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Rights of the child: protection of the rights of the child in humanitarian situations, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- 25. Calls upon States to promote the meaningful participation of and active consultation with children and adolescents affected by humanitarian situations on all issues affecting them, and to raise awareness about their rights through safe spaces, forums and support networks that provide children with information, life skills and leadership skills training and opportunities to be empowered, to express themselves and to participate meaningfully, consistent with their evolving capacities, during and after an emergency;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- 21. Expresses deep concern at the conditions of the Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including minors, in Israeli jails and detention centres, calls upon Israel to explicitly prohibit torture, including psychological torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, demands that Israel, the occupying Power, fully respect and abide by its international law obligations towards all Palestinian prisoners and detainees in its custody, expresses its concern at the continued extensive use of administrative detention, calls for the full implementation of the agreement reached in May 2012 for a prompt and independent investigation into all cases of death in custody, and calls upon Israel to immediately release all Palestinian prisoners, including Palestinian legislators, detained in violation of international law;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Human rights and unilateral coercive measures, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- 7. Also expresses its grave concern that, in some countries, the socioeconomic conditions of family members, particularly women and children, are adversely affected by unilateral coercive measures, imposed and maintained contrary to international law and the Charter, that create obstacles to trade relations among States, restrict movement through various means of transport, impede the full realization of social and economic development and hinder the well-being of the population in the affected countries, with particular consequences for women, children, including adolescents, the elderly and persons with disabilities;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women: engaging men and boys in preventing and responding to violence against all women and girls 2017, para. 9g
- Paragraph text
- [Calls upon States to take immediate and effective action to prevent violence against women and girls by:] Developing and implementing educational programmes and teaching materials, including comprehensive sexuality education, based on full and accurate information, for all adolescents and youth, in a manner consistent with their evolving capacities, with appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians, with the active involvement of all relevant stakeholders, in order to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women of all ages, to eliminate prejudices and to promote and build decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills for the development of respectful relationships based on gender equality and human rights, as well as teacher education and training programmes for both formal and non-formal education;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto: situation of women and girls with disabilities 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Also calls upon States to accelerate efforts to scale up scientifically accurate age-appropriate comprehensive education that provides adolescent girls and young women with disabilities, in and out of school, in a manner consistent with their evolving capacities, with appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians, with information in accessible and alternative communication formats on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and women’s empowerment, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young people, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Men
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 2017, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Urges all States parties to the Convention that have not yet done so to make the declarations provided for in articles 21 and 22 of the Convention concerning inter-State and individual communications, to consider the possibility of withdrawing their reservations to article 20, to notify the Secretary-General of their acceptance of the amendments to articles 17 and 18, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of the Committee against Torture as soon as possible, and to comply strictly with their obligations under the Convention, including, in view of the high number of reports not submitted in time, their obligation to submit reports in accordance with article 19 of the Convention, and invites States parties to incorporate a gender perspective and information concerning persons who are marginalized and most vulnerable, including children and juveniles and persons with disabilities, when submitting reports to the Committee;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Taking note with appreciation of the report submitted by the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee at the present session on the study on the global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights, in which the Committee defines the areas, reasons and cases in which this issue arises in the world, and the way in which human rights are threatened and violated, and makes recommendations for the consideration of States on how to protect the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Noting the work of the World Health Organization High-level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States to ensure appropriate, integrated and gender-sensitive child protection care and services for all unaccompanied and separated migrant children and adolescents starting from the time of their arrival, in accordance with relevant international legal frameworks, taking into account the principle of the best interests of the child and the special needs of unaccompanied migrant children and those separated from their families, to protect them against all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence and to work to provide for their health, education and psychosocial development in a manner that is age- and gender-sensitive and that ensures a continuum of protection throughout the migration cycle and across transnational borders;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Encourages States to prevent the separation of migrant children and adolescents from their families, to establish effective systems in conformity with their international obligations and commitments, and to prioritize family reunification for unaccompanied or separated children with their parents, except when further separation is necessary in the best interests of the child, taking full account of the right of the child to express his or her views freely in matters that affect them and ensuring that applications by the child, or his or her parents, to enter or leave a country for the purpose of family reunification are dealt with in a positive, humane and expeditious manner and entail no adverse consequences for the applicants or family members;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Also calls upon States to strengthen the capacity of national health systems, and in this regard invites the international community to assist national efforts, upon request, including by allocating adequate resources in order to provide the essential services needed to prevent obstetric fistula and to treat those cases that occur by providing the continuum of services, including family planning, prenatal and postnatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care and post?partum care, to adolescent girls, including those living in poverty and in underserved rural areas where obstetric fistula is most common;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The pervasive misconception that adolescents, both with and without disabilities, lack the capacity to make autonomous decisions about their own health care is a major barrier to girls and young women with and without disabilities when they attempt to access sexual and reproductive health information and services. Many States legally limit the ability of adolescents to make autonomous choices about their sexual and reproductive health and rights by requiring parental notification or consent prior to the provision of information and services, or by permitting health-care providers to deny reproductive health information, goods and services to adolescents. Moreover, for young women with disabilities over legal age, legislation restricting their legal capacity on the basis of disability and misconceptions about their perceived lack of capacity prevent many of them from making autonomous decisions about sexual and reproductive health-care services. Those restrictive circumstances result in an impenetrable barrier for girls and young women with disabilities, especially for those requiring support to express their will and preferences, since such support is usually provided by the family. Consequently, in many cases, girls and young women with disabilities have no control over their own sexual and reproductive lives, as decisions are taken for them under the paternalistic guise of “for their own good” (see A/67/227, para. 36). Denying access to sexual and reproductive health care to girls and young women with disabilities is a form of violence, which also exposes them to the risks of unwanted pregnancy, early marriage and school dropout.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, within the framework of the preparations for the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 71/1 and 71/280 of 6 April 2017, to provide inputs submitted to the Human Rights Council by the Office of the High Commissioner for the forthcoming stocktaking meeting and to engage with Members States and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for International Migration to help to identify, through a human rights-based approach, concrete measures and best practices to improve the human rights situation of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Reminds States that the detention of a migrant child or adolescent on the basis of their migration status or that of their parents is seldom, if ever, in the best interests of the child, and also reminds them of their commitment to work towards ending this practice, and calls upon States to consider reviewing policies that criminalize cross-border movements and to adopt alternatives to detention for children that take into account the best interests of the child, as a primary consideration, and respect the human rights of migrant children and adolescents, including the right to preserve their identities and family relations and not to be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their families;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Embrace diversity and energize humanity 2017, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- In his first report, the Independent Expert underlined the relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity and other issues, including racism, poverty, migration, disability and other factors. A particular concern to be highlighted here is the plight of children and youth from the perspective of gender diversity. Thus, on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, 17 May 2017, the Independent Expert and a range of United Nations human rights treaty bodies and special procedures, as well as regional mechanisms, issued a joint statement calling for protection of transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents. The following excerpt epitomizes the universal message: We call on States to adopt and implement effective measures prohibiting violence, anti-discrimination laws covering gender identity and expression — real or perceived — as well as sexual orientation as prohibited grounds for discrimination, to develop inclusive curriculums and learning materials, training for and support to teachers and other school staff, education and support programmes for parents, safe and non-discriminatory access to bathrooms, and awareness-raising programmes nurturing respect and understanding for gender diversity. On another front, the mere existence of laws or by-laws criminalizing gender expression including through offences of “cross dressing” or “imitating the opposite sex” and other such discriminatory regulations impact on the liberty and security of these young people, tend to foster a climate where hate speech, violence and discrimination are condoned and perpetrated with impunity. Criminalization and pervasive discrimination in such context lead to the denial of health care, including safe gender affirming procedures, and to the lack of access to information and related services. Pathologizing trans and gender diverse people — branding them as ill based on their gender identity and expression — has historically been, and continues to be, one of the root causes behind the human rights violations against them. We reiterate our call for States to decriminalize and depathologize trans and gender diverse identities and expressions, including for young transgender people, prohibit “conversion therapies” and refrain from adopting new criminalizing laws and pathologizing medical classifications, including in the context of the upcoming review of the International Classification of Diseases. We also call on States to provide equal access to health care and access to gender affirming treatment to those who seek it.
