United Nations CRC/C/EST/2-4 Convention on the Distr.: General 30 April 2015 Rights of the Child Original: English English, French and Spanish only Committee on the Rights of the Child Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention Combined second, third and fourth periodic reports of States parties due in 2008 Estonia* [Date received: 30 April 2013] * The present document is being issued without formal editing. GE.15-08619 (E) CRC/C/EST/2-4 Contents Paragraphs Page Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1–5 4 1. General measures of implementation (Articles 4, 42 and 44 (6)) ............................ 6–124 5 1.1. Bringing Estonian legislation into conformity with Articles of the Convention (Article 4): new laws and amendments to laws ....................................................... 6–40 5 1.2. Implementation of the Convention in case-law ....................................................... 41–51 11 1.3. International agreements ......................................................................................... 52 13 1.4. Coordination of national actions ............................................................................. 53–71 14 1.5. Institution exercising supervision over the rights of the child ................................. 72–74 17 1.6. Collection of data .................................................................................................... 75–83 18 1.7. Preparation of report and cooperation with civic associations ................................ 80–85 19 1.8. Allocation of state funds ......................................................................................... 86–97 20 1.9. International cooperation ......................................................................................... 98–115 22 1.10. Introducing the Convention (Article 42) ................................................................. 116–123 25 1.11. Publishing and introducing the report (Article 44 (6)) ............................................ 124 26 2. Definition of the child (Article 1) ............................................................................ 125–140 26 2.1. Passive and active legal capacity ............................................................................. 126–140 27 3. General principles ................................................................................................... 141–184 29 3.1. Non-discrimination (Article 2) ................................................................................ 151–160 29 3.2. Right to life, survival and development (Article 6) ................................................. 161–169 33 3.3. Right to express one’s views (Article 12) and best interests of the child (Article 3) ............................................................................................. 170–184 35 4. Civil rights and freedoms ........................................................................................ 185–248 37 4.1. Registration of birth, name and nationality (Article 7) ........................................... 185–213 37 4.2. Preservation of identity (Article 8) .......................................................................... 214–220 44 4.3. Freedom of expression and access to appropriate information (Articles 13 and 17) ................................................................................................. 221–224 45 4.4. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 14) ...................................... 225–228 46 4.5. Freedom of association and peaceful assembly (Article 15) ................................... 229–233 47 4.6. Protection of privacy (Article 16) ........................................................................... 234–235 48 4.7. Right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 37(a)). ............................................ 236–248 48 5. Family environment and alternative care ................................................................ 249–313 50 5.1. Parental responsibilities (Article 5 and Article 18 (1), (2)) ..................................... 249–258 50 5.2. Parental guidance and support (Article 5) ............................................................... 259–264 51 5.3. Separation from parents (Article 9) ......................................................................... 265–268 53 2 CRC/C/EST/2-4 5.4. Family reunification (Article 10) ............................................................................ 269–271 53 5.5. Illicit transfer abroad (Article 11) ........................................................................... 272 54 5.6. Recovery of maintenance for the child (Article 27 (4)) .......................................... 273–274 54 5.7. Children deprived of a family environment (Article 20) ......................................... 275–288 55 5.8. Adoption (Article 21) .............................................................................................. 289–298 58 5.9. Right of child placed in care to periodic review of placement (Article 25) ............ 299 59 5.10. Abused and neglected child (Article 19) and psychological and physical recovery of the child and social reintegration (Article 39) ................. 300–313 59 6. Protection of health and social welfare ................................................................... 314–394 62 6.1. Disabled children (Article 23) ................................................................................. 314–328 62 6.2. Health and health care services (Article 24) ............................................................ 329–350 65 6.3. Standard of living (Article 27 (1)–(3)) .................................................................... 351–367 69 6.4. Social security, childcare services, and childcare institutions (Articles 26 and 18 (3)) 368–394 72 7. Education, leisure and cultural activities (Articles 28, 29 and 31) .......................... 395–437 77 7.1. Education, including vocational training (Article 28) ............................................. 395–415 77 7.2. Objectives of education (Article 29) ....................................................................... 416–425 82 7.3. Leisure, recreation and cultural activities (Article 31) ............................................ 426–437 85 8. Special protection measures .................................................................................... 438–465 87 8.1. Children in refugee status (Article 22) .................................................................... 438–454 87 8.2. Children in armed conflicts (Articles 38 and 39) .................................................... 455–463 90 8.3. Criminal liability and administration of justice over children (Article 40) ............. 464–465 93 9. General strategic changes in criminal policy ........................................................... 466–531 93 9.1. Criminal policy ........................................................................................................ 466–492 93 9.2. Deprivation of liberty (Article 37) .......................................................................... 493–504 99 9.3. Children as victims of exploitation ......................................................................... 505 101 9.4. Abuse of narcotic drugs (Article 33) ....................................................................... 506–510 101 9.5. Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Article 34) .................................................. 511–516 102 9.6. Abduction of, the sale of or traffic in children (Article 35) ..................................... 517–520 104 9.7. Children belonging to ethnic minorities or who are indigenous (Article 30) .......... 521–531 105 Annex Tables ......................................................................................................................................... 109 3 CRC/C/EST/2-4 Introduction 1. The Republic of Estonia acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter the Convention) by the resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia of 26 September 1991 (RT 1991, 35, 428), the letter of accession was deposited with the Secretary-General on 20 October 1991 and the Convention took effect in relation to Estonia on 20 November 1991. The text of the Convention has been published in Part II of the Riigi Teataja (RT II 1996, 16, 56). The Riigi Teataja is an official gazette for the publication of Estonian laws and accompanying legislation. Part II of the Riigi Teataja is for the publication of international agreements and their Estonian translations. The legislation published in the Riigi Teataja can be accessed through the Internet (www.riigiteataja.ee). 2. Pursuant to Article 44 of the Convention, States Parties undertake to submit to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter the Committee) periodic reports every five years on the measures they have adopted which give effect to the rights recognized in the Convention and on the progress made on ensuring those rights. Estonia submitted its initial and second periodic report in one consolidated report in 2001. Estonian non- governmental organisations submitted their amendments, comments and proposals to the Committee in 2002. The Committee considered the initial report of Estonia on 14 January 2003, sent its concluding observations