Committee on Rights of the Child begins review of report of Chad

AFTERNOON
HR/CRC/99/30
27 May 1999



Government Delegation Cites Numerous Problems, Including Poverty, Past Political Instability, and Harmful Traditional Practices


The Committee on the Rights of the Child began consideration this afternoon of an initial report from Chad and was told by a Government delegation that the country faced numerous obstacles to improving the circumstances of its children, including poverty, years of political instability, and cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and corporal punishment.

The delegation also reported that there was a high rate of illiteracy, a Government hamstrung by a structural-adjustment programme intended to repay foreign debt, and a shortage of housing and child-care facilities.

Limane Mahamat, the Chadian Minister of Justice who introduced the report, also pointed to progress, such as extensive Constitutional human-rights protections, a National Programme of Action for Chadian children, recent increased hiring of teachers and health professionals, and establishment of a centre to care for children in conflict with the law.

Discussion over the course of the afternoon focused on the general topics of basic measures for implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; legal definitions related to children; and anti-discrimination efforts.

As one of 191 States parties to the Convention, Chad is obligated to submit periodic summaries on its efforts to improve the circumstances and protect the rights of children. Government delegations generally appear before the panel to discuss these reports and to answer questions.

In addition to Mr. Mahamat, the Chadian delegation consisted of Djonata Djatto, Counsellor for Administrative Affairs, Jurisprudence, and Human Rights of the Office of the Prime Minister; Kaguer Darbo, Director of Judicial Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Motoyam Nanitom, Director of Child Protection of the Ministry of Justice; and Antoine Turzi, future Honorary Consul of Chad in Switzerland.

The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m on Friday, 28 May, to continue its review of the report of Chad.

Initial report of Chad

The report (CRC/C/3/Add.50) reviews implementation of the Convention on an article-by-article basis. The introduction cites a number of steps taken to enhance children's rights, including development of a National Programme of Action for Chadian children; a National Coordination and Supervision Committee to oversee its implementation; sectoral consultations on education and job-related training; and a general education conference held in 1994.

The introduction also remarks, "the Government acknowledges its fundamental duty to protect children, especially in difficult circumstances, who have long been left aside by the authorities as a result of political instability" but notes "there is only a handful of support structures for children in difficult circumstances" and remarks that initial proposals to aid children had not been fulfilled "because, for a number of years, the country has undergone a series of crises characterized by the stifling of liberties, political instability and an infernal circle of violence which has disrupted the machinery of the Government, the economy, and all socio-economic infrastructures."

Numerous problems plague the country and its children, the report contends, including Chad's status as one of the poorest countries in the world, with a gross national product per capita of $ 220 in 1992; sharp restrictions on Government spending in keeping with structural-adjustment provisions meant to repay foreign debt; heavy migration from rural areas to cities; a "pandemic" of HIV/AIDS; shortages of housing, medical, and rehabilitation facilities; a high level of illiteracy; no juvenile courts or magistrates; and customs and traditions in violation of the Convention, including corporal punishment in families and female genital mutilation.

Introduction of report

LIMANE MAHAMAT, Minister of Justice of Chad, said the population of Chad was predominantly rural and was living in one of the poorest countries in the world; there had been civil war and then, from 1982 through 1990, a repressive dictatorship. Since then, the country had dedicated itself to democracy and development.

Mr. Mahamat outlined the contents of the report, noting that the Government, unable to focus in the document on all aspects of implementation of the Convention, had paid attention to such matters as non-discrimination measures; civil liberties; protection and enhancement of the family environment; health concerns related, among other things, to survival and development of children; child refugees; administration of justice for minors; and steps to combat exploitation of children, child labour, sexual abuse, and trafficking in children.

The Chadian Constitution had a chapter fully devoted to fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights of the child, Mr. Mahamat said; among other recent steps taken to protect children, the age of military recruitment had been set at 18. The country had great will to improve matters, but the struggle only would succeed with the continued help of international agencies; among others, Chad was extremely grateful to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The Government recently had begun training programmes for professionals working with children and for juvenile judges, and was establishing a "safeguard centre" for children in conflict with the law, Mr. Mahamat said.

Discussion

The delegation responded to a number of questions. Discussion focused on the general topics of basic measures for implementation of the Convention; legal definitions related to children; and anti-discrimination efforts.

Mr. MAHAMAT said, among other things, that since 1998 the Government budget for child-related programmes had been increased significantly, as had the budget for family matters; and that the considerable linguistic diversity in Chad made dissemination of the Convention difficult, but that the document had been translated into five languages and hence was now accessible to the majority of Chadians.

Education and health had been made priority sectors for Government efforts, he said; in addition a new law had been passed to set up a justice system for minors.

There was a serious unemployment problem in Chad, Mr. Mahamat said; structural-readjustment measures had not helped; the largest employer was the State, and because of structural adjustment there had been a Government hiring freeze. The private sector was not very highly developed. Nonetheless efforts were made every year to hire more teachers and health professionals.

Teaching people -- including children -- about their rights and the recourse available to them if their rights were violated was difficult in part because of the high level of illiteracy in the country, he said; that was one reason the Government was placing such a high emphasis on education.

Most international aid went towards programmes to help children, Mr. Mahamat said -- that was the inclination both of the Government and of international agencies and donor countries.

A number of seminars had been held to reduce reticence or opposition among traditional chieftains to provisions of the Convention; for example, tribal leaders found it difficult to grant much independence of thought or opinion to children.

In traditional culture, boys were considered more important than girls, Mr. Mahamat said; the result was numerous instances of discrimination against girls; this attitude was not supported by the State, but it was hard to change deeply rooted and long-standing attitudes. Girls were allowed to marry at 15, boys at 18, but a bill to be submitted would set the minimum age at 18 for both sexes.

A Children's Code should soon be adopted, he said; it would contain more specific and useful provisions, while the current Family Code focused more on standard civil and political rights.

There was no structure or system set up to allow children to lodge complaints of abuse or maltreatment, he said; the prevailing opinion was that complaints were to be lodged by adults.

MOTOYAM NANITOM, Director of Child Protection of the Ministry of Justice of Chad, said, among other things, that there was a law which prohibited various aspects of sexual discrimination, including female genital mutilation, but implementing it had been difficult and not many had been punished under the measure.