A/HRC/21/26
they are exposed to violence from adolescent male detainees or from male prison guards. 121
Furthermore, overcrowding is frequently a serious problem.122
47.
Children deprived of their liberty not only face unsatisfactory material conditions
and lack of adequate facilities, but also have limited access to fresh air, are not provided
with adequate food and are faced with poor sanitary conditions. 123 Moreover, detention
centres are sometimes centralized in the main cities, making children’s regular contact with
their families and communities difficult.124
48.
Children deprived of their liberty lack access to adequate education and vocational
training in a number of countries.125 Moreover, children are not provided with sufficient
recreational and learning activities or opportunities to engage in any kind of physical or
cultural activity.126 Facilities for physical and psychological recovery, assistance and social
reintegration of children in conflict with the law before and after release are absent or
insufficient.127 In some cases, education is limited to male adolescent detainees and
facilities and programmes for physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration
of girls are not adequately provided.128
49.
The fact that during their detention children are faced with high levels of violence,
including sexual violence, and that protection from such violence is not always adequate, is
of particular concern.129 Children under police arrest and in pretrial detention are subjected
to different forms of abuse, torture and ill-treatment, in particular with the aim of forcibly
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, concluding observations: Canada
(CEDAW/C/CAN/CO/7), para. 33.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Kenya (CRC/C/KEN/CO/2), para.
67; Committee against Torture, concluding observations: Nicaragua (CAT/C/NIC/CO/1), para. 22;
Russian Federation (CAT/C/RUS/CO/4), para. 17.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Afghanistan (CRC/C/AFG/CO/1),
para. 74(f); report on the visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Benin (CAT/OP/BEN/1), para. 278; report of the
Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment:
Mission to Uruguay (A/HRC/13/39/Add.2), para. 60.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Guatemala (CRC/C/GTM/CO/3-4),
para. 98(d); Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, concluding
observations: Germany (CEDAW/C/DEU/CO/6), para. 57.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Slovenia (CRC/C/SLV/CO/3-4),
para. 87(e); Burkina Faso (CRC/C/BFA/CO/3-4), para. 76(h); Romania (CRC/C/ROM/CO/4),
para. 91(f).
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Argentina (CRC/C/ARG/CO/3-4),
para. 79; Sierra Leone (CRC/C/SLE/CO/2), para. 76; Report on the visit of the Subcommittee on
Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Mexico
(CAT/OP/MEX/1), para. 246.
Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Belarus (CRC/C/BLR/CO/3-4),
para. 71; Mali (CRC/C/MLI/CO/2), para. 70; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women, concluding observations: United Kingdom (CEDAW/C/UK/CO/6), para. 266.
Report on the visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Benin (CAT/OP/BEN/1), para. 275; Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, concluding observations: Germany
(CEDAW/C/DEU/CO/6), para. 57.
Committee against Torture, concluding observations: Ethiopia (CAT/C/ETH/CO/1), para. 26;
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, concluding observations: Democratic Republic
of Congo (E/C.12/COD/CO/4), para. 28; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women, concluding observations: Zimbabwe (CEDAW/C/ZMB/CO/5-6), para. 21.
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