____________________________ moving from aspirations to impact ____________________________ NGO Shadow Report on CRC Maldives a Supplementary Report to the Combined First and Second Periodic State Report co-ordinated by Hama Jamiyya and Care Society with funding from UNICEF August 2006 Table of Contents Table of Contents.................................................................................i Introduction.......................................................................................1 Objectives ..........................................................................................1 Report Structure.................................................................................1 Acknowledgements ............................................................................1 Acronyms...........................................................................................2 General Comments on the State Report ................................................3 Reporting Practice ..............................................................................4 Recommendations..............................................................................5 I. General Measures of Implementation................................................7 Reservations.......................................................................................7 Conforming Legislation, Policies and Practices .....................................8 Status of Convention in Domestic Law.................................................8 Remedies for CR C-Rights Violations....................................................9 National Strategy for Children.............................................................9 Mechanisms for CRC Implementation and Monitoring..........................9 Independent Body to Promote and Protect Child Rights...................... 10 Systematic Data Collection and Research............................................ 10 Civil Society Partnerships and Mechanisms to Monitor Progress......... 12 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of Children ............................... 13 Budgetary Trends............................................................................. 17 CRC Education................................................................................. 18 Children’s Participation in CRC Education......................................... 19 Public Dissemination of CRC Reports..... Error! Bookmark not defined. Recommendations............................................................................ 19 i II. Definitions of the Child ................................................................ 21 Recommendations............................................................................ 31 III. General Principles ....................................................................... 32 Non-Discrimination.......................................................................... 32 Recommendations............................................................................ 36 Best Interests of the Child.................................................................. 37 The Right to Survival, Life and Development ..................................... 39 Respect for the Views of the Child ..................................................... 43 IV. Civil Rights and Freedoms........................................................... 45 Name and Nationality....................................................................... 45 Preservation of Identity..................................................................... 47 Freedom of Expression ...................................................................... 47 Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion ................................... 48 Recommendations............................................................................ 49 Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly ................................. 50 Protection of Privacy......................................................................... 50 Recommendations............................................................................ 50 Access to Appropriate Information .................................................... 51 Recommendations............................................................................ 51 The Right Not to be Subjected to Torture or Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment...................................................................................... 51 Recommendations............................................................................ 52 V. Family Environment and Alternative Care ...................................... 54 Parental Guidance ............................................................................ 54 Parental Responsibilities ................................................................... 54 Separation from Parents.................................................................... 54 Recommendations............................................................................ 55 ii Family Reunification......................................................................... 56 Recovery of Maintenance for the Child............................................... 56 Children Deprived of their Family Environment................................. 56 Recommendations............................................................................ 57 Adoption ......................................................................................... 57 Periodic Review of Placement............................................................ 57 Abuse and Neglect, including Physical and Psychological Recovery and Social Integration ........................................................................................................ 57 Recommendations............................................................................ 58 VI. Basic Health and Welfare ............................................................. 59 Disabled Children............................................................................. 59 Health and Health Services ............................................................... 59 HIV/AIDS ........................................................................................ 60 Recommendations............................................................................ 60 Social Services, Childcare Services and Facilities................................. 61 Standard of Living............................................................................ 61 VII. Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities.................................... 62 Education including Vocational Training and Guidance...................... 62 Recommendations............................................................................ 63 Aims of Education ............................................................................ 63 Annex 1: News and Views................................................................ 64 DRUG ABUSE.................................................................................. 64 Child Abuse..................................................................................... 76 Sex................................................................................................... 82 Crime .............................................................................................. 86 Socio-Economic Situation .................................................................. 89 Resources Consulted......................................................................... 93 iii Annex 2: Report on Detained Minors ................................................ 94 Annex 3: Fieldwork Report............................................................... 97 Annex 4: Profiles........................................................................... 105 iv Introduction The NGO Shadow Report on the First and Second Combined State Report on the Implementation of CRC in the Maldives, a critical review of the State Report undertaken by Hama Jamiyya and Care Society, drawing upon consultations with children and community leaders in selected fieldwork areas, and the first-hand experiences and collective experience of a number of civil society members. Available data and secondary resources on children’s issues in the Maldives, related to the CRC, and child rights in the Maldives were consulted. Objectives The objectives of this collective effort are: § To provide the UN CRC Committee with information supplementary to the State Report, § To facilitate full and effective implementation of CRC in the Maldives leading to significant and substantive changes with regards to the rights of the child in the next five years, § To motivate local NGOs to monitor CRC implementation, and hold the state responsible for an accountable, inclusive, result-oriented and rights-based approach to CRC implementation, and § To contribute to making CRC-related aspirations a reality. Report Structure The main body of the NGO Shadow Report identifies issues and gaps in the State Report and provides issue-specific recommendations. Annexes to complete the picture are included as follows: Annex 1: News and Views in the Media Annex 2: Records on Minors in Detention (courtesy of Detainee Network) Annex 3: Profiles of Hama Jamiyya and Care Society Acknowledgements Aishath Velezinee and Ahmed Muizzu of Hama Jamiyya, and Fathimath Afiya of Care Society, co-ordinated the project, and drafted the NGO Shadow Report. Fathimath