- Body
- Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- LGBTQI+
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- Also calls upon States to promote and protect effectively the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, especially unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, regardless of their migration status, and to address international migration through international, regional or bilateral cooperation and dialogue and a comprehensive and balanced approach, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of countries of origin, transit and destination in promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants and avoiding approaches that might aggravate their vulnerability;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Access to rights-based support for persons with disabilities 2017, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- International cooperation can play a crucial role in the implementation of support systems. Donor countries and international organizations should consider increasing funding for the design and development of sustainable national support systems and securing the necessary funds to implement development aid inclusive of the support arrangements required by persons with disabilities. For example, when funding national education systems, donors should take into account the obligation to provide support to children and adolescents with disabilities within the general education system to facilitate their effective education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States, with the support, where appropriate, of international organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations, to develop policies and programmes, giving priority to formal, informal and non-formal education programmes, including scientifically accurate and age-appropriate comprehensive education, relevant to cultural contexts, that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, and with appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians, with information on sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention, gender equality and women’s empowerment, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and to develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young persons, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers, in order to, inter alia, enable them to protect themselves from HIV infection and other risks;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States to promote the meaningful participation of and active consultation with children and adolescents affected by humanitarian settings, especially girls, on all issues affecting them, and to raise awareness about their rights, including the negative impact of child, early and forced marriage, through safe spaces, forums and support networks that provide girls and boys with information, life skills and leadership skills training and opportunities to be empowered, to express themselves, to participate meaningfully in all decisions that affect them and to become agents of change within their communities;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The past few years have witnessed growing numbers of children and adolescents on the move, alone or with their families, within and across countries. In 2015, children constituted more than half of the total refugee population, and more than 100,000 asylum claims were lodged by unaccompanied or separated children. More often than not, a child's decision to leave home is an escape strategy to secure safety and protection; to reach a safe haven from political instability, conflict, natural disasters, violence and exploitation. For children on the move, especially those who travel unaccompanied or separated from their families, violence infuses daily life and is often part of a continuum. Fear and insecurity are widespread, and impunity prevails. During a recent country visit by the Special Representative, children repeatedly told her that life was unfair and that they saw their neighbourhood as a ghetto of hopelessness, lawlessness and fear.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- Recalling also all previous resolutions of the General Assembly on the protection of the human rights of migrants, in particular those relating to the situation of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, such as resolutions 69/187 of 18 December 2014 and 71/177 of 19 December 2016, the Human Rights Council resolutions on the protection of the human rights of migrants, in particular resolutions 9/5 of 16 September 2008, 12/6 of 12 October 2009, 29/12 of 2 July 2015, 33/7 of 29 September 2016 and 35/17 of 22 June 2017, Commission on Population and Development resolution 2013/1 of 26 April 2013, entitled “New trends in migrations: demographic aspects”, and the Declaration of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, adopted on 3 October 2013,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Expressing serious concern about the vulnerability of and risks faced by migrants in countries of transit and destination, in particular children, including adolescents, who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, who are forced to flee or decide to leave their homelands owing to multiple causes and who travel alone migratory routes, regardless of their migratory status, since they may be exposed to serious human rights violations and abuses that can threaten their physical, emotional and psychological well-being, and may also be exposed to crimes and human rights abuses committed by transnational criminal organizations or gangs, including crimes such as theft, kidnapping, extortion, physical abuse, the sale of and trafficking in persons, forced labour, and sexual abuse and exploitation,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that discussions on the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration are an important opportunity to address the issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States, with the support of relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations, as appropriate, to take all measures necessary to ensure the right of girls to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, including sexual and reproductive health, and to develop sustainable health systems, strengthen existing ones to ensure primary health care with an integrated HIV response and make them more accessible to adolescent girls;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Taking note of the reports submitted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the panel discussion on unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights held at the thirty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council and on the promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants in the context of large movements, submitted to the Council at its thirty-third session,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- Urges States to give primary consideration at all times to the best interests of the child, particularly with regard to children in transit or crossing borders, and when formulating policies on integration, return or family reunification, to carry out individualized, comprehensive best-interest assessments to identify the protection needs of migrant children and adolescents, particularly unaccompanied and separated children, and to carry out early and prompt assessments of victims of violence, exploitation and abuse who may qualify for refugee status or other forms of protection;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Elimination of discrimination against women and girls 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Urges States to ensure the promotion, protection and the fulfilment of all human rights and the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcome documents of their review conferences and of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in this context, and to promote, protect and fulfil the right of all women to have full control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, free from discrimination, coercion and violence, including through the removal of legal barriers and the development and enforcement of policies, good practices and legal frameworks that respect the right to decide autonomously in matters regarding their own lives and health, including their bodies, and to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health, services, information and education, including for family planning, safe and effective methods of modern contraception, emergency contraception, prevention programmes for adolescent pregnancy, maternal health care, such as skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care, safe abortion where not against national law and the prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and reproductive cancers and the integration of sexual and reproductive health into national strategies and programmes;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The right to mental health 2017, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- Mental health and emotional well-being are priority areas of focus for the Special Rapporteur (see A/HRC/29/33). In each thematic report, he has attempted to bring mental health into focus as a human rights and development priority in the context of early childhood development (see A/70/213), adolescence (see A/HRC/32/32) and the Sustainable Development Goals (see A/71/304).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The right to mental health 2017, para. 93b
- Paragraph text
