The report from Andorra does not provide information on health care or accessibility to education in the country. Unequal treatment of children from Andorra and refugee children can be identified and must be reduced in order to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Committee is concerned about the existing patriarchal attitudes, practices and stereotypes that discriminate against girls. The Committee is also concerned about the punitive abortion law that could lead adolescents to seek other alternative solutions in the neighbouring countries. The Committee also regrets the lack of information on adolescent health, including on reproductive and sexual health of adolescents, in the State party’s report.
The Committee recommends that the State party review the provisions of the Penal Code concerning abortion to decriminalize abortion under certain circumstances, such as pregnancies as a result of rape, with a view to guaranteeing the best interests of pregnant teenagers. The Committee further urges the State party to increase the availability of confidential and youth-friendly health services throughout the country, to enhance the availability of contraceptive services, including in all educational institutions, and to promote sex education targeted at adolescent girls and boys, with special attention to the prevention of early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

The Committee notes with appreciation the significant legislative, institutional and policy measures taken to ensure that children with disabilities enjoy the same protection and rights as other children in the State party. However, it is concerned that children with disabilities continue to experience social discrimination.
To improve the situation, the Committee recommends that the State party reinforce efforts to raise awareness and sensitize the public about rights and special needs of children with disabilities to help remove cultural and social barriers. Andorra should increase budget allocations to provide children with disabilities with equal access to adequate social and health services, including psychological support, counselling services, parental guidance for families of children with disabilities, and tailored services for children with learning difficulties and behavioural disorders, and raise awareness about all services available.

The Committee recommends that the State party take all measures to ensure that the involvement of children in all contexts is in full compliance with the international child labour standards, in terms of their age, working hours, their working conditions, their education and health. Andorra should also impose applicable sanctions against persons violating the existing legislation on child labour.

The Committee notes as positive the information provided by the State party that the child detainee, who was the only one deprived of liberty in 2012, was fully separated from adults.
Noting that very few numbers of children are incarcerated in detention centres, the Committee recommends that the State party ensure that children are accompanied and cared by professionals, and that they are always held entirely separate from the adult detainees, including when they are permitted to use common areas of the detention facility.

The Committee notes with concern the information provided by the State party that the impact of the economic crisis on families, particularly the rise in unemployment, has put pressure on families and led to a significant increase in incidents of domestic violence against children and women. In particular, the Committee is concerned by the State party’s findings that the number of cases of children at risk of abuse and negligence has increased in recent years. The Committee is further concerned that the child protection system is still insufficient to provide proper prevention, identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up on all cases of child abuse and neglect.

Concluding observations on the second periodic report released on 3 December 2012.More information about education in Andorra: https://all-andorra.com