DILI, 1 june 2021 (TATOLI)– The National Parliament is set to start a discussion on children’s protection rights by 2022 to regulate the rights of children in Timor-Leste.
The President of Commission A of Parliament National, responsible for the constitutional and justice, Joaquim dos Santos’Boraluli’, considers the law is important. Parliament and the Government must set out an initiative to protect the children.
“It is better than the Parliament National initiates the right for all citizens. We see that nowadays parents are unable to ensure the future for their children’s. Therefore; we will prepare an initiative for these children. If not in the year, absolutely next year in 2022 we will be able to focus on this issue,” Mr. Santos said.
He said the law must pave the way for the government to create conditions for children to ensure the future of the government; it is in the hands of the younger generation.
“We have laws for education, laws for people with disabilities, but it’s also important to have the law for children and young people. The Youth consists of students, professional youth, and neglected youth, therefore our government must focus on this issue, the Parliament should make laws to protect the children. This is very important.” He said.
However, the Head of CNRT, Duarte Nunes, said indeed, the government must protect children because Timor-Leste has ratified the international conventions.
“If there is a poor in the implementation of this convention, then the National Commission on the Rights of the Child must submit a legal proposal to the National Parliament and the Government so that we can work together and provide protection to our children,” he said.
Following article 18 from the Constitution of Republic Democratic of Timor-Leste (RDTL) stated that:
- The child has the right to special protection from the family, the community, and the State, particularly against all forms of abandonment, discrimination, violence, oppression, sexual abuse, and exploitation.
- The child enjoys all the rights that are universally recognized, as well as all those who are enshrined in international conventions regularly ratified or approved by the State.
- All children, born in or out of wedlock, enjoy the same rights and the same social protection.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and was ratified by Timor-Leste on 17 September 2003.
Ahead of it, Timor-Leste had submitted the combined second and third periodic reports of States parties due in 2013 under the Convention on the right of the child and Timor-Leste had received a recommendation to develop the national action plan for children.
Hence, many countries celebrate International Children’s day on June 1, to respect and increase children’s consciousness about children’s rights.
The date of June 1st is used by many countries as ‘The International Day for Protection of Children’ was established on 1 June 1950 following the Women’s International Democratic Federation’s congress in Moscow that took place in 1949.
Journalist: Evaristo Soares Martins
Editor: Cancio Ximenes
