Committee on the Rights of the Child

Seventy-eighth session

15 January-2 February 2018

Item 4 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports of States parties

List of issues in relation to the combined second and third periodic reports of Solomon Islands

Addendum

Replies of Solomon Islands to the list of issues *

[Date received: 13 October 2017]

Part 1

1.Please provide information on the steps taken to implement newly passed legislation such as the Child and Family Welfare Act 2017, including allocation of resources, and steps taken to renew child-related policies that have expired.

1.The Child and Family Welfare Act had been passed by the National Parliament of Solomon Islands on February this year, following some good years of consultations and lobbying for support at both the national and sub-national levels. Whilst waiting its date for commencement, the Government with the support of UNICEF have allocated resources for capacity support and training of the Act with Social Welfare Officers and other stakeholders implicated for the delivery and implementation of the Act. Also, budgetary allocations have been tagged by the Children’s Development Division at the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) for continuous awareness of the Act at the planned outreached programmes hosted by the ministry. Further, the National Advisory and Action Committee on Children (NAACC) together with the Social Welfare Department with the support of UNICEF are currently supporting two Provinces in piloting the Child Protection system that is created in the Child and Family Welfare Act with the aim of strengthening the Child Welfare Mechanism in each of the province and establishing the linkage at the community level. The child and family welfare system policy is in the annual operation plan for 2018 review.

2.The 2010 National Children’s Policy and plan of actions is in the process of review now. It is anticipated that the revised policy will be available for implementation by 2018. In terms of schedule, the state perceived the long delay, as opportunity to integrate new issues and challenges that have affected children of Solomon Islands at the moment.

2.Please provide information on measures taken to establish and resource a Children’s Rights Commissioner capable of effectively dealing with complaints, violations and other issues involving children.

3.The state is yet to establish the position of child rights commissioner in the country, despite being raised as a recommendation for implementation in the past. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade have held some discussions with the Ombudsman office to explore areas on a way forward for collectively integrating the service under one Human Rights mechanism or service. Additional to this, this year, the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) has also factored into its work plan, opportunity to conduct feasibility study on establishing the Children’s Rights Commissioner. Some options that have been developed as hypothesis for investigations include:

(a)Parliament to confer additional powers to the existing Ombudsman office to deal with Children’s issues;

(b)Establish a Human Rights Commission with a Children’s department with additional investigative powers;

(c)Legislate the establishment of a new Commission;

(d)Social Welfare Department to play the role of Ombudsman office.

4.The state is hopeful that the outcome of this study will provide inform knowledge on ways to mainstreaming the Child Rights Commissioner with the proposed Human Rights Institution.

3.Please provide information on measures taken to harmonize the definition of the child in all relevant laws with the Convention, in particular measures taken to amend the Islanders Marriage Act, which allows for girls to marry at the age of 15 years.

5.The state in its efforts to harmonize the definition of child in its relevant laws has since defined child” as those below the age of 18. The following Acts define Child as 18 and below:

(a)Correctional Services Act 2007;

(b)Adoption Act 2004; Tobacco Control Act 2010;

(c)Evidence Act 2009;

(d)Immigration Act 2012;

(e)FPA 2014;

(f)Penal Code;

(g)Child and Family Welfare Act 2017.

6.The Government through consequential amendment to the Adoption Act of 2004 replaced the word “infant” in the 2004 Act with the word “child” as meaning a person who is under the age of 18. This shows the Government’s commitment to harmonize the definition of the child with the definition in the Convention.

7.The following legislation are either entirely or partially CRC-compliant:

(a)Correctional services Act 2007;

(b)Adoption Act 2004;

(c)Tobacco Control Act 2010;

(d)Evidence Act 2009;

(e)Immigration Act 2012;

(f)FPA 2014;

(g)Penal code;

(h)Child and Family Welfare Act 2017.

8.The Islander Marriage Act is still pending review, as efforts and resources being committed to the review of penal code.

4.Please provide updated information on measures undertaken to improve birth registration of children, such as the possibility of decentralizing civil registration functions to the provincial level.

9.The Civil Registration office at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has made significant measures to improve Birth Registration of Children. In addition with the support of UNICEF, South Pacific Commission and WHO with other stakeholders, the office has taken steps to review the laws so as to meet international standards including decentralising the functions of the CRO to the provincial office. Between January and June 2017, a total of 4,793 children under the age of one were registered, constituting about 50 per cent of the estimate newborn between January and June 2017 (about 9,660 children). As of June 2017, the overall rate of registration of children under the age of five remains about 40 per cent (36,947 of 91,581 children). As more registration of under 5 coming in from July to December 2017, the rate will definitely climb up as the denominator (91,581) will remain the same for the entire year.

