Algeria

In Algeria, patriarchal structures prevent girls from achieving their goals. Religious freedom and freedom of expression are also restricted. Improvements must also be made in the penal system, in health care and in the area of child labour in order to implement children's rights.

The Committee urges the State party to design and implement an inter-sectoral public policy for health, sexual and reproductive rights aimed at adolescents within and outside the educational system and taking into account sexual and reproductive rights, healthy sexuality, prevention of unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and the accessibility and use of condoms and other contraceptives.

The Committee urges the State party to review the situation of children with disabilities in terms of their access to suitable health-care and education services and adopt as a matter of priority a comprehensive policy to develop inclusive education. In this regard, the Committee urges the State party to acknowledge that the disabling factors reside in the environmental and attitudinal barriers created by society, and that all children with disabilities are subjects of their own rights. The Committee further urges Algeria to ensure that the development of inclusive education is given priority over the placement of children in specialized institutions, paying particular attention to children with mental and multiple disabilities. Algeria should also provide sufficient numbers of specialist teachers and professionals providing individual support into all schools and ensure that all professionals are adequately trained so that all children with disabilities can effectively enjoy their right to quality inclusive education as well as ensure transportation and support in classrooms, and the accessibility of educational materials, curricula, and school environments. In addition, the Committee urges the State party to ensure that enforceable remedies are provided to children with disabilities and their families who have been refused access to inclusive education, or who have been denied the provision of reasonable accommodation with respect to education.

The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that appropriate resources be allocated for the health sector, and develop and implement comprehensive policies and programmes for improving the health situation of children and to facilitate greater and equal access to quality primary-health services by mothers and children in all areas of the country in order to end the disparities in health-care provision between the different areas. The Committee also urges the State party to take more effective measures to address the nutritional status of young children. The Committee draws the attention of the State party to the fact that ensuring decent conditions of work for professionals in the health sector is essential to the provision of quality services for children.

The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party continue to take effective measures to put an end to the economic exploitation of children, in particular in the informal sector, and to take urgent measures to remove children from hazardous work in the agriculture sector, from street work and domestic work.

The Committee urges the State party to ensure immediate removal of children from adult detention facilities and place them in a safe, child-sensitive environment where they are treated humanely and with respect for their inherent dignity, and can maintain regular contact with their families, and are provided with education and vocational training. Algeria should also ensure capacity-building and specialization of all the justice actors, including judges, prison officers and lawyers, on the provisions of the Convention and should develop social reintegration programmes for children in conflict with the law.

The Committee urges the State party to establish by law the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces under which recruitment of children would be prohibited with no exceptions, thus ensuring that persons under the age of 18 do not serve in the Algerian armed forces.
The Committee urges the State party to take concrete steps to facilitate and give legitimate recognition to human rights defenders and their work, including those who report child rights violations for appropriate State party’s action, to ensure that non-governmental organizations and journalists can safely carry out their functions in a manner consistent with the principles of a democratic society.

The Committee notes with concern that the State party has maintained its declaration on article 14, paragraphs 1 and 2, which amounts to a reservation to the Convention. The Committee is also concerned that the State party has still not reviewed its declarations on articles 13, 16 and 17. Concluding observations on the third and fourth periodic reports released on 18 July 2012.