SUDAN: UN ENVOY WARNS OF CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORD

SUDAN: UN ENVOY WARNS OF CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORD
New York, Jun 4 2009 4:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Sudan has warned that although much progress has been made in healing the strife-torn country's divides, difficulties remain, ahead of a meeting in the United States on the issue.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, said that many challenges face the signatories to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended a 21-year civil war between north and south Sudan.

Mr. Qazi, who also heads the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS), was speaking after a meeting on Wednesday with the President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and the First Vice-President of Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit.

"I had a very good meeting with the President and this is an important time because we all are preparing for the conference that will take place in Washington later this month," said Mr. Qazi during his one-day visit to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan.

"The United States has taken the initiative to act in concert with the international community to help both signatories implement the CPA on schedule because the CPA time period will be completed in 2011," he added.

In the meeting, Mr. Qazi discussed the security situation in the south, elections, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme for ex-combatants, and the preparations for the 2011 referendum on whether the South should secede or remain united with the rest of the country.

The President expressed appreciation for the role of UNMIS, which recently dispatched some 120 civilian, military and police personnel to Jonglei State, where thousands were taking refuge after inter-tribal violence left hundreds dead, including many women and children.
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UNICEF LAUDS FIRST-EVER CHILDREN’S RIGHTS LAW IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has hailed the first-ever law recognizing children's rights launched today in Southern Sudan, extolling the Government for its efforts to create a society in which children can grow and develop to their full potential.

The Child Act, inaugurated today by President Salva Kiir of Southern Sudan, defines a child as any person under the age of 18 and requires the Government to recognize, respect and ensure the rights of children enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"This legislation is a major milestone in creating a protective environment in which children can enjoy their rights to health, education and other basic services, to access information, to express their views, and to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm," said Peter Crowley, Director of Operations for UNICEF's Southern Sudan Area Programme.

Under the new law, any community member who suspects that a child's rights have been violated or are at risk must report the case to local authorities.

Additionally, parents must register their children's births; protect them from neglect, discrimination, violence and abuse; provide them with good care and guidance; and ensure they receive a full-time education.

The Act explicitly bans acts such as the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups, torture and cruel treatment, including the use of corporal punishment in schools, jails and public institutions. It also criminalizes early marriage and the use of children for prostitution and pornography.

No child under the age of 12 can be held accountable for criminal acts and further cannot be arrested and imprisoned, states the new law, which sets up a restorative justice system for children above age 12 accused of crimes.

Discrimination against children on the basis of gender, race, age, religion, language, opinion, disability and HIV or other health status, among others, is outlawed by the Act.

For children living without their parents – either temporarily or permanently – it requires that they are provided with alternative family care in their community.

The new legislation also establishes an independent Children's Commission, which must investigate reported violations and make recommendations on how to promote children's rights.
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