In a win for KIND’s global advocacy work, several of KIND’s key policy recommendations were reflected in a new report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) following the Committee’s recent state-party review of Mexico. The CRC is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its State parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are a public and official document of the UN Treaty Bodies, in which the Committee assesses a State’s human rights record and issues authoritative recommendations for enhanced implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In their concluding observations on Mexico, the Committee applauded the Mexican government for making critical changes to strengthen its child protection system, while at the same time noting a number of areas for improvement, consistent with KIND’s recommendations. These included:
Stop the process of rolling back the National System for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA) and strengthen the approach to comprehensive protection of children’s rights in public policies, including by ensuring sufficient human, technical, and financial resources at the federal, state, and municipal levels
Take measures to ensure the clear application of the principle of the best interests of the child as a primary consideration by applying that principle in all decisions concerning children made by the courts, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, as well as in all policies, programs and projects, including for children in migratory or institutionalized settings and any other situations that are relevant to and have an impact on children.
Ensure that children have access to confidential, child-friendly complaint mechanisms, including free and appropriate legal aid, for the reporting of cases in children’s detention centers and facilities taking care of asylum-seeking, refugee, and migrant children.
- End immediately the practice of detention and deprivation of liberty of migrant children and ensure special protection measures instead.
- While banning all forms of deprivation of liberty in the context of migration, ensure that all places of accommodation or rescue meet international standards, including with provisions for access to information, translation and interpretation services to ensure understanding by children in their languages, and guarantee their security, health, food, and other rights.
As the preeminent international nongovernmental organization devoted to the protection of unaccompanied and separated children, KIND’s expertise is crucial to ensuring global standards are upheld and respected in the treatment of children on the move.
KIND welcomes the opportunity to provide information relevant to the CRC’s review of Mexico and will continue to support Mexican authorities to uphold their commitment to improving child protection.