- [To ensure that social and underlying determinants for the promotion of mental health for all are addressed, the Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Take immediate action to develop public policies which, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, address mental health and holistic development in early childhood and adolescence, prioritizing promotion and psychosocial interventions;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Taking note with appreciation of the work of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, especially the reports in which the mandate holder addressed the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, in particular his report on the human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility, presented to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-fifth session,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Rights of the child: protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2017, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Concerned that 1 million girls under 15 give birth every year, and that the risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years of age,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Working methods, thematic priorities and vision for a meaningful anti-torture advocacy 2017, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- In all his endeavours, the Special Rapporteur will promote adherence to, and ratification of, core relevant human rights treaties. At the same time, the Special Rapporteur will also promote so-called soft-law standards such as, but not limited to, the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Body of Principles for the Protection of all Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, the Bangkok Rules, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules), the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and other relevant instruments. Ultimately, the Special Rapporteur will prioritize results-based pragmatism rather than formalism without, however, compromising on applicable norms, terms and standards. Therefore, the primary focus of the Special Rapporteur will not necessarily be to achieve universal ratification of relevant treaties, but rather to advocate for the implementation, in actual practice, of norms, procedures and mechanisms for the effective prevention of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Encourages States to take into consideration the present resolution in the development of the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, and to consider specific measures to strengthen the rights of migrant children and adolescents, paying particular attention to the specific needs of unaccompanied and separated migrant children;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Invites the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, in accordance with their mandates, to continue to give due consideration to the situation of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and the impact of this issue on the full enjoyment of their human rights, and to continue to report thereon;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States to promote and protect the right of women and girls to equal access to education through enhanced emphasis on free and quality primary and secondary education, including catch-up and literacy education for those who have not received formal education or have left school early, including because of marriage and/or childbearing, which empowers young women and girls to make informed decisions about their lives, employment, economic opportunities and health, including through scientifically accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive education, relevant to cultural contexts, that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men, in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, with information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and the empowerment of women, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and to develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young persons, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers, in order to contribute to ending child, early and forced marriage;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2017, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that, for the full and harmonious development of a child’s personality, he or she should grow up in a family environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding, and, therefore, that States of origin, destination and, where appropriate, transit should, as applicable under national law, facilitate family reunification as an important objective in order to promote the welfare and the best interests of migrant children, including adolescents,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work 2017, para. 40 (n)
- Paragraph text
- Ensure that pregnant adolescents and young mothers, as well as single mothers, can continue and complete their education, and in this regard, design, implement and, where applicable, revise educational policies to allow them to remain in and return to school, providing them with access to health-care and social services and support, including childcare and breastfeeding facilities and crèches, and to education programmes with accessible locations, flexible schedules and distance education, including e-learning, and bearing in mind the important role and responsibilities of, and challenges faced by, fathers, including young fathers, in this regard;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Policies and programmes involving youth 2017, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon Member States to accelerate efforts to scale up scientifically accurate age-appropriate comprehensive education, relevant to cultural contexts, that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men, in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, with information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and the empowerment of women, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development, and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and to develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young persons, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Human rights in the administration of justice, including juvenile justice 2017, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Reaffirming that the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all decisions concerning the deprivation of liberty and, in particular, that depriving children and juveniles of their liberty should be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, in particular before trial, and the need to ensure that, if they are arrested, detained or imprisoned, children should be separated from adults to the greatest extent feasible, unless it is considered in the child’s best interest not to be,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Requests States to ensure that, in all policies and programmes designed to provide comprehensive HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support, particular attention and support are given to the girl child at risk, living with or affected by HIV, including pregnant girls and young and adolescent mothers and girls with disabilities, and child heads of households, with a view to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, in particular the target of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Rights of the child: protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2017, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Noting global initiatives and partnerships to assist countries in the implementation of the commitments of the 2030 Agenda, inter alia, the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030), the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage, the Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, the High Time to End Violence against Children initiative, Alliance 8.7 to eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour, the Global Partnership for Education, the Global Education First Initiative, the Global Alliance for reporting progress on promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies, the We Protect Global Alliance to End Child Sexual Abuse Online, and the Fast-Track strategy to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, and tools such as the technical guidance on the application of a human rights-based approach to the implementation of policies and programmes to reduce and eliminate preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- In his report on protecting children from bullying (A/71/213), the Secretary-General addressed this question in detail, presenting important findings from an online opinion poll promoted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in cooperation with the Office of the Special Representative. More than 100,000 children and adolescents were surveyed and 9 out of 10 considered that bullying was a problem; two thirds reported that they had been victims and one third of these children had told no one.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women: engaging men and boys in preventing and responding to violence against all women and girls 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Taking note of the work of the High-level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Emphasizing that increased and equal access to quality education for young people, especially adolescent girls, including in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, as well as health care, hygiene and sanitation, dramatically lowers their vulnerability to preventable diseases and infections, in particular HIV and other sexually transmitted infections,
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- Expresses its concern that migrant children, including adolescents, may be exposed to serious human rights violations and abuses at various points in their journey, which can threaten their physical, emotional and psychological well-being, in the countries of origin, transit and destination, and that many irregular migrant children and adolescents may not be aware of their rights and may be exposed to crimes and human rights abuses committed by, inter alia, transnational criminal organizations and common criminals and include theft, kidnapping, extortion, threats, trafficking in persons, forced labour, child labour, sexual abuse and exploitation, physical harm and death;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Notes the request made by the Advisory Committee at its sixteenth session to extend the time schedule envisaged to allow for better informed work by, inter alia, taking into account the work currently under way by the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is scheduled to be finalized at the end of 2016, and requests the Advisory Committee to submit a final report on the global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-sixth session;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Decides to remain seized of the matter.