10.The Civil Registration in the meantime in trying to have decentralize civil registration functions at the Provincial level, will be linking the system through the Solomon Islands Government internet connection with the Provincial Hospitals which will ensure that information and verification of birth information required for Birth registration is done through the data base system hence making services accessible and available for people at the Provincial level.

5.Please provide information on resources allocated to implement the Penal Code (Sexual offences) Act 2015 and Family Protection Act 2014, and on awareness-raising and other measures to combat domestic violence and physical abuse of children, including sexual abuse. Please also provide information on all measures taken to eradicate corporal punishment in all settings, including by not incorporating the “reasonable chastisement” defence in its draft Constitution.

11.The Law Reform Commission together with the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Cooperation has collaborated in airing information on laws to the public a week and this includes awareness on the Sexual offences and the Family Protection Act. The Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs in collaboration with all stakeholders jointly did awareness and training of trainers on the Family Protection Act in the national and sub-national. The family protection act has an advisory committee that oversee the family protection Act. A gender based violence coordinator and 2 officers are employed by the MHMS to oversee the Safe-Net referral which consisted of all service providers and there has been training of Health care workers on FPA. The Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs have allocated SBD$350, 000 in its development Budget for FPA related activities, whilst FPA awareness is mainstreamed through other joint programmes to provinces in the recurrent budget. It has established an EVAW and GEWD Coordinator to oversee training and awareness on FPA related activities through its revised EVAW & GEWD policies.

12.Corporal punishment is abolished in schools by the MEHRD. However nonviolent discipline is still practiced in schools and as reported in the DHS 2015 there is still evidence of psychological aggression. Teaching service handbook had code of conduct for teachers in dealing with students learning.

6.Please update the Committee on the measures taken to develop an alternative care policy and minimum standards of care and to establish a network of services, safe houses for children and a functioning social welfare workforce. Please also inform the Committee on the measures taken to regulate and monitor domestic and inter country adoption.

13.The state has established a national referral network (SAFENET) for Women and children victims of Gender base violence and has developed and trained staff on the minimum standard of care. Within the referral network one service provider the church is providing temporary safe house for victims. There has been discussion to expand this in the provincial level. The state is supporting the safe house with grants however the CFWA has set provision for community/alternate care whereby the director must establish forms and procedures for registration process which includes application, categories, approval, inspections, suspension and evaluation of service provider. The Ministry of health Gender base violence clinical guidelines 2017 provides referral form in all health facilities whereby any suspected child abuse to be reported to a police officer or a social welfare officer. One of the objectives of the CFWA 2017 is to provide legal basis to strengthen SWD.

14.The Adoption Act 2004 has been amended to include non-residence and inter country adoption as well as criteria for assessing adoption for both domestic and international cases.

7.Please indicate the steps that have been taken to eliminate discrimination and negative attitudes against children with disabilities and to facilitate their full inclusion into society. Please provide information on the measures implemented by the State party to ensure effective access by children with disabilities to health, inclusive education, social services and transport, particularly in the rural areas.

15.As captured in the DHS (2015) Report, the state has developed a National Disability Inclusive Development Policy and Plan of Action to promote effective service delivery to people with disabilities. This policy, together with the Plan of Action, incorporates many of the provisions in both the Incheon Strategy Making the Rights Real Framework for Action, and the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Person with Disability (UNCRPD), which is an indication of a government’s commitment to advancing the status of people with disabilities. These two documents provide the government with a solid framework from which to work together to build a society that is inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based for its entire people.

16.The National Health Strategic Plan (2016-2020) in its outcome eight (8) stated that all health facilities and services are accessible for people with disability. The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) is now into its final draft of the National Disability and Inclusive Education Policy, which would call for recognition of people with special needs into the regular school system. Also, awareness has been lodged with communities encouraging parents to send disable children to school. Classroom designs for schools too have been though of reviewing to cater for disabled children. In terms of teacher training and capacity development, MEHRD has also corresponded with Solomon Island National University to integrate courses/curriculum for children with special needs through its teacher training programmes. Further on national infrastructure projects, Ministry of Infrastructure Development has venture into plans and strategies to recognise universal access for people with special needs and participation of women and children on planned infrastructure projects. On support services arrangement, Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs through the Public Solicitor’s Office has recently established legal clinic for people living with disability. The recently amended penal Code (Sexual Offences) has raised the penalty for “Rape or indecent act” committed against person with significant disability.

