22/04/2015 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Including children’s rights in national constitutions could strengthen national laws and policies to protect children in the view of PACE’s Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.
A report by Cezar Florin Preda (Romania, EPP/CD) adopted today by the committee looks into how children’s rights could be incorporated into national constitutions. It also investigates the means of guaranteeing that these rights are effectively implemented, including independent institutions for the protection of children’s rights (or ombudsmen) and the support of parliamentary committees focusing on these rights.
Drawing on studies by the Venice Commission and UNICEF, the committee considers that there is a need for member states to update their constitutional and legislative frameworks, review their constitutional provisions in the light of international standards, treat children as “autonomous rights-holders” and develop enforcement mechanisms such as access to judicial remedies and courts.