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right to sexual and reproductive health (Art. 12) 2016, para. 49f
- Paragraph text
- [States parties have a core obligation to ensure, at the very least, minimum essential levels of satisfaction of the right to sexual and reproductive health. In this regard, States parties should be guided by contemporary human rights instruments and jurisprudence, as well as the most current international guidelines and protocols established by United Nations agencies, in particular WHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The core obligations include at least the following:] To ensure all individuals and groups have access to comprehensive education and information on sexual and reproductive health that are non-discriminatory, non-biased, evidence-based, and that take into account the evolving capacities of children and adolescents;
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- The Committee recommends that States adopt a transitional approach towards achieving a balance between the positive role of work in adolescents' lives while ensuring their right to compulsory education, without discrimination. Schooling and the introduction to decent work should be coordinated to facilitate both in the lives of adolescents, according to their age and the effective mechanisms introduced to regulate such work, and give redress when adolescents are the victims of exploitation. The protection from hazardous work of all children under 18 years of age should be stipulated, with a clear list of specific harmful work. Efforts directed at preventing harmful work and working conditions should be made as a matter of priority, paying special attention to girls involved in domestic labour and other often "invisible" workers.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- The Committee has previously highlighted the widespread prejudice, exclusion, social isolation and discrimination faced by many children with disabilities. Adolescents with disabilities are, in many States, commonly excluded from opportunities available to other adolescents. They can be barred from participating in social, cultural and religious rites of passage. Significant numbers are denied access to secondary or tertiary education or vocational training, and consequent acquisition of the social, educational and economic skills necessary for future employment and freedom from poverty. They are widely denied access to sexual and reproductive health information and services and may be subjected to forced sterilization or contraception, which is in direct violation of their rights and can amount to torture or ill-treatment. Adolescents with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to physical and sexual violence, as well as child or forced marriage, and are routinely denied access to justice or redress.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- States parties should introduce measures to overcome such barriers, guarantee equal respect for the rights of adolescents with disabilities, promote their full inclusion and facilitate effective transitions from adolescence to adulthood, consistent with article 23 of the Convention and the recommendations in general comment No. 9 (2006) on the rights of children with disabilities. Adolescents with disabilities should, in addition, be provided with opportunities for supported decision-making in order to facilitate their active participation in all matters concerning them.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- States should guarantee that adolescents' right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly in all its forms is fully respected, consistent with the restrictions delineated in article 15 (2) of the Convention, including through the provision of safe spaces for both girls and boys. Legal recognition should be afforded to adolescents to establish their own associations, clubs, organizations, parliaments and forums, both in and out of school, form online networks, join political parties and join or form their own trade unions. Measures should also be introduced to protect adolescent human rights defenders, particularly girls, who often face gender-specific threats and violence.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- The Committee refers States parties to the recommendations in general comments No. 13 (2011) on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence and No. 18 (2014) on harmful practices for comprehensive legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to bring an end to all forms of violence, including a legal prohibition on corporal punishment in all settings, and to transform and bring an end to all harmful practices. States parties need to create more opportunities for scaling up institutional programmes on prevention and rehabilitation, and the social reintegration of adolescent victims. The Committee highlights the need to involve adolescents in the development of prevention strategies and protective responses to victims of violence.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 37d
- Paragraph text
- [In accordance with general comments No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6) and No. 19 (2016) on public budgeting for the realization of children's rights (art. 4), the Committee draws attention to States parties' obligations to implement the following measures to establish the framework for the realization of the rights of children during adolescence. The experience and perspectives of adolescents themselves should be fully recognized and taken seriously in the development of all such measures, including:] Transparent budgetary commitments to ensure that adolescents are duly considered when balancing competing spending priorities and complying with the principles of sufficiency, effectiveness, efficiency and equality;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 37e
- Paragraph text
- [In accordance with general comments No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6) and No. 19 (2016) on public budgeting for the realization of children's rights (art. 4), the Committee draws attention to States parties' obligations to implement the following measures to establish the framework for the realization of the rights of children during adolescence. The experience and perspectives of adolescents themselves should be fully recognized and taken seriously in the development of all such measures, including:] Training for all professionals working with and for adolescents on the Convention and its associated obligations, with a focus on the competencies needed to work with adolescents in accordance with their evolving capacities;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Guaranteeing the right to universal, quality and inclusive education and training is the single most important policy investment that States can make to ensure the immediate and long-term development of adolescents, and a growing body of evidence testifies to the positive impact of secondary education in particular. States are encouraged to introduce widely available secondary education for all as a matter of urgency and to make higher education accessible to all on the basis of capacity by every appropriate means.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- A growing number of States worldwide have confirmed their commitment to comprehensive sexuality education as an essential priority for achieving national development, health and education goals. In its resolution 70/137, the General Assembly called upon all States to develop and implement educational programmes and teaching materials, as well as teacher education and training programmes for both formal and non-formal education, including comprehensive evidence-based education on human sexuality, based on full and accurate information, for all adolescents and youth; to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women of all ages; to eliminate prejudices; and to promote and build decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills for the development of respectful relationships based on gender equality and human rights.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Many girls are exposed to a wide variety of practices which are harmful to their health and well-being, such as female genital mutilation, discrimination in food allocation resulting in malnutrition and discrimination in access to professional health care. Furthermore, early marriage and adolescent pregnancy have a long-lasting impact on girls' physical integrity and mental health. Pregnancy and childbirth are together the second leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-old girls globally, putting them at the highest risk of dying or suffering serious lifelong injuries as a result of pregnancy. For example, up to 65 per cent of women with obstetric fistula, which is a severely disabling condition and often results in social exclusion, develop this condition as adolescents.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Integrating a gender perspective in the right to food 2016, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, girls and adolescent women induced by tradition or forced into child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, suffer the consequences of a high work burden and deprivation of their child rights, including their right to adequate nutrition and education. They are required to perform heavy amounts of domestic work, and are responsible for raising children while still children themselves. Adolescent pregnancy is a typical outcome of child marriage and complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second cause of death for 15-19 year-old girls globally.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Report of the SR on the right to health and Agenda 2030 2016, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- A holistic approach to addressing violence is consistent with the aim of collectively implementing the Sustainable Development Goal targets on violence across the agenda. It is also consonant with the indivisible and interrelated nature of human rights. From a human rights and public health perspective, violence must be addressed comprehensively, including obligations to eliminate violence within health-care settings, to address how structural factors, such as laws and policies, institutionalize violence and to eliminate violence against women and children. The right to health also includes an entitlement to safe access to health care and to a safe environment. Importantly, children and adolescents have a right to be free from violence and to healthy development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- In particular, adolescents' leading role in using and shaping new communications technologies places them in a position to build and utilize networks to promote their right to health, for example through information dissemination, data gathering, health campaign design, health education, peer-to-peer education and counselling and conflict mediation. A number of e-health and web-based interventions and mobile applications can provide information, increase access to care, engage adolescents in treatment and initiate aftercare. These skills and capacities mean that adolescents are uniquely positioned to contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 3, as well as to monitoring and holding Governments to account on the commitments made (General Assembly resolution 70/1).