skip navigation
Home  |  About Us  |  Accessibility  |  CRIN Quiz  |  FAQs  |  Contact Us
CRIN - Child Rights Information Network
 
Children's rights
Information by country
CRIN Themes
 

CRINMAIL 1095

21 July 2009 - CRINMAIL 1095

 


**NEWS IN BRIEF**



Dear CRIN readers
We apologise for the lack of CRINMAIL activity, and occasional suspension of our website, in recent weeks. This was due to us moving our website to a new solar-powered and more secure server but also encountering unforeseen problems along the way. Please bear with us while we continue to ensure that our IT services remain robust. This may involve further disruption to our services, though of course we always aim to keep any inconvenience to an absolute minimum.
Best regards
The CRIN Team

To view this CRINMAIL online, visit: http://www.crin.org/email/crinmail_detail.asp?crinmailID=3157

Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at info@crin.org. Adobe Acrobat is required for viewing some of the documents, and if required can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html If you do not receive this email in html format, you will not be able to see some hyperlinks in the text. At the end of each item we have therefore provided a full URL linking to a web page where further information is available.

COMPLAINTS MECHANISM: Next Steps [news]


On 17 June 2009, the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution establishing an Open-ended Working Group to «explore the possibility of elaborating an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to provide a communications procedure complementary to the reporting procedure under the Convention » (Resolution A/HRC/11/L.3).

Although the final mandate of the Working Group is weaker than what we originally hoped for, it is a great achievement at the UN level as it launches the process and provides a formal platform for States to discuss a communications procedure under the CRC.

Co-sponsors of this resolution are: Austria, Belarus, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uruguay

What is this Working Group about?

An “open-ended working group” means that any State interested in the issue is welcome to be part of the Group. It is therefore still unclear who will attend the first session and who will not.

The Working Group will meet for the first time before the end of 2009, most probably during the second half of November 2009, for five working days. It will then report back to the Human Rights Council on the progress made at its 13th session, in March 2010. Since no term was given to the Working Group, a new resolution renewing its mandate and ideally requesting the Working Group to start the drafting process will be needed in 2010.

The mandate to “explore the possibility of elaborating an Optional Protocol” establishing a communications procedure under the CRC means that States will merely discuss this possibility during its first session. The reiterated statements of delegations about not “prejudging” the outcome of the Working Group imply that the Working Group may not decide to elaborate such an Optional Protocol at the end of its first session.

Lessons learned from the negotiations of resolution A/HRC/11/L.3

While some States have been envisaging the creation of a communications procedure for some time now, this appeared to be a relatively new issue to most. The majority of States feel that they lack information and expert papers as a basis for discussion at the Working Group.

Certain States were vocal about their concerns that mainly revolved around 1) the need for such a communications procedure, 2) the substance of it, 3) its effectiveness, and 4) its implications, notably in terms of resources.

Next steps - Preparing for the first session of the Working Group

States willing to participate in the Open-ended Working Group will consult relevant ministries and institutions about the feasibility of the Optional Protocol in view of the first session.

The outcome of this first session of the Working Group will be key to the rest of the process. If States feel that their concerns have been addressed during that session, they will be willing to move forward and start drafting the Optional Protocol at their next session.

We need your help

The NGO Group will continue its efforts to address States’ concerns and ensure their support for the elaboration of an Optional Protocol. However, States’ preparation to the first session of the Working Group will mainly be done in capitals.

What we need you to do

  1. Find out whether your State plans to attend the Open-ended Working Group, what your State’s position is and whether consultations will take place amongst the different ministries.
  2. Write to your Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or Ministry of Justice to offer your assistance during those consultations
  3. If your State is supportive, write to them explaining that the outcome of the first session will be key to the rest of the process and that the Working Group should decide that it is ready to start elaborating the Optional Protocol at its next session
  4. If your State is not supportive, find out why and try to address their concerns before the first session of the Working Group


Which States are supportive so far

States that have co-sponsored the resolution can be considered as being supportive of the idea of an Optional Protocol, although this does not automatically mean that they feel they are ready for elaborating it. In addition to the co-sponsors, States that have shown some support in Geneva are Argentina, Morocco, Senegal and Turkey. It would be interesting to know more about their respective capitals’ positions.