8.Please inform the Committee of the steps taken to address malaria, diarrhoea, skin and respiratory infections, non-communicable and vaccine-preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, high level of STI, stunting, malnutrition, poor access to drinking water and sanitation and to increase support for mental health, exclusive breastfeeding, and sexual and reproductive health education and services for adolescents, including family planning, and safe abortion services.

Malaria, diarrhoea, skin & respiratory infections

17.The Solomon Islands government, in alliance with regional governments, through its Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme, is committed to intensifying malaria control efforts in order to eliminate malaria by 2030. The cost related to reducing cases of malaria is expected to be high, especially as the government programme is going through the malaria elimination phase in some provinces. TB and Malaria deaths were reduced by 66% in 2015 (Heath Information System). Furthermore, the Government through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has a specific programme, which looks after the management of childhood illnesses and have developed a standard treatment manual for children targeting all nurses, the first province has roll out the training and there is a sharp decline on malaria and diarrhoea cases in that particular province, the government is committed to further roll out the training to other provinces.

Non-communicable and vaccine preventable diseases

18.The Government of the Solomon Islands recognises the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) as the most important strategy to reduce sickness and death among children. The Policy was last reviewed in 2015 which has significant achievements and changes for EPI in Solomon Islands. This policy aims to improve infant, child and maternal survival and health by preventing, controlling or eliminating targeted vaccine preventable disease. Since 2016 the coverage of immunization has increased from 70% to 82% after a mop up campaign where health workers are taking the lead to do community outreach to do immunisation. In February 2015 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13-valent (PCV 13) was introduced into the national immunization programme to prevent diseases and reduce under-5 deaths due to pneumococcal bacteria. A Further milestone in line with the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategy was the introduction of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in September 2015. A Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine demonstration project in Honiara City and Isabel province targeting school age girls (9-12 years) was also introduced in 2015 to protect them against cervical cancer. With Support from WHO, an officer is now employed as a full time surveillance officer to oversee the whole program. There is also a National Vaccine Cold Chain Policy 2016 aim to comprise people, equipment and procedures that work together to maintain the correct storage temperature of expanded Programme on Immunization vaccines to ensure quality and safety. In 2014 and 2015 there was a measles and rubella outbreak and the government through the MHMS has successfully managed to contain it within 9 months.

HIV/AIDS, STI

19.MHMS is implementing the National strategic plan (2016-2020) for HIV and STIs to promote a multi-sectoral approach and national response to HIV and STI prevention. The MHMS has Compulsory test for pregnant mothers on HIV and STI, HIV unit has also Provide pre and post VCCT counselling for test and rapid testing.

20.MHMS has developed a national postpartum discharge standard to include screening for HIV and STI’s.

21.MHMS through the HIV unit has established the Solomon Island National AIDS council as a coordinating body to oversee the implementation of HIV/AIDS campaign nationally.

Stunting malnutrition

22.Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and MEHRD have collaborated to promote health education in schools, 18 schools has already been covered with the program, under that program there is a guideline for school canteen and food vendors to increase nutrition in schools and to avoid selling junk food. MHMS has engaged to review the national food security, food safety and nutrition policy which expired last year. Solomon Island food and dietary guideline has been reviewed and will be finalised in November this year. There is a manual for health workers and NGOs to assess infant and young children’s growth.

Access to drinking water/sanitation

23.Ministry of Health and Medical Services developed the 2014 RWASH (RURAL WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE) Policy to contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities and individuals through improved and appropriate WASH facilities and hygiene practices. Following the policy there is baseline study conducted nationwide the MHMS have developed a strategic plan (Rural water supply and sanitation and Health (2015-2020). Rural WASH coverage for the communities for water is 54%, hygiene 16%, sanitation 13% and management 13%.

24.There are development partners who are supporting the Government to provide WASH project in the National and Sub national.

25.MHMS through RWASH program launched a nationwide campaign to end open defecation, the campaign has improved from 15% to more than 80 %. 2/3 of the village have declared open defecation free. There is ongoing awareness and information campaigns and standardisation of IEC materials.

26.MHMS RWASH has developed a guide for community to manage and maintain water and WASH facilities. The guide also provides hygiene promotion for community members.

