A/HRC/RES/24/12
17.
Recognizes that every child and juvenile in conflict with the law must be
treated in a manner consistent with his or her rights, dignity and needs, in accordance with
international law, bearing in mind relevant international standards on human rights in the
administration of justice, and calls on States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child to abide strictly by its principles and provisions;
18.
Encourages States that have not yet integrated children’s issues into their
overall rule of law efforts to do so, and to develop and implement a comprehensive juvenile
justice policy to prevent and address juvenile delinquency as well as with a view to
promoting, inter alia, the use of alternative measures, such as diversion and restorative
justice, and ensuring compliance with the principle that deprivation of liberty of children
should only be used as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of
time, as well as to avoid, wherever possible, the use of pretrial detention for children;
19.
Encourages States to foster close cooperation between the justice sectors,
different services in charge of law enforcement, social welfare and education sectors in
order to promote the use and improved application of alternative measures in juvenile
justice;
20.
Stresses the importance of including reintegration strategies for former child
offenders in juvenile justice policies, in particular through educational programmes, with a
view to their assuming a constructive role in society;
21.
Encourages States not to set the minimum age of criminal responsibility at
too low an age level, bearing in mind the emotional, mental and intellectual maturity of the
child, and, in this respect, refers to the recommendation of the Committee of the Rights of
the Child to increase their lower minimum age of criminal responsibility without exception
to the age of 12 years as the absolute minimum age, and to continue to increase it to a
higher age level;
22.
Urges States to ensure that, under their legislation and practice, neither
capital punishment nor life imprisonment are imposed for offences committed by persons
under 18 years of age;
23.
Calls upon States to enact or review legislation to ensure that any conduct not
considered a criminal offence or not penalized if committed by an adult is also not
considered a criminal offence and not penalized if committed by a child, in order to prevent
the child’s stigmatization, victimization and criminalization;
24.
Urges States to take all appropriate measures so that children who are victims
of human trafficking are not subject to criminal sanctions for their involvement in unlawful
activities to the extent that such involvement is a direct consequence of their situation as
trafficked persons;
25.
Invites Governments to provide for human rights training on the
administration of justice and juvenile justice, including anti-racist, multicultural and
gender-sensitive and child rights training, for all judges, lawyers, prosecutors, social
workers, immigration, correction officers and police officers and other professionals
working in the field of administration of justice;
26.
Calls upon States to consider establishing or strengthening existing
independent and child-friendly national monitoring and complaints mechanisms to
contribute to safeguarding the rights of children deprived of their liberty;
27.
Stresses the importance of paying greater attention to the impact of the
imprisonment of parents on their children;
5
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