Which States need convincing

African States
Most African States seemed to be supportive when approached, but only Kenya and Egypt co-sponsored the resolution. Although there is a similar mechanism with the African Committee of Experts, several African States raised concerns regarding child representation at the international level (concern about instrumentalisation of children). Some also asked what would be the relationship between their regional mechanism and a similar international mechanism.

Latin American & Caribbean States
Most Latin American countries are supportive. As the Paraguayan delegate stated, there have been some discussions about this initiative at the MERCOSUR level. It would be important to make sure that they are all well informed about this initiative and what it entails and ready to convince other delegations.

Asian States
Japan is particularly concerned about the current overload of the Committee and doubts that the Committee will be able to deal effectively with communications on top of their examination of States reports.

China raised to major concerns: 1) they want to avoid any duplication with existing mechanisms and 2) ensure that such a communications procedure is effective.
Singapore engaged constructively in the negotiations but they are not yet supportive.
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh said they would not oppose the initiative but would not support either.
The Philippines did not participate to the negotiations. The reason for this lack of engagement in support of the OP still remains unclear.
Indonesia attended the negotiations but remained silent. Legislative reforms on children's measures are currently going on at their national level and they told the NGO Group for the CRC that they wanted to settle this before engaging at the international level.

Western Europe & Other States
Canada, Sweden, the US and the UK need to be convinced that a communications procedure under the CRC is the right option. They all requested more time for discussions on this issue (feasibility study, expert reports) and raised several concerns, such as what it would bring, what gaps it would fill, how could it be effective from a resources point of view, how far it is an accessibility problem to existing mechanisms, which rights would be covered by it.

Eastern European States
The Russian Federation remained cautious about the initiative (they did not receive formal instructions from their capital for the negotiations) and said that a discussion on the correlation with national mechanisms would be useful.
-------------------

Please share with us your activities in relation to the campaign. If you need any further information or advice in advocacy arguments, please do not hesitate to contact Anita Goh, Advocacy Officer in Geneva on consultant@childrightsnet.org or by calling +41 774460083

Further information

 

For more information, contact:
NGO Group for CRC Complaints Mechanism Working Group
Peter Newell on peter@endcorporalpunishment.org or Sara Austin on sara_austin@worldvision.ca.

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20483

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

GLOBAL: General Comment on article 12 [news]


During its 51st session the Committee adopted its general comment on article 12 on the rights of the child to be heard.

The Committee also discussed, in general terms, initiatives for two general comments, one on article three, on the best interests of the child; and one on article 19, on violence against children. 

Objectives of General Comment No.12 (2009)

The overall objective of the general comment is to support States parties in the effective implementation of article 12. In so doing it seeks to:

  • Strengthen understanding of the meaning of article 12 and its implications for governments, stakeholders, NGOs and society at large;

  • Elaborate the scope of legislation, policy and practice necessary to achieve full implementation of article 12;

  • Highlight the positive approaches in implementing article 12, benefiting from the monitoring experience of the Committee;

  • Propose basic requirements for appropriate ways to give due weight to children's views in all matters that affect them.

Reference source: CRC/C/GC/12, page 4,5. Available to download at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/AdvanceVersions/CRC-C-GC-12.pdf

Further information


For more information, contact:
NGO Group for the CRC
1 rue Varembé, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: + 41 22 740 47 30
Fax: + 41 22 740 1145
Email: secretariat@childrightsnet.org
Website: www.childrightsnet.org

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

EUROPE: Key child rights network folds [news]


The principal European child rights network will close after key funders failed to stump up the cash to keep it afloat.

The European Children's Network (EURONET) has been working since the mid-1990s to promote children’s rights in European Union decision-making.

