ID :
201935
Wed, 08/17/2011 - 15:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/201935
The shortlink copeid
STATELESS CHILDREN SHOULD BE GRANTED ACCESS TO FREE HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Stateless children should be given access
to free healthcare and education in the country they live in, Vice Chair of the
United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Professor Yanghee
Lee, said.
She said that denying a child these basic needs is violating their rights as
a human, as outlined in the CRC, whether or not the child is a citizen or
stateless.
Lee said the problems of stateless children are a global issue, and many
countries have started issuing special documentation to allow them access to
healthcare and education in the country they live.
"Regardless of whether or not the children will be able to get citizenship
in future, it is pertinent that their existence is recognized and the government
issues them some form of documentation that allows them access to education and
healthcare," she said in response to a question at the “Children As Citizens
Today: Adapting the CRC to a New Century” dialogue here Wednesday.
The dialogue was jointly organised by the United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) and Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), and
attended by 19 editors from the print and electronic media in the country.
Lee said that children should also be given greater opportunity to be
involved in the decision-making process in matters that affect them.
The child’s right to be heard was also enshrined in Article 12 of the CRC,
but despite that she said it was often violated and remained one of the biggest
challenges since the CRC was adopted in 1978.
She said the child’s right to be heard should involve all administrative and
legal proceedings, including school decisions, administrative placement
decisions, and adoption decisions.
Lee also added that the Draft Optional Protocol, which provides
communications procedures for children’s rights violation is expected to be
tabled and adopted by the United Nations during its General Assembly in New York
next month.
"Whereas children have a human rights treaty concerned with their rights,
they were not accorded any mechanism to file complaints for breaches and
violations of their rights to the international monitoring body," she said.
to free healthcare and education in the country they live in, Vice Chair of the
United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Professor Yanghee
Lee, said.
She said that denying a child these basic needs is violating their rights as
a human, as outlined in the CRC, whether or not the child is a citizen or
stateless.
Lee said the problems of stateless children are a global issue, and many
countries have started issuing special documentation to allow them access to
healthcare and education in the country they live.
"Regardless of whether or not the children will be able to get citizenship
in future, it is pertinent that their existence is recognized and the government
issues them some form of documentation that allows them access to education and
healthcare," she said in response to a question at the “Children As Citizens
Today: Adapting the CRC to a New Century” dialogue here Wednesday.
The dialogue was jointly organised by the United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) and Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), and
attended by 19 editors from the print and electronic media in the country.
Lee said that children should also be given greater opportunity to be
involved in the decision-making process in matters that affect them.
The child’s right to be heard was also enshrined in Article 12 of the CRC,
but despite that she said it was often violated and remained one of the biggest
challenges since the CRC was adopted in 1978.
She said the child’s right to be heard should involve all administrative and
legal proceedings, including school decisions, administrative placement
decisions, and adoption decisions.
Lee also added that the Draft Optional Protocol, which provides
communications procedures for children’s rights violation is expected to be
tabled and adopted by the United Nations during its General Assembly in New York
next month.
"Whereas children have a human rights treaty concerned with their rights,
they were not accorded any mechanism to file complaints for breaches and
violations of their rights to the international monitoring body," she said.