Support for mental health

27.The Government through the MHMS has reviewed the Mental Health Treatment Act 1972. It is in its final drafting process now. The Government also provide budget support to train an additional psychiatrist and ongoing support for general training and awareness for health workers, schools and community to take care of mental health patients including children.

Exclusive breastfeeding

28.The state has roll out the implementation of the National breastfeeding policy to ensure all mothers breastfeed their children up to six months.

29.There is a Baby friendly hospital policy to ensure all health centres are baby and child friendly. Under this policy a baby friendly clinic was established to provide health care for babies.

Sexual and reproductive health education and services for adolescent, family planning

30.MHMS has a youth friendly health services, a program that provides special place for adolescent to do Voluntary Confidential Counselling Test, counselling and STI treatment.

31.MEHRD has also embedded in the national curriculum sexual and reproductive health for schools. In collaboration with Honiara city council there is a pilot program for safe space in one of the school for an adolescent space.

32.The MHMS has developed a certified comprehensive family planning course which includes IUCD insertion/removal, counselling skills to eliminate fear of side effects, myths and misperception and under estimated risk of pregnancy.

9.Please indicate the steps that have been taken to address the low enrolment rates in primary and secondary school, particularly among girls, teachers’ low level of qualification and absenteeism, low literacy and English language level, as well as to facilitate children’s access to early childhood education, non-formal education programmes and ensure a better quality of education at all levels.

Low enrolment rates in primary and secondary school

33.MEHRD has embarked on the followings as key services to support gender parity at primary and secondary level of education; facilitate discharge of school grants, provide teaching and learning resources, fund and build dormitories especially for girls at senior secondary schools, support preparatory consultations for second chance education and built specialized classrooms at the Senior Secondary level. The gender parity for the school level in 2016 enrolment have been captured as follows; ECE (0.96), Primary (0.93), Junior Secondary (0.95) Senior Secondary (0.88). The GPI is high in the Senior Secondary level.

34.The services that the Ministry of Education provides to address the issue of gender balance is factored in the long term Strategic Plan 2016-2030 and the medium term National Education Action Plans for the period 2016-20, 2021-25 and 2026-30.

35.The gender parity shows not much issue in the enrolment of girls at ECE, Primary and Junior Secondary but the gap is wider at the senior secondary education level. National Inclusive and Disability Policy is in its final draft and awaits cabinet for final approval.

36.Registration of new Primary schools, expansion of primary schools to introduce year 7 (form 1) and expansion to year 10 (form 4), expansion to year 12 (form 6) and approval of schools to become boarding is on-going in different education authorities & provinces. There is almost 100% access transition rate from primary to year 7 and 75% access rate from year 9 to year 10 and 10% access rate from year 11 to year 12.

37.MEHRD and MHMS is working on the second chance Policy to cater for students especially girls to go back to school after being parent.

38.Addressing Basic-education access which is from Preparatory to year 9 for both genders is almost 100% addressed. MEHRD is working with EAs and schools to improve quality for this sector level.

39.A taskforce is being set to analyse strategically with the Provincial EAs & private EAs to map out the number of senior secondary schools with supported specialized infrastructures to address and improve the access rate for both genders.

Teachers low level of qualification and absenteeism

40.The entry level of qualification for Primary teachers in the Solomon Islands Education system is a certificate in primary Teaching and above, for secondary at least a diploma in Education and above. Current rate of qualification are as follows.

41.Trained and certified Teachers with right qualification 91% and untrained teacher personnel with no qualification 9%.

42.Teacher Training Division within MEHRD is currently conducting Certificate in Primary Teaching with the help of SINU and USP to have final cohort of few remaining provinces.

43.The teacher absenteeism is planned to be addressed under school management in the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2016-2020.

44.NEAP 2016-2020 F.1.2.4 output outline the Inspectorate has conducted compliance checks in 90 schools throughout the country in the first and second Term of the year. This was the first time Inspectors are involved in checking teachers and student attendance/ absenteeism separately as an activity. Compliance visit Reports are compiled and reported back to all responsible EAs and copied Teaching Service Division for their decision. The prepared 200 schools for compliance check in all the Provinces (this year) will happen in October /November before school closed. Again, reports will be compiled and forwarded to all responsible Education Authority for their respond and actions through the process.

45.Education Authorities are taking responsibility to monitor schools and proper communication and improvement is currently emerging from the Ministry of Education, Education Authorities and Schools regarding the issue of teachers’ absenteeism.