But, according to outgoing President, Helmut Sax, “the current economic climate has made things more uncertain for many of EURONET’s member organisations. “

The office will close on 31 July.

Elizabeth Niland, Manager, said: “It will definitely leave a gap. It is such an important time for the EU due to the developing strategy on children's rights, and so it's important that the European Commission has a representative structure working specfically on children's rights to turn to.”

EURONET was initially formed by a small group of organisations wanting to secure the inclusion of children’s rights in the EU Treaties.

The inclusion of children's rights in the draft Constitutional Treaty, and then the draft Lisbon Treaty, which is currently awaiting ratification by the EU, reflected these efforts.

EURONET also successfully lobbied for the inclusion of the children’s rights article in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, and urged the European Commission to develop a European Strategy on the Rights of the Child, expected to come to fruition under the next European Commission.

Mr Sax said: “EURONET has played a key role in bringing about greater visibility for children’s rights in EU policy-making, which has already had an impact in many policy areas and will, we hope, be felt far into the future. ”

CRIN has hosted the EURONET website since January 2007. The EURONET website will remain as an online archive until 2011.

Peter Newell, chair of CRIN's trustees and coordinator of the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, said: "EUORNET worked over a long period and in an unpromising environment to get recognition of children's rights within the EU institutions and constitution.

"It is particularly sad to see a children's rights organisation like this being closed down, when it is quite obvious that it or something very similar will need to be recreated - and at greater expense."

Further information


For more information, contact:
Child Rights Information Network
East Studio, 2 Pontypool Place, London, SE1 8QF
Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20488

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOBAL: Spurt in crackdowns on child rights activists [news]

A decree has been issued in Honduras which allows authorities to clamp down on child rights activists. The move mirrors similar oppressive government practices recently documented in other parts of the world.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said it was “deeply concerned” over the executive decree 011-2009 adopted by the de facto authorities in Honduras, through which fundamental rights have been restricted, such as personal liberty and freedom of association.

Honduras has been suspended from participating in the Organisation of American States (OAS) – the parent organisation of the Inter-American human rights system – following a coup d'etat which ousted president Manuel Zelaya on 28 June 2009.

Human rights defenders named as being at risk, include four child rights advocates:

- Tomás Andino Mencía, child rights advocate

- Edward Yeferí Lobo Sánchez, child rights advocate

- Guillermo de Jesús Mayen Jiménez, child rights advocate and member of the political party Unión Democrática

- Matilde Durón Ochoa, child rights advocate

The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights has requested that Honduras adopt precautionary measures (what are these?) to ensure the right to life and personal integrity of human rights defenders, journalists, relatives of Zelaya, and international observers. These measures include providing information on the whereabouts of detained or missing persons and immediately releasing those detained arbitrarily.

The suspension of Honduras’ right to participate in the OAS does not alter the country’s obligations as a signatory to both the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rights.

The Commission has reiterated its request, made on 30 June 2009, to conduct a visit to Honduras to investigate the human rights situation in the country following the coup d’état.

For more details and updates on the situation in Honduras, go here

Global scourge

But activists in Honduras are not the only ones to suffer from repressive government action.

Earlier this month, it was reported that police in Nigeria, claiming to be donors, burst into the offices of the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network Centre (CRARN) in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, and arrested two staff members.

They were also said to have beaten several children present and, before leaving, fired bullets into the bedroom of the organisation's founder “as a warning.”

It was thought that the reason was because the work of CRARN, and the children they care for, was shown on UK Channel 4’s Dispatches Programme on ‘Saving Africa’s Witch Children’ in November 2008.

The programme highlighted the role that Mrs Helen Ukpabio, self-proclaimed pastor, evangelist and founder of the Liberty Gospel Foundation Church in Nigeria, and film production company, Liberty Films, have played in spreading the myth of child witchcraft.

Gary Foxcroft, Programme Director of the UK-based NGO Stepping Stones Nigeria, and partner of CRARN, said: “We will not be intimidated in our fight to protect the rights of vulnerable children and ensure that children are no longer labeled as witches. We know that the truth is on our side”.