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- The right to health of adolescents is closely related to other human rights included in these treaties, such as the rights of the child to healthy development, education, play and recreation, social security and privacy, and to being free from torture, all forms of violence and economic, sexual and other forms of exploitation. The right to health is also inextricably linked to non-discrimination and equality, participation and accountability. Adolescent health and development need to be promoted in the context of a holistic and comprehensive approach to the wider determinants affecting the opportunities, choices and consequent development of adolescents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- The right to health provides a valuable normative framework grounded in a commitment to promote the best interests of adolescents while acknowledging their evolving capacities to take increasing levels of responsibility for their own health care. It also places a legal obligation on States to progressively realize the highest attainable standard of health of adolescents; eliminate discrimination and inequalities that obstruct equitable enjoyment of the right to health; ensure the participation of adolescents in relevant efforts; devote maximum available resources to the right to health of children; develop suitable laws and policies, including a comprehensive national health plan that addresses adolescents' right to health; and ensure accountability, including effective remedies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents are actors for social change, and are able to bring dynamism, flexibility, creativity and energy towards the realization of their own and others' rights to health. States should adopt a human rights framework for adolescent health guided by the recognition of their strengths, capacities and contributions, while also addressing the impact of social determinants of health. Respecting and engaging with adolescents and treating them as a resource contributes to building foundations for emotional security, health, education and the skills needed for the full and effective realization of the right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Many adolescents, in particular girls and those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, are deterred from approaching health professionals in anticipation of a judgemental attitude that results from social norms or laws that stigmatize or criminalize their sexual behaviour. Rights to sexual and reproductive health for many adolescents are further compromised by violence, including sexual and institutional violence, coercion into unwanted sex or marriage, and patriarchal and heteronormative practices and values. This reinforces harmful gender stereotypes and unequal power relations that make it difficult for many adolescent girls to refuse sex or insist on safe and responsible sex practices.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- To achieve this, all relevant policies should be devised, and periodically reviewed, on the basis of a transparent process and with the participation of adolescents, and should include right to health indicators and benchmarks. Indicators should be disaggregated on suitable grounds, including those identified in the Sustainable Development Goals, namely age, income, gender, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location, in order to monitor the health status of marginalized groups and sectors of adolescents (see target 17.18). Adolescents and other relevant civil society actors should also be actively involved in review processes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents with disabilities are frequently subjected to forced medical treatment, including sterilization, abortion and contraception, which can constitute torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Girls with disabilities in particular experience alarmingly disproportionate levels of physical and sexual violence, frequently without any means of redress or access to justice. Many health-care providers hold inaccurate, stereotypical views about individuals with disabilities, including assumptions that they are asexual, which serves to deny them access to sexual and reproductive health information, services and goods, as well as comprehensive sexuality education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- AIDS is the second most common cause of death among adolescents globally. Worldwide, adolescents in key population groups, including gay and bisexual boys, transgender adolescents, adolescents who exchange sex for money, goods or favours and adolescents who inject drugs, are also at a higher risk of HIV infection. Adolescent girls in high-HIV burden countries are particularly vulnerable, making up 75 per cent of new infections in Africa in 2013, with gender inequality, harmful traditional practices and punitive age of consent laws identified as drivers of the epidemic. These sectors and groups face a disproportionately high risk of experiencing stigma, discrimination, violence, rejection by families, criminalization and other human rights violations when seeking sexual and reproductive health services, including denial of access to health-care services, such as HIV testing, counselling and treatment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Migrant children have unique concerns in the context of trade, as they comprise a significant proportion of child labourers in informal sectors, as well as in the commercial sex industry. In 2010, in the context of the trade agreement between Panama and the United States, the National Bureau against Child Labour and for the Protection of Adolescent Workers was established within the Panamanian labour department. The partnership agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union, also known as the Cotonou Agreement, provided for the creation of cooperative education programmes towards the elimination of child labour.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age as a human rights concern 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Acknowledging the work done by the United Nations and its specialized agencies, funds and programmes in relation to the reduction and elimination of preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age, and in that regard notes the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030) and the establishment of the Independent Accountability Panel,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon governments, international partners and civil society to give full attention to the high levels of new HIV infections among young women and adolescent girls and its root causes, bearing in mind that women and girls are physiologically more vulnerable to HIV, especially at an earlier age, than men and boys, and that this is increased by discrimination and all forms of violence against women, girls and adolescents, including sexual exploitation and harmful practices;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- The population of adolescents globally is estimated to be over 1.2 billion, 88 per cent of whom live in developing countries. Adolescents represent 18 per cent of the world's population. Although adolescence is inherently characterized by relatively low mortality compared to other age groups, it is associated with emerging and complex risk factors, resulting in patterns of behaviour that affect long-term morbidity and mortality. Likewise, adolescents are one of the groups that existing health services serve least well.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Adolescent health is the result of interactions between early childhood development and the specific biological and social role changes that accompany puberty, shaped by social determinants and by risk and protective factors that affect the uptake of health-related behaviours. While adolescents themselves have the capacity to contribute to their own health and well-being, they can only achieve this goal if States respect and protect their rights and provide them with access to the necessary conditions, services and information.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure that health systems, including health-care services, in cooperation with other relevant services, such as social, child protection and education services, are responsive to the right to health of adolescents. They should address the full spectrum of adolescent health and development, including health promotion, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, palliative care, unintentional and intentional injuries, violence, and health-compromising behaviours that may begin during adolescence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing further that adolescent girls are at particular risk of maternal death and morbidity, including obstetric fistula, and concerned that the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19 in many low- and middle-income countries is complications from pregnancy and childbirth and that women aged 30 and older are at increased risk of developing complications and of dying during childbirth,
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- States should review or introduce legislation recognizing the right of adolescents to take increasing responsibility for decisions affecting their lives. The Committee recommends that States introduce minimum legal age limits, consistent with the right to protection, the best interests principle and respect for the evolving capacities of adolescents. For example, age limits should recognize the right to make decisions in respect of health services or treatment, consent to adoption, change of name or applications to family courts. In all cases, the right of any child below that minimum age and able to demonstrate sufficient understanding to be entitled to give or refuse consent should be recognized. The voluntary and informed consent of the adolescent should be obtained whether or not the consent of a parent or guardian is required for any medical treatment or procedure. Consideration should also be given to the introduction of a legal presumption that adolescents are competent to seek and have access to preventive or time-sensitive sexual and reproductive health commodities and services. The Committee emphasizes that all adolescents have the right to have access to confidential medical counselling and advice without the consent of a parent or guardian, irrespective of age, if they so wish. This is distinct from the right to give medical consent and should not be subject to any age limit.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage 2016, para. 5
