Newsroom
Child protection conference in Tajikistan ends with draft Action Plan
DUSHANBE 13 July 2001
DUSHANBE, 13 July 2001 (OSCE) - A three-day conference on child protection ended yesterday in Tajikistan. The conference, which focused on agreements on recommendations and the basic content of a draft National Plan of Action for Children, was initiated by the Tajik Government and supported by the OSCE and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The idea to hold this conference, the first forum of its kind in Central Asia, followed recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to the Government of Tajikistan. It is the first real action that targets children issues in the country.
The event was attended by more than 150 participants, including representatives from the country's President's office, Parliament, courts, the prosecutor's offices, all relevant ministries, local authorities, international organizations, local non-governmental organizations, as well as youth and children organizations and the media. They were divided into four working groups, which discussed issues related to survival, development, protection and participation.
During the plenary sessions and the group discussions, the participants discussed a wide range of issues related to child protection in Tajikistan, in particular concerning regulations on birth registration; violence against children alternative care; adoption; state policy and practice concerning disabled children; the state programme on family planning; adolescent health; education; rights of children-refugees; drug addiction among children; family reunification; child labour; sexual exploitation of children; juvenile justice; and rehabilitation of children in the post-conflict period. Special attention was paid to the problem of land mines in the border regions of Tajikistan, and the danger that they represent to children.
The children and youth that participated for the first time at such an event, were very active and not afraid of making proposals and asking questions that were not always very pleasant to the adult conference participants. They also read out an Appeal of the Tajik children to the Special Session of the United Nations.
As a result of the conference, the participants adopted basic parts of a draft National Plan of Action for Children, which reflected the main problems of children in Tajikistan and outlines concrete measures aimed at solving these problems. This Action Plan will be finished and submitted to the Tajik Government for final adoption by the National Commission on Child Protection, which is expected will be established in the next few weeks.
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For more information please contact Oleg Semenenko, Human Dimension Officer, tel. +(992-372) 24 58 79 or 21 40 63, satellite tel. + 873 682 322-495 or -012, e-mail [email protected].
The idea to hold this conference, the first forum of its kind in Central Asia, followed recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to the Government of Tajikistan. It is the first real action that targets children issues in the country.
The event was attended by more than 150 participants, including representatives from the country's President's office, Parliament, courts, the prosecutor's offices, all relevant ministries, local authorities, international organizations, local non-governmental organizations, as well as youth and children organizations and the media. They were divided into four working groups, which discussed issues related to survival, development, protection and participation.
During the plenary sessions and the group discussions, the participants discussed a wide range of issues related to child protection in Tajikistan, in particular concerning regulations on birth registration; violence against children alternative care; adoption; state policy and practice concerning disabled children; the state programme on family planning; adolescent health; education; rights of children-refugees; drug addiction among children; family reunification; child labour; sexual exploitation of children; juvenile justice; and rehabilitation of children in the post-conflict period. Special attention was paid to the problem of land mines in the border regions of Tajikistan, and the danger that they represent to children.
The children and youth that participated for the first time at such an event, were very active and not afraid of making proposals and asking questions that were not always very pleasant to the adult conference participants. They also read out an Appeal of the Tajik children to the Special Session of the United Nations.
As a result of the conference, the participants adopted basic parts of a draft National Plan of Action for Children, which reflected the main problems of children in Tajikistan and outlines concrete measures aimed at solving these problems. This Action Plan will be finished and submitted to the Tajik Government for final adoption by the National Commission on Child Protection, which is expected will be established in the next few weeks.
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For more information please contact Oleg Semenenko, Human Dimension Officer, tel. +(992-372) 24 58 79 or 21 40 63, satellite tel. + 873 682 322-495 or -012, e-mail [email protected].