Azerbaijan

Meanwhile, also earlier this month in Azerbaijan, Human Rights House Network condemned the unlawful detention of Emin Milli, Coordinator of Alumni Network (AN) Youth Organization and leader of ANTV Online TV, and one of OL Youth Organization’s coordinators, well-known video-blogger Adnan Hajizade.

The detainees were beaten by men in a restaurant for “talking about politics”, and the activities of youth organisations related to the internet. When they reported the attack to police, they were detained and denied access to a lawyer.

Jordan

In May, Human Rights Watch reported that laws in Jordan consider to violate rights to association. Newly proposed amendments to the 2008 Law of Societies do not rectify major deficiencies that violate the right to free association, in particular children's right to associate.

The current law prohibits associations from pursuing any "political objectives" and activities that violate "public order." Both terms are overly broad and invite governmental abuse. The law also discriminates against non-Muslim religious organisations, by restricting the activities they are allowed to engage in, and excludes non-Jordanians and children from establishing associations in Jordan, in violation of the country's international treaty obligations.

The 2009 proposed amendments would ease the process of establishing an association by describing more clearly the duties of the registrar of associations, but they continue to grant the government ultimate political control to decide whether an association can incorporate. The inclusion of a right to challenge such denials judicially provides inadequate redress, since the law includes no criteria for denying permission and the government could act lawfully by denying permission without reason.

Ethiopia

In January 2009, the Ethiopian Parliament adopted a potentially repressive new law which could criminalise the child rights activities of both foreign and domestic non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The Charities and Societies Proclamation law (CSO law) is designed to strictly control and monitor civil society in an atmosphere of intolerance of the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations.

Previous drafts of the CSO law imposed strict government controls and harsh criminal penalties on NGOs.

China

Human Rights Watch reports that the Chinese government's closure of a Beijing-based legal aid and research organisation and disbarment of 53 Beijing lawyers marks a sharp intensification of official efforts to silence China's human rights defenders.

OCI is a unique organisation in China, argues Human rights Watch, combining "groundbreaking research" on officially "sensitive" subjects with legal services for groups and individuals stymied by China's politicised legal system. OCI's research has included a recent report exploring the origins of the unrest in Tibet in March 2008. That report criticised the Chinese government's policies in the region.

The organisation's legal activism has included representing parents seeking government compensation for children poisoned through the melamine contamination scandal exposed in late 2008.

[Sources: Human Rights Watch, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International]

ASIA: Asean defends human rights body [news]


The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has defended its formation of a new regional commission on human rights which critics have said lacks teeth and therefore has little value.

The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights was formally approved on Monday at a summit of foreign ministers on the Thai island of Phuket, but officials admitted the new body would not be able to monitor or punish member states.

Speaking to reporters Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Thai prime minister and host of the summit, said that the commission would first focus on the promotion of human rights rather than its protection.

"It's better to make a start than to leave it hanging, with no progress at all," Abhisit said.

He added that the body would give Asean "more room for manoeuvre" when dealing with military-ruled Myanmar, whose human rights record has been widely criticised.

But he said the grouping would not impose sanctions or implement other punitive measures on states with a poor record on human rights.

Critics have said Asean's long-standing policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of its 10 members undermines any efforts to improve rights in the region.

Rafendi Djamin of the Asean Task Force on Human Rights, a grouping of non-governmental organizations from the region, called the new commission "toothless" and said nearly 300 civil society groups had urged Asean officials to address its shortcomings.

He said activists planned to discuss their concerns with Abhisit on Tuesday.

'Burden'

Myanmar has been Asean's so-called "problem child" since it was admitted to the bloc in 1997, with the group under pressure from the US and EU to take a tougher line on the country's military rulers.

Officials attending the summit admitted that Myanmar's human rights record was impeding Asean's progress and image.

"Without a resolution of the issue of Myanmar, Asean will continue to have a burden on its lap to explain to the world," Surin Pitsuwan, the Asean secretary-general told a news conference.

