Review of Palestinian compliance with the Child Rights Convention 

The UN reviews are supposed to be an exercise in holding states accountable for violations of the treaty. However, the Palestinian Authority used this review process as one more platform to demonize and delegitimize Israel, just like it did in August 2019 in its review by the UN anti-racism committee.

Here, again, the Palestinian Authority repeatedly sought to evade its treaty commitments. The Head of Delegation, Dr. Ahmed A. H. Majdalani began his remarks pleading with the Committee to “not exempt Israel for its violations of human rights” and then proceeding to accuse Israel of a range of violations including racist laws, home demolitions, denial of access to health care, settlements and war crimes, all completely irrelevant to whether the Palestinians adhere to their own child rights obligations.

Responding to the few questions directed at incitement and terrorism, the Palestinian delegation issued blanket denials, such as “our textbooks contain no incitement.”

Unfortunately, Committee Member Benyam Dawit Mezmur of Ethiopia played into the Palestinian delegation’s deflection tactics when he indicated that the concluding observations will “not disregard the peculiar environment that you face,” a thinly-disguised reference to the “occupation,” adding that it would “pay close attention to this reality.”

In one of his questions to the Palestinian delegation, about the higher rates of girl enrollment in secondary schools compared to boy enrollment, Mezmur asked point blank “to what extent is that linked to the occupation?”

While some Committee members did challenge the Palestinian delegation on incitement of Palestinian children to violence, these questions invariably still found ways to implicate Israel. For example, Ms. Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi of Morocco asked what measures have been taken to address “the use of children by non-state armed groups encouraging children to take part in demonstrations…and the glorification of deaths, considered as martyrs.” However, she preceded the question by noting the high rates of Palestinian child deaths due to “the occupation forces,” “the settlers” and “the Israeli Security Forces,” never mentioning Hamas by name.

Likewise, Mr. Bragi Gudbrandsson of Iceland, apparently referring to our report, commented that “it has been argued that the Palestinian authorities have engaged in rampant incitement to engage children in hostilities against Israelis,” but then immediately discounted the argument by adding that he was not “assessing the credibility of this argument” or attributing to it even “a grain of truth.” He then asked whether the Palestinian delegation was confident that “measures have been taken with the aim of protecting children from participating in the ongoing conflict.”

Throughout the two-day session, the issue of “occupation” was considered an accepted criteria of the review, normalizing the anti-Israel narrative and distracting from the primary purpose of the review.

Notwithstanding the above, we note that Committee members did also convey that the review would focus on Palestinian compliance with the treaty. For example, although Committee-member Idrissi began her remarks acknowledging the reality of “occupation,” she added that “the goal of this dialogue is to see how the State of Palestine can be assisted in fulfilling obligations to children by using the means available.” Thus, in line with their mandate, committee members also asked many legitimate questions about how the delegation can take practical measures to improve the social, economic, health, and education experiences of Palestinian children.

Concluding Observations

Following the review, on February 13, 2020, the committee published its concluding observations. Regrettably, the concluding observations adopted much of the anti-Israel narrative from the review itself, including by acknowledging that “the Israeli occupation” constitutes “a serious obstacle to “the Palestinians’ “implementation of the rights enshrined in the Convention.” At the same time, to the Committee’s credit, the concluding observations focused on the Palestinians’ own obligations under the Convention and also addressed several issues that were raised by UN Watch in its submission, including participation of Palestinian children in anti-Israel violence, incitement in the Palestinian curriculum and detention and torture of Palestinian children by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. 

Disappointingly, one area completely ignored by the committee was Palestinian violations against Israeli children, including indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza and stabbings and other terror attacks targeting Israeli children. UN Watch had provided numerous examples of such attacks in its report.

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Above: Syrian Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala, whose recent presidency
of the UN Conference on Disarmament provoked a global outcry.

Syria was reviewed today in Geneva by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Below is an excerpt of the exchange.

UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (Mr. Benyam Dawit Mezmur): It sounds like you’re attributing every abuse to forces outside of the Syrian government. Yet the Commission of Inquiry, based on testimonies from first-hand accounts, video and satellite photos, show otherwise. In the last 8 years, is there one example that the government has identified, in the context of children in armed conflict, that is attributable to the government itself?

