ADDITIONAL REPORT ON THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ADDITIONS, COMMENTS AND PROPOSALS BY NGOs IN ESTONIA TALLINN 2015 INTRODUCTION In 2014, the Republic of Estonia submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child its third and fourth periodic report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child based on the activities in 2003–2011 and the statistics on this period. According to the population census, at the beginning of 2012 there were 246 346 children in Estonia, making up slightly over 18% of the population. Compared to ten years ago, the number of children has decreased by approximately 17% (this fact should also be taken into account with regard to statistical changes covered in this report). Today, family life is faced with several new challenges. People need to cope with new risks in society (unemployment and working far away from home, poverty, social exclusion), dissipation of social support networks, diversification of norms and value systems, overall individualisation of society. According to the Estonian Human Development Report 2012–2013, some unreasonably large disparities in society are hidden behind Estonia’s excellent average indicators – be it regional differentiations, gender gaps or differences between Estonians and other ethnic groups. This report on implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been drawn up under the coordination of the Estonian Union for Child Welfare in cooperation with the following larger sectoral NGOs: the Estonian Human Rights Centre, the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People, the Estonian National Youth Council, the Estonian School Students Councils’ Union, Together for Children (Koos Laste Heaks) (legal successor of UNICEF Estonia National Committee since 2015), the Estonian Children’s Fund, the Child Advocacy Chamber (unites different sectoral non-profit associations), the Estonian Patient Advocacy Association, the Estonian LGBT Association, SOS Children’s Village Association of Estonia, EAPN Estonia, the Estonian Institute of Human Rights. Various consultations with sectoral experts, including representatives from Tallinn University, Tartu University and the Ombudsman for Children. The Estonian Union for Child Welfare coordinated drawing up of the report: the substantive analysis was compiled by Helika Saar, and the report was edited by Malle Hallimäe, Marie Tammsaar, Kiira Gornischeff, Helen Karu. Consultations for preparing the report began in 2009, the substantive analysis was carried out from March to September 2015. Various surveys and interviews were carried out in 2013–2015 in Estonian and Russian, involving also vulnerable groups (children in substitute homes, children with disabilities, young offenders, children from less well-off families). The report was drawn up in line with the handbook published by the Child Rights Connect „The Reporting Cycle of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (a guide for NGOs and NHRIs)“ and follows Estonia’s 2014 third and fourth periodic report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The substantive part of the report is divided in nine chapters, following exactly the numbering of subdivisions in the national report. After each article or a group of articles covering a similar issue, proposals for changing or revising the current situation have been given (the text in italics). Attached to the report as a separate document is the bibliography of the literature on which the text as a whole is based. Official contact information: Estonian Union for Child Welfare (MTÜ Lastekaitse Liit) Endla 6-18, 10142, Tallinn, Estonia Reg no: 80013442 E-post: [email protected]; [email protected] www.lastekaitseliit.ee 2 Table of Contents 1. GENERAL MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTATION (Articles 4, 42 and 44 para 6) ....................... 7 1.1 Bringing Estonian legislation in conformity with the Convention (Article 4). New laws and amendments to laws ......................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Implementation of the Convention in case-law ......................................................................... 7 1.3 International agreements ............................................................................................................ 7 1.4 Coordination of national actions ................................................................................................ 8 1.5 Institution exercising supervision over the rights of the child ................................................... 9 1.6 Collection of data ....................................................................................................................... 9 1.7 Preparation of the report and cooperation with civil society organisations ............................. 10 1.7.1 Preparation of the report ....................................................................................................... 10 1.7.2 Cooperation with civil society organisations ........................................................................ 10 1.8 Allocation of state funds .......................................................................................................... 10 1.8.2 Support to child protection work .......................................................................................... 10 1.10 Introducing the Convention (Article 42) ................................................................................ 12 2. DEFINITION OF THE CHILD (Article 1) ................................................................................... 13 2.1.1. Marriage and consent in sexual relationship ........................................................................ 13 2.1.3. Child as party to proceedings ............................................................................................... 13 2.1.4. Succession capacity and capacity in property law ............................................................... 13 2.1.5 Alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances ................................................................................ 14 3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES .............................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Non-discrimination (Article 2)................................................................................................. 14 3.1.1 Gender equality and equal treatment .................................................................................... 14 3.1.2 Penal Code ............................................................................................................................ 15 3.2 Right to life, survival and development (Article 6) ................................................................. 16 3.2.1 Suicides ................................................................................................................................. 16 3.2.2 Abortion ................................................................................................................................ 17 3.3. Right to express one’s views (Article 12) and the principle of the best interests of the child 17 3.3.1 Participation of children in decision-making ........................................................................ 17 4. CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS .............................................................................................. 19 4.1 Registration of birth, name and nationality (Article 7) ............................................................ 19 4.1.3 Acquisition of citizenship...................................................................................................... 19 4.2 Preservation of identity (Article 8) .............................................................................................. 19 4.2.2 Citizenship ............................................................................................................................ 20 4.3 Freedom of expression and access to appropriate information (Articles 13 and 17) ............... 20 4.6 Protection of privacy (Article 16) ............................................................................................ 21 4.7 Right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 37a) ............................................................................................................... 22 3 4.7.1 Prohibition of physical punishment of children .................................................................... 22 4.7.2 Protection of the rights of minor victims and witnesses in the course of proceedings ......... 23 5. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND ALTERNATIVE CARE .......................................................... 23 5.1 Parental responsibilities (Article 5 and Article 18 para 1 and 2) ............................................. 23 5.2 Parental guidance and support (Article 5) ................................................................................ 23 5.2.1 Family policy ........................................................................................................................ 24 5.3 Separation of child from parents (Article 9) ............................................................................ 24 5.4 Family reunification (Article 10) ............................................................................................. 25 5.6