CNDH HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE TO REVEAL CONCLUSIONS OF ITS REPORT ON CHILD PROTECTION CENTERS
The (Moroccan) National Human Rights Council (CNDH) holds a press conference to reveal the conclusions of its report on child protection center, on Monday, May 20, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. “Children in Protection Centers: Childhood at Risk – For an Integrated Policy to Protect Children’s Rights” is the title of the report.In fulfillment of its mandate and upon its own initiative, CNDH analyzed the situation of children institutionalized in child protection centers by virtue of a court order. It assessed the institutionalization procedures to see to what extent they comply with the standards of the international Convention on the Rights of Children.
The report was put together in follow-up of the implementation of the relevant national and international recommendations. It’s published within a context of reform aiming at promoting and protecting human rights in general and the rights of the child in particular.
In this regard, 17 child protection centers were visited. Adopting a participatory approach, CNDH team held interviews and met with public stakeholders (at the local and central levels), associations, children and families. The gender dimension was taking into consideration throughout the entire process.
The report highlights the international standards related to the institutionalization of children and related national legislation. It makes a number of recommendations relating to public policies, law enforcement, infrastructure, training and capacity building and the implementation of child redress mechanisms.
Child protection centers are socio-educational institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Children in conflict with the law or in hard and difficult situations are institutionalized in these centers by virtue of a court Order. Re-education and reintegration of institutionalized children is the mission of these centers.
This is the third thematic report published by CNDH; the first on prison conditions and second on the situation of psychiatric hospitals.