COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CARRIES OUT TECHNICAL REVIEW ON REPORT OF MARSHALL ISLANDS

The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning decided to carry out a technical review in private of the second periodic report of the Marshall Islands on how that country is implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Committee Chairperson, Jacob Egbert Doek, announced that a message had been received from the Permanent Mission of the Marshall Islands in New York conveying apologies for the lack of the presence of the delegation today to present their report before the Committee.

This was the second time the Marshall Islands had failed to send a delegation, after being scheduled to present their report.

The Rapporteur for the report of the Marshall Islands, Awa N'Deye Ouedraogo, was of the opinion that a technical review would be quite difficult given the limited, out-of-date information provided in the report, and in the absence of replies to the list of questions. Such a review would also therefore be of limited benefit for the country. Other Experts felt that once final conclusions were adopted and transmitted to the country, they would be able to reopen the dialogue. One option suggested to help in opening dialogue was to appoint an ad hoc officer for follow-up. In addition, the Committee could work with the United Nations Children's Fund country office, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regional office in Fiji, to address this issue.

When the Committee next reconvenes in public on Wednesday, 24 January at 10 a.m., it will consider the second periodic report of Suriname (CRC/C/SUR/2).