Low literacy and English language level

46.The establishment of the Literacy Program Management Unit (LPMU) in MEHRD to address the issues of low literacy and English language level. The National Literacy School Policy is currently implemented by LPMU to schools in the country. English syllabus is currently in reviewed as well.

47.Vernacular Language and English Language Policy is in its fifth year of implementation stage. 20 schools in both Sa’a and Arosi Languages have been piloted from Pre-Primary to Year 3. The program will be evaluated and slowly mainstream to schools in future. This program set to build strong foundation for children to be able to learn better before learning foreign language.

48.Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority Act Passed by Parliament to manage and quality assure TVET and Higher Education programs including scholarships.

10.Please provide information on the participation of children in the review of the National Disaster Management Plan and measures taken to develop a child and disaster sensitive comprehensive social protection system, including climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the school curriculum and strengthen child-sensitive natural disaster and emergency responses.

49.The State National Disaster Management plan is still in the process of review and finalization. In the process of putting together the plan, there was no participation of children, as the planning was sort of centralised practice. However, in the effort, to bridge disaster sensitive programmes with school children, MEHRD has helped to develop an Education in Emergency Policy and a Manual. This policy is aligned with the draft National disaster management Plan and it is implemented on the temporary learning space during disaster. As part of the emergency policy, schools have been called upon to have disaster emergency / contingency plan for their schools.

11.Please inform the Committee of the measures taken to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and in particular on measures taken to prohibit child labour and sexual exploitation in logging, tourism and the fishing industry.

50.The state has ratified Convention 182, as support treaty for child labour. Provisions of the treaty have not been mainstreamed much as they are not compatible with our domestic laws. Implementation of the treaty, however, as noted, is done through work activities of sectors implicated on child labour. Under the Ministry of Commerce, Immigration, Labour and Industries (MCILI), the state has established an Anti-Human Trafficking Action Committee (ATAC) to monitor and arrest trafficking cases that occurred between these industry and extraction sites. Additional to this, ATAC have also lodged separate outreached programmes to the sites, which mainly revolved around awareness and campaign against Commercial Sexual Exploitation on Children (CSEC). Following these interventions, the state has recorded its first case of child trafficking trialled through our judicial system.

51.The newly passed Child and Family Welfare Act (CFWA) have also been developed to stand with the state on issues of child labour. The Act has definitions crafted within to protect children working in hazardous environment and commercial sexual exploitation. Additional to this, Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) through the National Advisory and Action Committee (NAACC) on children has also embarked on finalizing its CRC Parallel Report (OPS2) for cabinet endorsement. Once, this is ratified, it means the state will have another international legislation to support its campaign against child labour and commercial sexual exploitation on children.

52.Social Welfare Division at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has also engaged in awareness raising specifically on CSEC at established communities around logging camps. This is using the IEC materials that have been developed by the Child Protection Committee, which mainly draw in involvement of government institutions.

12.Please provide information on steps taken to raise the age of criminal responsibility to an internationally accepted standard, to review the Juveniles Offenders Act, to provide special training for judges in juvenile justice matters as well as for all relevant actors, and to enforce the principle of detention as a last resort. Please also inform on the steps taken to prioritise cases involving children and to keep them separated from adults in detention centres and police stations.

53.The Solomon Islands Government is reviewing its Juvenile Justice Act and within the draft revised law the age of Criminal responsibility has been raised from 8 years to 12 years. The Magistrate’s courts are also developing a Protocol on Juvenile Justice for Magistrates which seeks to meet the different international standards set out in the CRC, Beijing Rules and other relevant guidelines and standards.

54.The magistrate court has established juvenile court for juvenile offenders, as one of its support facilities. The service, however, at this juncture is just being centralised in Honiara, but our dream ahead is to mainstream this into provincial centres. In cases where a juvenile, is being referred for detention, the responsibility is often placed in the care and collaborations of Police and Correctional Service institutions. Our Correctional Service Institutions have separate transport arrangements and cells for juvenile offenders. Attached to these arrangements, there are other interesting juvenile friendly programmes offered at the cell premises for juvenile offenders. Also SWD have planned programme of fortnight visits to juvenile cell to monitor the welfare of juvenile offenders and to advocate for legal representation in court.

