Respect/violation of rights of children living in institutions

1. Respect/violation of rights of children living in institutions Dr. Maria Herczog CRC Committee on the Rights of the Child member EUROCHILD President

2. UN CRC on violence and alternative care UN Study on Violence 2006 – its impact on the implementation of the CRC (concerning alternative care pp. 299, 5-59. p) Implementation Handbook on the the Rights of the Child UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children(64/142, 24 Feb.2010) General Comment 13 (February 2011) on the Right of the child from all forms of violence

3. UN CRC on violence and alternative care Art. 2 on respect and ensure the rights of the child without any discrimination irrespective of the child or parent’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status. State parties should provide protection against discrimination

4. UN CRC on violence and alternative care Art. 16. on right to privacy, family and right to be protected by the law and the state Art. 18. Parents are the primary caregivers and they have the responsibility to ensure the proper upbringing and development of their children. State parties have to support in all possible ways parents to fulfill their tasks and provide the needed services, facilities to do so.

5. UN CRC on violence and alternative care Art. 19. States Parties shell take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical, or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.

6. UN CRC on violence and alternative care States have the responsibility to prevent, establish necessary services, provisions of detecting, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment, follow up, if necessary judicial involvement.

7. Violence in alternative care/institutions • Placement into institutions as a form of violence • Assessment, review, parent contact, family support and the lack of it • Emotional abuse – needs, education, rehabilitation • Physical abuse, corporal punishment – by care takers, staff members, children, bullying • Sexual abuse – by care takers, staff members, children • Special needs groups of children at high risk – disabled children, minority, refugee, unaccompanied, separated • Children under certain age (3?,6?,10?) – what are they doing there and why?

8. UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children Resolution adopted by the General Assembly (64/142., 24 February 2010) – supporting the implementation of UN CRC, monitoring and evaluation of it B/12. Children must be treated with dignity and respect at all times and must benefit from effective protection from abuse, neglect, and all forms of exploitation, whether on the part of care providers, peers or third parties, in whatever case setting they may find themselves.

9. UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children B/13. Removal of a child from the care of a family should be seen as a last resort and should, wherever possible, be temporary and for the shortest possible duration. B/14 Financial and material poverty, or conditions directly and uniquely imputable to such poverty, should never be the only justification for the removal of a child from parental care…but should be seen as a signal for the need to provide appropriate support to the family

10. General Comment no. 13 (2011) “No violence against children is justifiable, all violence against children is preventable” (UN Study on Violence against Children) It guides State Parties in understanding their obligations under Art.19 of the Convention to prohibit, prevent and respond to all forms of violence against children Ombudsman should take all steps needed to monitor and follow up the implementation in all settings