Committee on the Rights of the Child

Sixty- fourth session

16 September–4 October 2013

Item 4 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports of States parties

List of issues in relation tothe combined second tofourth periodic reports of Sao Tome and Principe (CRC/C/STP/2-4)

The State party is requested to submit in writing additional, updated information, if possible before 1July 2013.

The Committee may take up all aspects of children’s rights contained in the Convention during the dialogue with the State party.

Part I

In this section, the State party is requested to submit its responses to the following questions (30 pages maximum).

Please inform the Committee about measures carried out to harmonize national legislation with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In particular, what specific measures have been taken to increase the minimum age for marriage and to set the same age for boys and girls?

Please provide the Committee with information on which national mechanism has the mandate and authority to coordinate the implementation and evaluation of activities under the Convention across all sectors and from national to district levels, and its capacity and resources for carrying out such mandate. Please also indicate the role, functions and human, financial and technical resources provided for the functioning of the national committee for the Convention.

Please inform the Committee about measures taken to establish an independent monitoring body on human rights in the State party, including the rights of the child.

Please provide information on legislative and other measures taken to ensure that oil exploration and production are undertaken in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, in particular to prevent violations to human and children’s rights and to protect children.

Please provide information on strategic actions taken to eliminate discrimination against children, particularly girls, children with disabilities, and children from poor families and rural areas. In addition, please inform the Committee of actions taken, if any, to eradicate stereotypes preventing girls from participating in society on an equal basis to boys.

With reference to the information provided in paragraph 94 of the State party report, please clarify what legal and other measures provide for children’s views to be taken into account in all administrative and judicial proceedings as well as in the family and school.

Please provide updated information on the results of the Permanent Birth Registration Plan of Action 2008-2012 referred to in paragraph 113 of the State party report and on the sustainable measures in place to ensure free and universal birth registration, especially in rural areas.

Please provide updated, detailed information on specific measures adopted to prevent and protect children from all forms of violence, including sexual abuse and exploitation. Please clarify whether there is any legal initiative to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings. Please also provide information on mechanisms in place for children to report violence and on measures taken to punish perpetrators.

Please provide information on measures to identify and protect children with disabilities from violence, abandonment, abuse and neglect and to ensure that they are able to live in the community and have effective access to inclusive education under the 2002-2013 National Education Plan of Action. Please provide information on the human, financial and technical resources allocated for the implementation of this plan.

Please inform the Committee on specific actions taken to raise awareness and educate teenagers about sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and the services available to them. Please indicate the measures taken to lower the high rates of HIV/AIDS in the State party and to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and describe the services provided for pregnant women.

Please provide information on concrete steps taken to identify the root causes and extent of early pregnancies and the measures taken to prevent them. Please clarify whether, and how many, pregnant teenage girls have been prevented from attending day school since the adoption of the 2009 Ministerial Order.

Given the high level of poverty in the State party (66.2 per cent in 2006), please provide detailed information on concrete actions taken to reduce child poverty and improve the standard of living of children, including their access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Please inform the Committee of the measures in place to provide for long-term social security and social protection for children and their families.

Given the recent increase in school enrolment, please inform the Committee on measures taken to ensure that all children continue their education through the upper primary school (grades 5 and 6) and can successfully transition to secondary school. In addition, please provide information on the steps taken to reduce dropouts at all levels, with particular reference to girls, children living in rural areas and children living in situations of poverty.

Please inform the Committee on specific actions taken to prevent child labour and economic exploitation of children on farms, in domestic service or in other activities.

With reference to paragraphs 177 and 178 of the report, on consumption of drugs among teenagers, please indicate the measures taken to address drug and other substance abuse by children.

Please inform the Committee about the budget and measures to implement a juvenile justice system, as well as about actions aimed at enhancing the skills and specialization of judicial authorities with regard to the protection of the rights of children in conflict with law. Please provide details on the results of the review and update of the legal framework related to juvenile justice as mentioned in paragraph 218 of the State party report.

Part II

In this section the Committee invites the State party to briefly (three pages maximum) update the information presented in its report with regard to:

(a)New bills or laws, and their respective regulations;

(b)New institutions (and their mandates) or institutional reforms;

(c)Recently introduced policies, programmes and action plans and their scope and financing;

(d)Recent ratifications of human rights instruments.

Part III

Data, statistics and other information, if available

Please provide, if available, updated statistical data (disaggregated by age, sex, geographic location, ethnic origin and socioeconomic background) for the last three years on the number of:

(a)Child victims of abuse, including victims of sexual abuse and exploitation;

(b)Investigations of cases of sexual violence and rape, and the outcome of trials, including information on the penalties for perpetrators, and redress and compensation offered to the victims;

(c)Children in street situations.

Please provide data (disaggregated by age, sex, socioeconomic background, ethnic origin and geographical location) regarding the situation of children deprived of a family environment and separated from their parents. Please indicate, for the last three years, the number of children:

(a)Separated from their parents;

(b)Living in child-headed households;

(c)Placed in institutions;

(d)Placed with foster families;

(e)Adopted domestically or through intercountry adoptions.

Please provide, if available, updated statistical data (disaggregated by age, sex, geographic location, ethnic origin and socioeconomic background) for the last three years on the number and/or rates of:

(a)Teenage pregnancy;

(b)Women receiving medical and professional services for pregnancy and child birth in rural and urban areas;

(c)Infant mortality;

(d)Maternal mortality;

(e)Children who have benefited from the equity and inclusion strategy;

(f)Children with disabilities;

(g)Allocation of resources in the last three years for primary health care system;

(h)Children who have dropped out of full primary education;

(i)Children in detention settings.

Please provide the Committee with an update of any data in the report which may have been outdated by more recent data collected or other new developments.

In addition, the State party may list areas affecting children that it considers to be of priority with regard to the implementation of the Convention.