Women's Rights & Children's Rights

 In many societies, special vulnerable Groups are identified who are

subjective to live as unprivileged people who face many challenges and
hardships in life

 They are woman, children, and disabled people with special needs

 Human rights advocates and defenders often pay special attention to

these groups.

 There are special conventions adopted the UN and regional

organizations to safeguard and protect their rights as they are observed
as lacking means to defend themselves or they are being people often
times marginalized and given less attention to their conditions.

CEDAW (1972)

 Therefore in 1972 the UN adopted a treaty which addressed specific

issues suffered by women called Convention on the Elimination All
Forms of Discrimination against Women. (CEDAW)

 CEDAW addresses important issues requiring attention by state and

society which include prohibition of sex discrimination from the
perspective of equally between women and men.

 Now the question is what is discrimination against women?

 Article 1 of the CEDAW explain discrimination as follows

+ "any distinction, exclusion restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect
of purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by
women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis equality of men and women,
of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political economic, social,
cultural, civil or any other field"

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  The Convention oblige states to refrain from sex-based discrimination
and take measures towards achieving factual as well as legal equality
legal equality in all spheres of life.

 These include breaking down discriminatory attitude, customs and

practices in society
 Article 6 requires stated to suppress all forms of trafficking in women
and exploitation of prostitution

 Articles 7 and 8 describe obligations to ensure equal participation of

within men in public and political life.

 Articles 9 and 10 expand in equality in nationality and education, while'

Articles 11, 12 and 13 elaborate on women's rights to employment,
health and other areas of economic and social life.

 Articles 15 and 16 expand upon rights to equality before the law and in
the area of marriage and namely relations,

 In Part V of the Convention state parties are required to report

regularly to the committee on the elimination of discrimination against
Women, which it established to monitor implementation of the treaty is
provisions

Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

 Convention on the Rights of the child (CRC) adopted by the UN in 1989
to protect and serve the rights of children who will be future leaders
and citizens of the world. It has been one of the most popular
international treaties.

 In this convention children are defined as human beings at the age of 18.

 Both covenants under International Bill of Human Rights stipulate

special measures of protection for children and CRC set out these
measures in much greater detail

 Articles 9 expands family & reunification and Article 10 talks about

illicit transfer of children

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  Article 11, describes protection from abuse while Article 19 describes
adoption of children.

 Article 22 addresses the particular situation of child refugees.

 Having recognized the particular vulnerabilities of children CRC

ensures economic exploitation of children

 (Article 32) drug abuse (Article 33), sexual exploitation (Article 34), and
their abduction sale or trafficking (Article 35).

 Again Article 23 provides particularly for case of children with

disabilities while Article 38 reasserts states obligations in armed conflict
under international humanitarian law and requires them neither to
recruit nor, where possible, utilize children under 15 years of age as
soldiers in conflict.

Four General Principles for Implementing Children's Rights

 The Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is monitoring body of
CRC, has identified the following 4 Principles, contained in the
convention that guide the way state implement child nights

1. Non-Discrimination: (Article 2): the obligation of states to respect and

ensure the sights set forth in the convention against any form of
discrimination

2. The best interests of the Child (Article 3) should be a primary

consideration in all actions concerning the child

3. The right to life survival and development (Article 6) which are child's
inherent rights, must be protected to the maximum extent possible,

4. The views of the child about his or her own, situation (Article 12) shall
be allowed to freely express in all matters that affecting the child. And
these views must be given due weight in accordance with the age and
maturity of the child.

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  In Part II of the convention, requires all state parties to report regularly
to the committee on the rights of the child, which it established to
monitor implementation of the treaty’s provisions
Focal Points in the Maldives
 Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Service is the Nation Focal
Points for both CEDAW and CRC which communicate National
Reports regularly stating the state of implementation of both of these
conventions in the Maldives.

 There is a Standing Committee of People's Majlis known as

Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights which acts as oversight
body of all actions and matters concerning human rights and exercise
scrutiny on national focal points in implementing both local and
international legal instruments