Country | Oman |
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Optional protocol | on the involvement of children in armed conflict, on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography |
Violence | Noting that the State party is a transit and destination country for the trafficking in persons, including children, the Committee is concerned about reports that boys are still being used as camel jockeys, and that girls are forced into prostitution and domestic servitude. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of data on trafficking in persons in the State party and of research on the prevalence of national and cross-border trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography. |
Safety | |
Corporal punishment | Corporal Punishment is legal in the home, alternative care settings, day care, penal institutions and possibly as a sentence for crime. |
Overview of the child rights situation | The Committee is concerned that the State party maintains a reservation with respect to article 14, notwithstanding the modification of that reservation. The Committee is also concerned about a general reservation stating that the provisions of the Convention should be applied within the limits imposed by the material resources available. |
Female genital mutilation and reproductive rights | The Committee commends the State party for the marked decrease in the number of girls giving birth. However, the Committee is concerned about the limited knowledge about reproductive health, and the social and cultural barriers that prevent young people and adolescents from seeking reproductive health information and services, which leads in particular to teenage pregnancies, as well as the insufficient awareness of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. To improve the situation, the Committee recommends to promote age-appropriate sexual education and family planning targeted at adolescents and the wider community, and to establish programmes on drug and substance abuse and on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, including as a part of the compulsory school curriculum. |
Discrimination | |
Situation of children with disabilities | The Committee notes that the State party is developing a strategy on children with disabilities, which includes a database. It also welcomes the information that the State party has implemented a number of programmes to promote, in each governorate, the access of children with disabilities to health, education and social services and other initiatives. However, the Committee is concerned about the low number of children with disabilities enrolled in schools, and the high illiteracy rate among children with disabilities as well as the fact that children with disabilities are subjected to discrimination, neglect and abuse, and are not effectively integrated into all areas of social life. To improve the situation, the Committee recommends to ensure that continuing training is provided for professionals working with children with disabilities, such as teachers, social workers and health, medical, therapeutic and care personnel, that guidelines and training materials are developed, and that monitoring mechanisms are in place regarding the performance of care providers. |
Situation of asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children | The Committee is concerned that no explicit policies appear to be in place regarding the provision of education, health and other social services to children who are not nationals of the State party, including children of both documented and undocumented migrant workers and of refugees. The Committee recommends that the State party establish policies for the provision of education, health and other social services to all children present in the State party, including children of documented and undocumented migrant workers and refugees. The Committee further recommends that the State party strengthen coordination with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and with governmental institutions to ensure the provision of assistance and protection to refugee, asylum-seeking and stateless children in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. |
Education | |
Free kindergarten | No |
Free primary and secondary school | Yes |
Health | |
physical health | The Committee commends the State party for its significant improvements in health infrastructure and services, including universal immunization coverage, and for its efforts to improve comprehensive health services to children. The Committee also commends the reduction in infant mortality rates, child mortality under the age of five, malnutrition-related diseases and iodine deficiency disorders. The Committee further commends the awareness-raising campaigns to promote sound nutritional practices and healthy living. |
Relation to other countries | |
mental health | The Committee is concerned about the insufficient attention paid to mental health care for children, the oversight mechanisms to protect children in mental health facilities, the inadequate number of outpatient facilities for children, and the insufficient training for primary care staff. |
Business sector | The Committee welcomes the information that the State party has taken measures to address the economic exploitation of children. However, the Committee is concerned about the lack of data on the prevalence of child labour in the State party, as well as the lack of a comprehensive definition of the worst forms of child labour. |
Situation of juvenile justice | The Committee is also concerned about the information that children have been imprisoned for begging and are held together with adults, as well as the lack of information on prison conditions in the State party and the insufficient information on personnel with specialized training in juvenile justice. |
Specific observations | The Committee takes note of the information provided during the dialogue with the State party on programmes to assist families in need, and notes the fact that the State party has made great progress in reducing extreme poverty. However, the Committee is concerned that some families in situations of poverty still face food insecurity and lack appropriate assistance. Therefore, the Committee recommends that the State party intensify efforts to provide appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in situations of poverty, including by strengthening the system of family benefits, child allowances and other services. |
Additional background | Concluding observations on the third and fourth periodic reports released on 14 March 2016. |
Last Updated (date) | 15th of December 2022 |