the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 on the number of children living in the State party.

2. In the light of article 4 of the Convention, please provide disaggregated data for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 on budget allocations (in absolute figures and in percentages of the national budget or gross domestic product) made to the implementation of the Convention in relation to the following:

(a) Education (including pre-primary, primary and secondary education);

(b) Health care (including primary health care, immunization programmes, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS programmes and other health-care services for children);

(c) Programmes and services for children who are separated from their parents, placed in institutions or with foster families;

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(d) Programmes and activities for the prevention of and protection from child abuse; and

(e)Programmes and activities for the dissemination of information and training concerning children’s rights;

3.With reference to children deprived of a family environment and separated from parents, please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age groups, if possible ethnic groups, urban and rural areas) for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 on the number of children:

(a)Separated from their parents;

(b)Placed in institutions;

(c)Placed with foster families; and

(d)Adopted domestically or through intercountry adoptions.

4.Please specify the number of children with disabilities, disaggregated by sex, age groups and, if possible, ethnic groups, urban and rural areas, covering the years 2005, 2006 and 2007:

(a)Living with their families;

(b)Living in institutions;

(c)Placed with foster care;

(d)Attending regular schools;

(e) Attending special schools; and

(f)Not attending schools.

5. With reference to child abuse, please provide disaggregated data (by age, sex, minority and ethnic groups and types of violations reported) covering the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 on the:

a) Number of reported cases of child abuse;

b) Number and percentage of reports which have resulted in either a court decision or other types of follow-up; and

c) Number and proportion of child victims that have received counselling and assistance in recovery.

6.With reference to the right to education, please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age group, urban and rural area, children belonging to minority groups) for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007, as a percentage of the relevant age group, on:

(a) Rate of enrolment in primary and secondary schools as well as pre-primary school and day-care facilities;

(b) Percentage of children completing primary and secondary education;

(c) Number and percentage of dropouts and repetitions; and

(d)Teacher/children ratio and number of children per class.

7. With reference to special protection measures, please provide statistical data

(including by sex, age, urban/rural areas) for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 on:

a) The number of children involved in sexual exploitation, including prostitution, pornography and trafficking;

b) The number of children involved in sexual exploitation who received assistance in recovery and counselling;

c) The number of children involved in child labour (formal and informal sectors);

d) The number of unaccompanied minors, asylum-seeking and refugee children, internally displaced children, children of returnees as well as the number of children awaiting expulsion; and

e) The number of children in street situations.

8.The report (paras 163-165) provides useful data in relation to juvenile crime. If available, please also provide disaggregated statistical data (including by sex, age and type of crime) for the past three years on the number of:

(a)Persons under 18 who have allegedly committed a crime and were reported to the police;

(b)Persons under 18 who were charged with a crime and those who were sentenced, and the type of punishment or sanctions related to offences, including length of deprivation of liberty;

(c)Detention facilities for persons under 18, and the capacity of these facilities;

(d)Persons under 18 detained in these facilities and persons under 18 detained in adult facilities;

(e)Persons under 18 kept in pre-trial detention and the average length of their detention;

(f)Reported cases of abuse and maltreatment of persons under 18 that occurred during their arrest and detention;

Persons under 18 who were tried and sentenced as adults;

Persons under 18 in diversion programmes; and

Persons under 18 who have served their sentence, were released and are involved in social integration programmes.

9. Please indicate why data for the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina are, in some instances, excluded from the information provided in the report.

B. General Measures of Implementation

1. Please provide additional information on measures taken to improve the system for the collection of disaggregated data on children and on the initial experience with the ChildInfo system and the Devinfo database referred to in the report.

2.Please indicate whether the existing domestic legislation is believed to be in full conformity with the provisions of the Convention or whether there are plans for the examination of the compatibility of national legislation with the Convention and, if appropriate, legislative amendments or the adoption of new laws or regulations to further the implementation of rights enshrined in the Convention.

3.Please provide information on cases, if any, where the Convention has been directly invoked in domestic courts, and if so, please provide examples of such cases.

4.The report draws attention to the establishment of the National Council for the Rights of the Child and notes that that Council prepared a National Action Plan for Children in 2004. Please provide information on the Council’s mandate, including its role in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the Convention, and on the financial and human resources allocated to it.

5.Please provide information on the implementation status of the National Plan of Action for children adopted in 2004. Please indicate whether the Action Plan takes into account the objectives and goals of the outcome document entitled “A World Fit for Children” of the General Assembly special session on children held in 2002.

6.Please provide information on the funding allocated and the measures taken to implement the Action Plan for Roma Education Improvement adopted in 2005.

7.Please provide information on the resources made available to the Ombudsman’s deputy for the rights of the child, and to the municipal Ombudsmen for children referred to in the report. Please indicate whether the institution of the Ombudsman has helped to resolve disputes and settle complaints relating to children’s rights. Please also provide information on the status of the draft law on a special ombudsman for children.

8.Please provide updated information on efforts made to provide training on the provisions of the Convention and human rights generally to children, parents, teachers, social workers and other professionals working with and for children.

9. Please provide information on the Government’s cooperation with non-governmental organizations in efforts to implement the Convention. Please also indicate whether such organizations have had a role in the preparation of the State party report.

10.The report states that a General Protocol for the Protection of Children against Abuse and Neglect at both the national and the local level was adopted in 2005. Please provide information on measures taken to implement the Protocol and improve the child-care system.

11.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

Please provide copies of the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the official languages of the State party as well as in other languages or dialects, if available. If possible, please submit these texts in electronic form.

Part III

Under this section, the State party is to briefly update the information provided in its report, insofar as relevant information has not been provided under Part I above, with regard to:

- New bills or enacted legislation and their compatibility with the Convention;

- New institutions;

- Newly implemented policies; and

- Newly implemented programmes and projects and their scope.

Part IV

The following is a preliminary list of major issues (other than those covered in Part I) that the Committee may take up during the dialogue with the State party. They do not require written answers. This list is not exhaustive, as other issues might be raised in the course of the dialogue.

The State party’s strategy to significantly strengthen the Convention’s overall implementation with particular attention to the general principles of the Convention;

The role of the Council on Children’s Rights;

Budget allocations for children;

Non-discrimination, particularly relating to sex, minorities (e.g. the Roma), and those living in remote areas, and the implementation of article 3 (best interests of the child) and article 12 (respect for the views of the child);

Police brutality, including against the Roma community and foreigners;

Programmes, services and support provided to parents;

Protection of children deprived of a family environment (placement in alternative care, review of placement of children and follow-up of those who leave care for adoption within the country);

Domestic violence, abuse and ill-treatment, including corporal punishment;

Access to health care and education and social services, including by persons belonging to minority groups;

Children with disabilities;

Economic exploitation, including child labour;

Unaccompanied children, children of refugees, internally displaced children and asylum-seekers;

Children belonging to minority groups;

14. Sexual exploitation and trafficking;

Substance abuse;

Administration of juvenile justice, including conditions in juvenile detention facilities.

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