Among its 10 members, the bloc includes communist Vietnam and Laos, as well as Myanmar, which currently holds more than 2,000 political prisoners including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

She is currently on trial after allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest and faces up to five years in jail if convicted.

On Sunday, authorities in Myanmar detained dozens of opposition party members as they returned from ceremonies marking the death of General Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi's father and the country's independence hero.

They were later released.

The launch of the human rights body comes as the US secretary of state is scheduled to arrive in Thailand on Tuesday, for security talks expected to focus on both Myanmar and regional concerns over North Korea's nuclear programme.

Hillary Clinton will attend the Asean Regional Forum, which follows the foreign ministers' meeting.

Clinton's attendance is being viewed as sign of renewed US priorities in the Asia-Pacific region under the Obama presidency.

A joint communiqué by Asean ministers on Monday expressed "grave concern'' over North Korea's nuclear programme following its recent tests of a nuclear device and several short-, medium- and long-range missiles.

Further information


For more information, contact:
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
1889 F St. N.W., Washington DC
Tel: +1 202 458 6002
Email: cidhoea@aos.org

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20510

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CANADA: Best Interests of the Child: Meaning and Application in Canada [publication]


The Best Interests of the Child is a central principle in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A new report, released by the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children, explores how this principle has been used, misused, and under-used in the context of Canadian policy and practice. The report, entitled Best Interests of the Child: Meaning and Application in Canada, proposes a rights-based approach for application in a wide variety of areas. Based on research and a national, multi-disciplinary conference, the report hopes to foster reflection in Canada on how well we are living up to our commitment to act in the best interests of children.

Further information



For more information, contact:
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
36, Quarry Ridge Street, Orleans, Ontario, Canada K1C 7S1
Tel: + 1 613 729 5289 ext. 224; Fax: + 1 613 729 3159
Email: info@rightsofchildren.ca
Website: www.rightsofchildren.ca

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20514

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

RWANDA: Revise Reproductive Health Bill [news]


The Rwandan Parliament should remove provisions in a draft law that would mandate compulsory HIV testing and require the sterilisation of all individuals, including children, with intellectual disabilities, Human Rights Watch said. The organisation said that the provisions, in a reproductive health bill, are deeply flawed and violate the government's obligations to uphold and protect human rights.

"Compulsory HIV testing and forced sterilisation are counterproductive to the Rwandan government's goal of improved reproductive health," said Joe Amon, health and human rights director at Human Rights Watch. "Provisions in the current bill that increase stigma, rely on coercion, and deny individuals their reproductive rights should be removed."

Human Rights Watch said that the reproductive health bill, drafted by the parliamentary committee whose duties include promoting social welfare, contains three particularly troublesome provisions related to HIV and AIDS testing. First it provides that all individuals who plan to marry must undergo HIV testing and provide a certificate beforehand. Second, married individuals are required to be tested for HIV and AIDS upon the request of their spouses. Third, if a physician finds it "necessary" for a child or an incapacitated person to be tested for HIV and AIDS, he or she may conduct the test without seeking consent and may show the result to the parent, guardian, or care provider.

Ensuring that all HIV testing is confidential, conducted with informed consent, and accompanied by counseling is widely recognised as integral to effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies. Mandatory HIV testing and disclosure have been condemned by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, the World Health Organisation, and the UN's Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights as violations of the right to privacy and counterproductive to effective HIV and AIDS control.

These organisations have also stated that mandatory testing and compulsory disclosure can put women at increased risk of abuse and undermine public trust in the health care system. Research by Human Rights Watch on HIV testing has documented significant abuses associated with coercive testing programs.

The proposed bill also obligates the Rwandan Government "to suspend fertility for mentally handicapped people." Systematic, forced sterilisation has been recognized as a crime against humanity by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

In May 2008, Rwanda ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The convention upholds the rights of persons with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, to equal rights. Human Rights Watch said that laws on sterilisation, including for persons with disabilities, must respect both a person's right to bodily integrity and informed consent to medical procedures. Decision-making about sterilisation must take into account each individual's capacity to give informed consent, and where such capacity is lacking an individualised consideration must be made of the best interests of the person concerned.

