Palau

Palau has not given sufficient information to the Committee in many areas, so that the Committee has made proposals that may already have been implemented. One of the highlighted problems is that abortions are forbidden and girls risk their lives by having unsafe abortions. Also, many preventable diseases are still common in Palau.

The Committee is concerned at the fact that sexual and reproductive health education programmes do not focus sufficiently on all aspects of prevention and abortion is a criminal offence without exception. This prohibition leads teenage girls to undergo unsafe abortions, with consequent risk to their life and health. Also, adolescent girls only have limited access to safe reproductive and sexual health services and birth control methods and related information, and there has been an increased emphasis on abstinence as opposed to an earlier focus on safe sex and condom use.
The Committee recommends that the State party reinforce the importance of sexual and reproductive health education in the mandatory school curriculum, targeting adolescent girls and boys, with particular focus on preventing early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections by different methods, including condoms.

The Committee notes with appreciation the draft disability policy and the fact that the Palau severely disabled funds programme increased the size of monthly assistance payments to beneficiaries, including children. However, the Committee is seriously concerned at the fact that the disability policy has not been finalized or implemented. It is further concerned about the limited access of children with disabilities to inclusive education, rehabilitation, health care, transportation and all buildings and spaces and at the situation regarding service delivery in all areas, especially in rural schools and communities.
The Committee urges the State party to strengthen the legislative framework to ensure that children with disabilities have effective access to public services and spaces and improve physical access to all public and private buildings, spaces, service delivery and transportation in all areas, especially in rural communities and on the outer islands. It also urges Palau to ensure that teaching staff are adequately trained, so that children with all types of disabilities can effectively enjoy their right to quality inclusive education, including through international cooperation.

The Committee welcomes the improvement in maternal and child-health indicators and the high vaccination coverage achieved. However, the Committee is concerned at the prevalence of bronchiolitis and other respiratory diseases, urinary tract infection and acute gastroenteritis among children. It is further concerned about child mortality related to the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and the lack of dentists and well-trained health workers for children.
To guarantee every child the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, the Committee recommends that the State party continue to widen childhood vaccination coverage and take measures to reduce bronchiolitis and other respiratory diseases, urinary tract infection and acute gastroenteritis. It further recommends to take measures to reduce child mortality due to non-communicable diseases by focusing on both prevention and management as well as reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases later in life by increasing early childhood obesity prevention interventions informed by reliable disaggregated data on children. Palau should also develop school-based policies for healthy eating and physical education, promote the inclusion of larger amounts of fruits and vegetables in school meals programmes and discourage school canteens from serving fizzy drinks, junk food and food high in sugar.

The Committee is concerned at the lack of information on mental health policy, related action plans and the number of staff specializing in child mental health issues. It is also concerned at the high rate of suicide among adolescents, especially girls, and the correlation between adolescent sexual behaviour, depression and suicide. Therefore, the Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures, including regional cooperation, to provide sufficient capacity to deal with child mental health issues. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party increase the number of staff specializing in that field, strengthen psychological and psychiatric services for children, guarantee access to any necessary examinations and treatment and intensify suicide-prevention measures.

The Committee is concerned that there is no information on whether climate change adaptation and disaster-risk reduction are part of the school curriculum and on whether there is a comprehensive disaster-sensitive social protection system in place. The Committee is further concerned that there is no information on the measures in place addressing the special needs of children in vulnerable situations, including children with disabilities, when planning disaster-risk reduction preparedness, response and recovery.
The Committee recommends that the State party include climate change adaptation and disaster-risk reduction in the school curriculum and establish school-based programmes, such as early warning systems and training on what to do in the event of a natural disaster. Palau should also develop a comprehensive disaster-sensitive social protection system, ensuring that the special vulnerabilities and needs of children, as well as their views, are taken into account. The Committee further recommends to review emergency protocols to include assistance and other support for children with disabilities during emergencies and natural disasters, increase children’s awareness of and preparedness for climate change and natural disasters and increase the physical safety and resilience of school buildings and infrastructure. The State party should also improve data and assessments in order to have an evidence base for risk reduction and preparedness, taking into account in particular the distinct needs and priorities of preschool children and children with disabilities.

The Committee is concerned that there is no specific law or policy addressing child labour and there are no social programmes aimed at preventing child labour and supporting children affected by the issue. There is also no hazardous child labour list, and there is exploitation of children, particularly in the tobacco industry.
Therefore, the Committee urges the State party to develop a law and a policy on child labour and a hazardous child labour list, take the necessary measures to ensure that no child aged under 18 years engages in hazardous work and put in place social programmes for the elimination and prevention of child labour, especially its worst forms. In addition, Palau should adopt the draft framework legislation on tobacco and take the necessary measures to ensure that no children aged under 18 years are exploited in the tobacco industry.

The Committee urges the State party to bring its juvenile justice system fully into line with the Convention and other relevant standards. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party adopt legislation for the administration of juvenile justice in accordance with the Convention and strengthen legislative provisions for child-friendly investigation and court procedures for child victims and child offenders. It also recommends to adopt standard operating procedures for the prosecution of children in conflict with the law and guidelines for dealing with child victims and child witnesses.
Further, Palau needs to ensure the provision of psychosocial support, counselling, recovery and reintegration services for child victims and offenders and also ensure the provision of qualified and independent legal aid to children in conflict with the law at an early stage during and throughout the judicial process.

The Committee notes with appreciation the establishment of a subcommittee of the national human rights task force focusing on human trafficking cases and addressing child protection issues. However, the Committee is concerned that there is no specific reference to trafficking in children as an aggravating factor and no supporting legislation or guidelines dealing with the prevention and prosecution of trafficking in children and the repatriation and rehabilitation of child victims/survivors.
To improve the situation, the Committee recommends that the State party adopt legislative and administrative measures specifically addressing trafficking in children, establish adequate and coordinated mechanisms for its prevention and for the identification, protection and rehabilitation of child victims of trafficking and expeditiously and effectively prosecute the perpetrators.

Concluding observations on the second periodic report released on 28 February 2018.More information about education in Palau: https://education-profiles.org