Syrian Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala: The problem in the reports that are submitted on Syria relate to a systematic aim of political act of misinformation. The aim is to accuse the Syrian government of the responsibility of what’s happening on Syrian grounds. These are illogical.

We are in a war against terrorism for the last 8 years. Without comprehensive support and popular support to the state of Syria, it would not have been able to stand. Therefore, trying to say that Syria purposefully targets its citizens is politically motivated.

The reports, we have provided written answers to all of them. We submitted 57 reports regarding OCHA to the Security Council. I personally gave responses to what you said before the Human Rights Council. You can refer to the responses we submitted.

We want to clarify that this commission of inquiry was established by HRC resolution, therefore there was an internal division regarding the mandate. There are many problems related to the methodology of work.

There’s a fact that show that the sponsor states are the same states implicated in the war against my country. These states are actually dictating the commission — its acts, and the content of its reports. They are micromanaging the work of this commission. We did not cooperate with it [in light of this]. Although we welcomed its chairperson at an early stage, but he wanted to continue a biased approach against Syria.

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Delivered by Mr. Daniel Mekonnen

Thank you Mr. President,
I am honored to make this statement on behalf of UN Watch.
I thank the Special Rapporteur for her oral update and for her relentless efforts in spotlighting the plight of unaccompanied migrant children from Eritrea. This problem is part and parcel of the unacceptable level of gross human rights violations in the country, including a possible situation of crimes against humanity, which is well documented by the first report of the Commission of Inquiry. The problem is worsening by the day.
There is overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact that the pervasive practice of coerced and indefinite military conscription without formal pay, including forced enlistment of underage children, is the main reason for the mass exodus of Eritrean society. This problem is disproportionately affecting unaccompanied migrant children, who are fleeing the country on an alarming scale.
While the adoption of long-term recommendations is very much appreciated, the importance of urgent solutions specifically aimed at alleviating the plight of unaccompanied migrant children cannot be overemphasized.
The problem requires urgent solutions, including calling on the Eritrean government to put aside empty promises and take tangible and immediate steps to put a halt to its prolonged practice of indefinite military conscription. This Council should also call on all recipient countries to adopt measures that ensure adequate legal protection to unaccompanied migrant children. Many of these children, particularly those in the immediate neighboring countries of Eritrea, are living in extremely dangerous circumstances that are an affront to the human conscience.
I would like to conclude by reiterating my call for an urgent humanitarian solution to the prolonged suffering of unaccompanied migrant Eritrean children wherever they are, including a solution to the root causes of their flight from Eritrea.
Thank you Mr. President.

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Thank you Mr. President,

UN Watch is deeply concerned by the state of human rights in Bolivia. In its recent UPR, many states voiced great concern over the criminal justice system and the rights of women and children. Even though Bolivia has accepted the vast majority of the recommendations, we are concerned that the government may not be fully committed in implementing them.

Several of the recommendations related to child labor laws. Germany and others asked Bolivia to “take effective measures to protect children from exploitative forms of labour and work in hazardous areas.” We are concerned that not enough is being done to eradicate underage employment. According to NGO reports, Bolivia remains the only country in the world that has legalized the employment of children as young as 10 years old. This law reflects the sad reality that approximately half of Bolivia’s 10 million population lives under the poverty line. We are concerned that the low work age limit could be counterproductive, perpetuating the cycle of poverty Bolivia wishes to abolish.

Additionally, several governments recommended that Bolivia “take further efforts to ensure that all women enjoy their right to sexual and reproductive health, and to increase access to health services, particularly in rural areas…” While Bolivia has adopted a comprehensive law to combat violence against women and has ended the requirement for judicial authorization for women seeking legal abortion, there remain other legal barriers to abortion and not enough funding for the implementation of its new laws.

Lastly, other recommendations included the need to “take concrete measures to prevent prison overcrowding and … to ensure that all children living in detention are accorded special protection.” While we recognize some improvement in all these areas, there is more to be done, in particular protecting minors who live in prison with their families from sexual abuse.

Mr. President, UN Watch calls upon the government of Bolivia to take further measures to protect the most vulnerable groups.

Thank you.