"While Rwanda has made notable progress in fighting stigma and responding to the AIDS epidemic, and has pledged to advance the rights of persons with disability, forced sterilisation and mandatory HIV testing do not contribute to those goals," Amon said. "These elements of the bill undermine reproductive health goals and undo decades of work to ensure respect for reproductive rights."

Further information


For more information, contact:
Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor, New York, NY 10118-3299
Tel: + 1 212 216 1837; Fax: + 1 212 736-1300
Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org
Website: www.hrw.org

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20501

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

LITHUANIA: Keeping the door open - Support to young people leaving care [event]


Date: 7 to 8 October 2009
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania

Call for participants:
On 7 - 8 October 2009, the Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk within the Council of Baltic Sea States and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour in Lithuania in partnership with the Council of Europe, UNICEF and SOS Children's Villages International present the conference: "Keeping the Door Open - Support to Young People leaving care".

The conference will focus on the great challenges young people in care have to face when they leave their care settings. The main themes of the conference will be: emotional stability and social wellbeing, education, employment and housing.

By sharing best practices and by identifying important areas that need to be developed, this conference is expected to provide countries in Europe with tools and methods necessary to increase the quality and efficiency of support to young care leavers.

This invitation is also a call for papers to be presented. The last day for submission of proposals for paper presentations is 4 September. Registration for participation closes on 11 September. As the conference is a Europe-wide conference, we expect the 150 available seats to fill quickly, so early registration is recommended.

Pre-event youth workshop
4 - 6 October 2009

Prior to the conference, SOS Children's Villages International and the Council of Europe are organising a youth workshop. This pre-event workshop will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania from 4 - 6 October 2009. Young people between 16-25 years who have some care experience are invited to apply for this workshop. Participants of this pre-event workshop will also take part in the conference itself. The deadline for applying to the youth workshop is 20 July 2009.

For more information, contact:
SOS Kinderdorf International
Liaison and Advocacy Office
Nussdorfer Str. 65, 1090 Vienna
Tel: + 43 1 310 23 98 10; Fax: + 43 1 310 23 98 20
Email: info@sos-childrensvillages.org
Website: www.sos-childrensvillages.org

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20517

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

EMPLOYMENT: Arigatou International


Arigatou International is a faith based NGO working for the rights and wellbeing of children. Through its Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC), it promotes and facilitates cooperation and advocacy for children’s rights in networking with individuals and organisations.

Arigatou International/GNRC is looking for a highly motivated person, committed to the promotion of child rights, youth participation and interfaith dialogue, to occupy the position of GNRC Youth Coordinator. This person will be responsible for the empowerment of children and youth related to the GNRC by coordinating, strengthening and promoting youth initiatives and activities worldwide.

Application deadline: 31 July 2009

For more information go to http://www.arigatou.ch/en/vacancies.html or contact mail@arigatou.ch

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

**NEWS IN BRIEF**


Lithuania: President's veto of law on homosexuality is overturned (15 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20537&flag=news

Israel: 'Terrible injustice' to children in roundup of migrants (9 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=20512

Europe: Child Trafficking in the European Union - Challenges, perspectives and good practices (9 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=20513

Asia: Mind the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of ASEAN Legal Responses to Child-Sex Tourism (report) (9 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20516&flag=report

Global: Children on the Frontline (report) (7 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20515&flag=report

Juvenile justice: Inter-American Commission concludes visit to Haiti (3 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20492&flag=news

Zimbabwe: Diamonds in the Rough: Human Rights Abuses in the Marange Diamond Fields of Zimbabwe (3 July 2009)
http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=20499

The CRINMAIL is an electronic mailing list of the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN). CRIN does not accredit, validate or substantiate any information posted by members to the CRINMAIL. The validity and accuracy of any information is the responsibility of the originator.

To subscribe, unsubscribe or view list archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.