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- Also calls upon States to promote the meaningful participation of and active consultation with children and adolescents, especially girls, on all issues affecting them and to raise awareness about their rights, including the negative impact of child, early and forced marriage, through safe spaces, forums and support networks that provide girls and boys with information, life skills and leadership skills training and opportunities to be empowered, to express themselves, to participate meaningfully in all decisions that affect them and to become agents of change within their communities;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula 2016, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing, with interest, the Secretary-General's revised Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030), undertaken by a broad coalition of partners, in support of national plans and strategies that aim for the highest attainable standards of health and well-being, physical, mental and social, at every age, ending maternal and newborn mortality, which is preventable, and noting that this can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Expressing serious concern about the situation of migrants, in particular children and adolescents, who are forced to flee or decide to leave their homelands owing to multiple causes and who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, and face a variety of risks on the migratory route, and calling upon States of origin, transit and destination to work together to find effective and sustainable solutions within a framework of solidarity and regional and international cooperation,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Welcoming the adoption by the General Assembly of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which migration is included for the first time in the global development framework, acknowledging that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda could have a positive impact in addressing some of the root causes of migration and hence reduce forced migration and result in situations in which migration is a choice, and recognizing the importance of international cooperation in achieving these goals,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon countries of origin, transit and destination to facilitate family reunification, as appropriate, as an important objective that promotes the welfare and the best interests of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, as applicable under national law, due process and the relevant provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto, and to comply with the consular notification and access obligations set forth in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations so that States may, as appropriate, provide child-friendly consular assistance, including legal assistance;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Decides to convene at its thirty-fifth session a panel discussion on the theme, “Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights”, the objective of which will be to identify challenges and best practices by countries of origin, transit and destination and possible joint efforts at all levels to protect the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to liaise with States and all stakeholders, including relevant United Nations bodies, agencies, funds and programmes, treaty bodies, special procedures of the Human Rights Council, national human rights institutions and civil society, with a view to facilitating their participation in the panel discussion;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child majority is attained earlier, and emphasizes that States should respect and ensure the rights embodied in the Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind. While the Convention recognizes the rights of all persons under 18 years, the implementation of rights should take account of children's development and their evolving capacities. Approaches adopted to ensure the realization of the rights of adolescents differ significantly from those adopted for younger children.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- Adolescence is a life stage characterized by growing opportunities, capacities, aspirations, energy and creativity, but also significant vulnerability. Adolescents are agents of change and a key asset and resource with the potential to contribute positively to their families, communities and countries. Globally, adolescents engage positively in many spheres, including health and education campaigns, family support, peer education, community development initiatives, participatory budgeting and creative arts, and make contributions towards peace, human rights, environmental sustainability and climate justice. Many adolescents are at the cutting edge of the digital and social media environments, which form an increasingly central role in their education, culture and social networks, and hold potential in terms of political engagement and monitoring accountability.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- The Committee emphasizes the importance of valuing adolescence and its associated characteristics as a positive developmental stage of childhood. It regrets the widespread negative characterization of adolescence leading to narrow problem-focused interventions and services, rather than a commitment to building optimum environments to guarantee the rights of adolescents and support the development of their physical, psychological, spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive, cultural and economic capacities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- States need to invest in proactive measures to promote the empowerment of girls, challenge patriarchal and other harmful gender norms and stereotyping and legal reforms in order to address direct and indirect discrimination against girls, in cooperation with all stakeholders, including civil society, women and men, traditional and religious leaders and adolescents themselves. Explicit measures are needed in all laws, policies and programmes to guarantee the rights of girls on an equal basis with boys.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- The Committee stresses that implementation of the Convention is a cooperative exercise for the States parties, and highlights the need for international cooperation. The Committee encourages States parties to contribute and use, as appropriate, technical assistance from the United Nations and regional organizations in implementing the rights of adolescents.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Significant numbers of adolescents are not in education, training or employment, leading to disproportionate levels of unemployment, underemployment and exploitation as they move towards adulthood. The Committee urges States to support out-of-school adolescents in a manner appropriate to their age to facilitate the transition to decent work, including by ensuring consistency between education and labour laws, and to adopt policies to promote their future employment. In line with article 28 (1) (d) adolescents, States should make educational and vocational information and guidance available and accessible to adolescents.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents' right to rest and leisure and to engage and participate freely in play, recreational and artistic activities, both online and offline, are fundamental to their exploration of identity, enabling adolescents to explore their culture, forge new artistic forms, create relationships and evolve as human beings. Leisure, recreation and the arts give adolescents a sense of uniqueness that is fundamental to the rights to human dignity, optimum development, freedom of expression, participation and privacy. The Committee notes with regret that those rights are widely neglected in adolescence, especially for girls. Fear of and hostility towards adolescents in public spaces, and a lack of adolescent-friendly urban planning, educational and leisure infrastructure, can inhibit the freedom to engage in recreational activity and sports. The Committee draws the attention of States to the rights embodied in article 31 of the Convention and its recommendations in general comment No. 17 (2013) on the right of the child to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The Committee stresses that article 22 of the Convention recognizes that refugee and asylum-seeking children require special measures if they are to enjoy their rights and benefit from the additional safeguards given to them through the international refugee protection regime. Those adolescents should not be subjected to expedited removal procedures but rather be considered for entry into the territory and should not be returned or refused entry before a determination of their best interests has been made and a need for international protection has been established. In line with the obligation under article 2 to respect and ensure the rights of every child within their jurisdiction, irrespective of status, States should introduce age- and gender-sensitive legislation governing both unaccompanied and separated refugee and asylum-seeking adolescents, as well as migrants, underpinned by the best interests principle, prioritizing the assessment of protection needs over the determination of immigration status, prohibiting immigration-related detention and referring to the recommendations in general comment No. 6 (2005) on the treatment of unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin, addressing the particular vulnerability of those adolescents. States should also introduce measures to address the factors driving adolescents to migrate and the vulnerabilities and rights violations faced by adolescents left behind when parents migrate, including dropping out of school, child labour, vulnerability to violence and criminal activities and burdensome domestic responsibilities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 105d (i)
- Paragraph text
- [The Working Group recommends that States:] Adopt a holistic approach towards women's health and safety by looking at their full life cycle from childhood to old age as interconnected phases with distinct considerations and needs, and in this regard: Take effective measures to prevent child marriage and adolescent pregnancies and provide girls with comprehensive education based on scientific evidence on matters of health, including sexuality;
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Although opportunities for adolescents in many parts of the world have improved in recent years, the second decade of life is associated with exposure to increasing risks to the right to health, including violence, abuse, sexual or economic exploitation, trafficking, harmful traditional practices, migration, radicalization, recruitment into gangs or militias, self-harm, substance use and dependence and obesity. Gender inequalities become more significant as, for example, girls become exposed to child marriage, sexual violence and lower levels of enrolment in secondary education. The world in which adolescents live poses profound challenges, including poverty and inequality, climate change and environmental degradation, urbanization and migration, radical changes in employment potential, aging societies, rising health-care costs and escalating humanitarian and security crises.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Gender