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Delivered by Minyoung Kwon

Thank you, Mr. President.
UN Watch is deeply concerned with the escalating situation in Ukraine. It is deplorable that more than 3,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.
Moreover, as described in the latest report by the Office of the High Commissioner, in Ukraine there have been repeated human rights violations against civilians, including women and children, and journalists.
UN Watch believes the voices of victims need to be heard. That’s why we brought Iryna Dovgan to testify here last week. As you will recall, Iryna is a Ukrainian woman who was beaten, tortured, and publicly humiliated by the pro-Russian militias. This is a single case out of many violations that have taken place in a region plagued with violence.
Mr. President, UN Watch calls upon Russia to withdraw its forces, respect the sovereignty of its neighbors, and end support for armed groups. Russia cannot simply be allowed to invade its neighbors and violate borders with impunity.
We call upon the United Nations to continue to monitor closely the situation of human rights in Ukraine. We call upon all sides to respect international human rights and international humanitarian law.
We cannot agree that the Ukrainian conflict is an internal or domestic matter, as President Putin has put it. The downing of Malaysian Flight MH17, for example, has opened up this conflict far beyond the immediate borders. It is time for the international community to take concrete measures to bring this violence to an end.
I thank you, Mr. President.

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Thank you, Mr. President.
UN Watch is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation of human rights in Sudan, as documented in the report of the independent expert that is before us.
So far this year, Sudanese security forces have shot dead more than 170 people, including children, and detained hundreds more. Bombing has intensified within the Blue Nile region as an estimated 300 bombs fell during the first half of 2014, largely targeting civilian areas. More recently,on August 5, the displaced persons of El Salam camp in South Darfur were brutally assaulted by government forces.Similar events have caused an estimated 250,000 new civilian IDPs between February and April 2014.
The independent expert’s report describes several disturbing realities: 80 peaceful protestors severely injured during the 2013 oil subsidy demonstrations; the fatal shooting by Sudanese security forces at the university of Khartoum which led to the death ofAli Abaker Mussa Idris; and, lastly, the apostasy case of Meriam Ibrahim, who was imprisoned and initially sentenced to death for being a Christian. What is highly disturbing is the unwillingness of the government to investigate these incidents and punish the perpetrators.
Moreover, UN Watch is concerned by the fact that many victims of sexual and gender based violence are unwilling to report such incidents due to the climate of fear that exists in the country. The lack of appropriate government measures results in the perpetuation of such crimes.
In that regard, we have three questions for the Independent Expert:
One: in light of widespread impunity in the country as documented in your report, how do you suggest the Council address this issue?
Two: President Al Bashir has been indicted by the ICC for genocide and crimes against humanity. How can this Council support his extradition?
Three: Considering the escalation of human rights violations in Sudan, do you believe your mandate should be strengthened and moved to item 4?
Thank you, Mr. President.

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1 September 2014

Thank you, Mr. President.

My name is Maryam Wahida, and I am a Christian born and raised in Iraq, where most of my family remains. I am privileged to speak on behalf of UN Watch.
I have come here today, with my family, to bear witness before the world about the horrific crimes perpetrated by the Islamic State against my relatives, against the Christians, Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq.
For many weeks now, the terrorists have invaded our villages, destroyed ancient churches, and burned historical archives dating back many centuries.
Mr. President, I welcome today’s meeting. But given the extreme life-and-death urgency, we must ask: Why has the UN waited so long?
The victims of Iraq want to know: What could be more urgent than stopping the terrorists of the Islamic State from persecuting, attacking, enslaving, raping and beheading our men, women and children?
Mr. President,
Those who survived were forced to flee their homes. As displaced persons, they now live in horrible conditions, without basic hygiene and sanitation. They sleep in the streets, on the floor, inside and outside of churches. Children and the elderly suffer the most, and there are many illnesses that quickly spread among the victims.
I speak on the telephone to my relatives in Iraq. I learned about how my cousin Nawar, a 25-year-old pharmacist in Erbil, started collecting money to buy medical supplies for the sick. He managed to buy a wheelchair for one refugee, a 90-year-old woman, who was very happy to receive the help.
I wish to thank all of the governments that have helped so far. But the international community must do more—whatever it can—to help the victims, such as by creating a safe region for displaced persons within Iraq, and to facilitate asylum and migration.
Mr. President, I hope that I can call my relatives in Iraq tonight with news of strong and effective action from the UN, to save the victims who are in such desperate need of the world’s help.
Thank you, Mr. President.

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Delivered by Miriam Manning

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