Part 2

13.The Committee invites the State party to provide a brief update (no more than three pages) on the information presented in its report with regard to:

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

Child and Family Act

55.The child and family welfare bill has been passed in February 2017. The act provides provision for the welfare and protection of children and, in particular, to; strengthen families and promote the wellbeing of children; make provision for families and communities to receive advice and support in caring for their children; and make provision for children who are in need of care and protection. The implementation plan for the act has been piloted in the first two provinces.

Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual Offences) Act 2016

Adoption Act 2004

56.Adoption Act 2004 has been amended to be compatible with the CFWA and was in passed in 2017. The Act has set standards and criteria for prospective adoptive parents and must be assessed by a social welfare officer.

Juvenile Offenders Act

57.The juvenile offenders act is now in its final draft of review. The Act has taken into consideration the provisions to be utilised in juvenile justice situations, a separate detention facility, a diversion or recognised diversion practices and exists for rehabilitation.

58.The age of criminal responsibility has been raised from 8 to 12 years. It also has provision for juvenile friendly facilities.

Islanders Marriage Act

59.The Act is pending review.

Affiliation, Separation and Maintenance Act

60.The Act is pending review.

Family Protection Act

61.The Act is now enforced; enforcement officers and court actors have been trained on their responsibility to implement the Act.

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

62.No new institution established as yet.

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

63.SI National Population policy 2017.

64.SI National Development Strategy 2016-2035.

(d)Recent ratifications of human rights instruments.

65.Solomon Islands has not ratified any new convention or treaty as yet.

Part 3

Data, statistics and other information, if available

14.Please provide updated information for the past three years on the budget lines regarding children in the fields of education, health, social services and child protection, by indicating the percentage of each budget line in terms of the total national budget and the gross domestic product. In addition, please clarify whether there is a budget specifically for the implementation of the Convention.

(a)Budget lines for education, health, social services and child protection

15.Please provide for the past three years updated data, disaggregated by age, sex, socioeconomic background, ethnic origin and geographic location, on the number of children including those living in remote communities and the outlying islands:

(a)Separated from their parents; Information not available;

(b)Placed in institutions;

66.(We only have 1 intuition but it is only for short term stay (2 weeks).

(c)Placed with foster families; (Source: SIDHS 2015);

Percentage of households with orphans and foster children under 18 years of age	Urban	Rural	Total
Foster children	28.7	28.6	28.6
Double orphans	0.9	0.7	0.7
Single orphans 2	5.1	4.7	4.8
Foster and/or orphan children	31.1	30.6	30.7
Number of households	850	4 192	5 042

Source : High court registrar .

Note : Table is based on de jure household members, i.e., usual residents.

1 Foster children are those under age 18 living in households with neither their mother nor their father present.

2 Includes children with one dead parent and an unknown survival status of the other parent.

(d)Adopted domestically or through intercountry adoptions.

Year	Domestically adoption	Intercountry adoption
2016	6 case	2 case
2015	4 case	1 case
2014	1 case	1 case

Source : High court registrar .

16.Please provide data, disaggregated by age, sex, type of disability, ethnic origin and geographic location, for the past three years, on the number of children with disabilities in all areas of the State Party:

(a)Living with their families;

67.Information not available.

(b)Living in institutions;

68.Information not available.

(c)Attending regular primary schools; (Source:MEHRD);

(d)Attending regular secondary schools;

(e)Attending special schools;

69.The MEHRD is yet to have early intervention centre in collaboration with MHMS to detect types of disability in schools.

(f)Out of school:

70.Information not available.

(g)Abandoned by their families.

71.Information not available.

17.Please provide data, disaggregated by age, sex, residence and type of offence, for the past three years, on the number of children:

(a)Diverted from the juvenile justice system;

72.Diversion program is not captured under the existing Juvenile Offender Act (JOA), but it’s a system still to be exploited and introduced.

(b)In pre-trial detention; (refer to responses in (d));

(c)In post-trial detention;

73.Under the existing, Juvenile Offenders Act, there is legal obligation for juveniles to be separated from adult offenders.

(d)Criminally sentenced and their sentences.

74.Currently, there are less than 10 cases that are active in the Magistrate Court. Most offenders are remanded in custody, whilst a few are on bail. The common charge against them is either burglary or house break in. Most of these juveniles are repeated offenders and have breached court orders in the past. Less than 20 offenders are under warrants of arrest. Penalties/sentencing has been imposed as accordance to section 16 of the JOA.

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

75.SI Demography Health Survey 2015.

76.MEHRD Performance Assessment Report 2015-2016.

19.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.

77.Cyber bullying.

78.Social media.