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- States policies towards adolescents are too often characterized by targeted or punitive interventions aimed at addressing problems such as juvenile delinquency and violence, as well as perceived challenges, including substance use and sexual activity; too little attention is typically paid to building positive environments in which adolescents can thrive. Punitive and excessively biomedical interventions ignore the powerful social and economic determinants influencing adolescent behaviour, opportunities and well-being. Stigmatizing, demonizing and discriminating against adolescents by, for example, criminalizing or pathologizing their behaviours and diversities, negatively affects their socially perceived roles, self-esteem, well-being and sense of empowerment. These approaches fail adolescents, their holistic development and their right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- One-size-fits-all policies designed for children or youth often fail to address adolescents, particularly 10-14 year-olds. Lack of awareness or understanding of their unique health needs can render adolescents invisible. Adolescents face multiple barriers to health services, including the following: restrictive laws and policies; unavailability of contraception or safe abortions; inaccessible services owing to lack of information, distance or cost; failure to ensure privacy and confidentiality; parental consent or notification requirements; provision of services in a manner that is disrespectful, hostile, judgemental or lacking sympathy; and discrimination against particular groups of adolescents, including those with disabilities, those living and working on the streets or in the sex trade and those from historically marginalized groups. States have positive human rights obligations to guarantee adolescents' rights and meaningfully engage with them in identifying their needs and priorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Rapid globalization and associated social and cultural changes, reinforced by the digital world, mean that many adolescents inhabit a world very different from that of the adults around them in relation to information, the speed of change, social norms, risks, aspirations and opportunities. While these rapidly changing environments offer important opportunities for adolescents, they can also pose significant challenges to their rights, for example to privacy, informed consent and freedom from exploitation, with significant implications, in particular for their mental health and well-being. Furthermore, the speed of change can inhibit intergenerational understanding, challenging the capacity of parents and other caregivers to provide the guidance necessary to protect and promote adolescents' right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- Rather than only setting up separate interventions and facilities for adolescents, efforts should be made to ensure that adolescents receive adequate attention in all policies, strategies and programmes that are relevant to them. Health systems should be designed and services should be delivered in a way that respects the right to health and other related rights of adolescents, in accordance with their evolving capacities. This can only be achieved by guaranteeing the right of adolescents to be heard and to contribute to the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- States should invest in programmes to challenge outdated beliefs and negative attitudes about mental conditions through the dissemination of information. Adolescents of different ages and representing different perspectives should be consulted in the design, development, implementation and monitoring of mental health services. Investments must be made to address gender discrimination in mental health and to reach out to marginalized communities, which are disproportionately vulnerable to mental health problems and experience greater barriers in accessing services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- The right to health is not only a right to health care, but a right to underlying and social determinants of health. Social determinants are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age that influence their health. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that the strongest determinants of adolescent health worldwide are structural factors such as national wealth, income inequality, gender systems and access to education. Additional determinants include social norms, laws and policies and the physical environment, as well as the online social media environment, which plays an increasingly influential role in adolescents' lives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- The vulnerability of boys to physical and sexual abuse and exploitation should be highlighted, together with the significant barriers they face in accessing sexual and reproductive information and services. Intersex adolescents often experience particular challenges because of irreversible and non-consensual surgeries performed during their early childhood and because of the natural development of their bodies. Discrimination within the family and society, as well as discriminatory attitudes by health providers, can result in the denial of access to health services, while lack of knowledge and awareness within the medical profession further impedes access to quality care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Globally, it is estimated that approximately 20 per cent of 14-24 year olds experience a mental health condition each year. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a period of heightened vulnerability (half of all lifetime mental disorders appear by the age of 14 years) caused to a significant extent by the physical, psychological and emotional changes arising during this period. Research indicates that depression is the primary cause of illness and disability among adolescents and suicide is the third leading cause of death.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The risk of experiencing mental ill-health is heightened by poverty and by adverse childhood events, including, for example, sexual and emotional abuse, bullying and parental loss. Adolescents in post-conflict or disaster settings or who are homeless and street-involved, orphaned, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex or involved with the juvenile justice system are also at greater risk. Adolescents in the juvenile justice system suffer substantially higher rates of mental health conditions than those in the general population, with an estimated 70 per cent having at least one diagnosable mental health condition.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- The international human rights framework establishes the clear duty of States to promote adolescents' mental health and emotional well-being, provide appropriate mental health treatment and care and ensure that mental health laws fully recognize the rights of those with mental illness. Target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals is to reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention, treatment and the promotion of mental health and well-being. That target must be applied fully to adolescents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- Rights to sexual and reproductive health are therefore of critical importance. Sexual health is defined as a "state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality, not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity". Article 24 (2) (f) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and article 12 (2) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women both recognize the right to the provision of family planning education and services, including to adolescents, without discrimination on any grounds. However, United Nations treaty bodies consistently raise concerns relating to the provision of sexual and reproductive health information, services and goods. They have also strongly affirmed that adolescents' sexual and reproductive health implicates a broad range of human rights, including to non-discrimination, freedom from torture or ill-treatment, privacy and education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- The nature of adolescents' mental health needs differs from that of adults and requires targeted services. However, a national health system of well-functioning, effective and adolescent-friendly services remains the exception rather than the rule. Less than one third of low- and middle-income countries have a designated youth mental health entity and most lack youth-focused mental health policies. Where they do exist, they often fail to meet quality standards and may even be harmful to the health and development of adolescents. Adolescents may be detained for a long time in overcrowded, in-patient facilities where little attempt is made at rehabilitation or social integration. These approaches violate adolescents' human rights and worsen, rather than ameliorate, mental health conditions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women: Preventing and responding to violence against women and girls, including indigenous women and girls 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Also urges States to ensure the promotion and protection of the human rights of all women and their sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences, including through the development and enforcement of policies and legal frameworks and the strengthening of health systems that make universally accessible and available quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health-care services, commodities, information and education, including, inter alia, safe and effective methods of modern contraception, emergency contraception, prevention programmes for adolescent pregnancy, maternal health care, such as skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care, which will reduce obstetric fistula and other complications of pregnancy and delivery, safe abortion where such services are permitted by national law, and prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and reproductive cancers, and recognizing that human rights include the right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free from coercion, discrimination and violence;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Taking note of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of migrants in transit, in which the Office analysed the human rights situation of migrants in transit, highlighted human rights concerns and made recommendations aimed at addressing critical protection gaps for migrants in transit, including unaccompanied children and adolescents, and women and girls,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women's empowerment and the link to sustainable development 2016, para. 23o
- Paragraph text
- [The Commission [...] urges Governments, at all levels [...] to take the following actions:] [Strengthening normative, legal and policy frameworks]: Ensure the promotion and protection of the human rights of all women and their sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences, including through the development and enforcement of policies and legal frameworks and the strengthening of health systems that make universally accessible and available quality comprehensive sexual and reproductive health-care services, commodities, information and education, including, inter alia, safe and effective methods of modern contraception, emergency contraception, prevention programmes for adolescent pregnancy, maternal health care such as skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care which will reduce obstetric fistula and other complications of pregnancy and delivery, safe abortion where such services are permitted by national law, and prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and reproductive cancers, recognizing that human rights include the right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free from coercion, discrimination and violence;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of rural women 2016, para. 39d
- Paragraph text
- [States parties should safeguard the right of rural women and girls to adequate health care, and ensure:] The systematic and regular monitoring of the health and nutritional status of pregnant women and new mothers, especially adolescent mothers, and their infants. In case of malnutrition or lack of access to clean water, extra food rations and drinking water should be provided systematically throughout pregnancy and lactation;
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 112c
- Paragraph text
- [In connection to mental health, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Design and implement adolescent-friendly psychosocial interventions at the community level in a manner that is ethical and consistent with adolescents' rights and on the basis of available evidence, in order to make such services accessible and acceptable and to avoid institutionalization and the excessive use of psychotropic medications;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Also reaffirms its previous resolutions on migrant children and adolescents, on the protection of migrants and on violence against woman migrant workers, the resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the protection of the human rights of all migrants and the work of the various special mechanisms of the Council that have reported on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, particularly migrant children;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction of any kind, in particular as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Also reaffirms that States, in accordance with their obligations under international law, are responsible for promoting and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, including accompanied and unaccompanied children, including adolescents, within their territorial jurisdiction, and encourages States to promote national child and adolescent protection systems, in consultation with all sectors of society, including migrant communities, civil society organizations and other relevant actors;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon countries of origin, transit and destination to facilitate family reunification as an important objective in order to promote the welfare and the best interests of migrant children, including adolescents, as applicable under national law, due process and the relevant provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto, and to comply with the consular notification and access obligations set forth in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations so that States may provide child-friendly consular assistance, as appropriate, including legal assistance;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Urges States and encourages other relevant stakeholders, including national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, to take action at all levels, utilizing a human rights-based approach to address the interlinked causes of maternal mortality and morbidity, such as lack of accessible, affordable and appropriate health-care services for all, and of information and education, poverty, all types of malnutrition, harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, early childbearing, gender inequalities and all forms of discrimination and violence against women, and to pay particular attention to eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, especially adolescent girls, while ensuring the meaningful and effective participation of women and girls in the relevant processes;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Urges governments to eliminate gender inequalities and gender-based abuse and violence, increase the capacity of women and adolescent girls to protect themselves from the risk of HIV infection, principally through the provision of health care and services, including, inter alia, sexual and reproductive health care, as well as full access to comprehensive information and education, ensure that women can exercise their right to have control over, and decide freely and responsibly on, matters related to their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence, in order to increase their ability to protect themselves from HIV infection, and take all necessary measures to create an enabling environment for the empowerment of women and strengthen their economic independence and, in that context, reiterates the importance of the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon governments to accelerate efforts to scale up scientifically accurate age-appropriate comprehensive education, relevant to cultural contexts, that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men, in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, with information on sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention, gender equality and women's empowerment, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem, informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young persons, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers, in order to enable them to protect themselves from HIV infection;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Also calls upon governments to take concrete long-term measures to achieve universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, programmes, treatment, care and support for all women and girls and to remove all barriers to achieving universal health coverage and improve access to integrated sexual reproductive health-care services, information, voluntary counselling and testing and commodities, while building the capacity of adolescent girls and boys, young women and men to protect themselves from HIV infection and enabling their use of available commodities, including female and male condoms, post-exposure prophylaxis and pre-exposure prophylaxis, while seeking to avoid risk-taking behaviour and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- In order to ensure the optimum development of every child throughout childhood, it is necessary to recognize the impact that each period of life has on subsequent stages. Adolescence is a valuable period of childhood in its own right but is also a critical period of transition and opportunity for improving life chances. Positive early childhood interventions and experiences facilitate optimal development as young children become adolescents. However, any investment in young people risks being wasted if their rights throughout adolescence do not also receive adequate attention. Furthermore, positive and supportive opportunities during adolescence can be used to offset some of the consequences caused by harm suffered during early childhood, and build resilience to mitigate future damage. The Committee therefore underlines the importance of a life-course perspective.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Reaching adolescence can mean exposure to a range of risks, reinforced or exacerbated by the digital environment, including substance use and addiction, violence and abuse, sexual or economic exploitation, trafficking, migration, radicalization or recruitment into gangs or militias. As they approach adulthood, adolescents need suitable education and support to tackle local and global challenges, including poverty and inequality, discrimination, climate change and environmental degradation, urbanization and migration, ageing societies, pressure to perform in school and escalating humanitarian and security crises. Growing up in more heterogeneous and multi-ethnic societies, as a consequence of increased global migration, also requires greater capacities for understanding, tolerance and coexistence. Investment is needed in measures to strengthen the capacities of adolescents to overcome or mitigate those challenges, address the societal drivers serving to exclude and marginalize them and equip them to face challenging and changing social, economic and digital environments.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- The Committee urges States parties to introduce measures to support adolescents from minority and indigenous communities so that they can enjoy their cultural identities and build on the strengths of their cultures to become active contributors to family and community life, paying particular attention to the rights of adolescent girls. In so doing, States should address the comprehensive recommendations contained in the Committee's general comment No. 11 (2009) on indigenous children and their rights under the Convention.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 37a
- Paragraph text
- [In accordance with general comments No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6) and No. 19 (2016) on public budgeting for the realization of children's rights (art. 4), the Committee draws attention to States parties' obligations to implement the following measures to establish the framework for the realization of the rights of children during adolescence. The experience and perspectives of adolescents themselves should be fully recognized and taken seriously in the development of all such measures, including:] Comprehensive and multisectoral national strategies rooted in the Convention, with a dedicated focus on adolescents, to address the structural social and economic roots underlying the rights violations adolescents face and ensure a coordinated approach across government ministries;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents want and need to spend an increasing amount of time with their peers. The associated benefits are not merely social but also contribute towards competencies that are foundational for successful relationships, employment and community participation, building, inter alia, emotional literacy, a sense of belonging, skills such as conflict resolution and strengthened trust and intimacy. Association with peers is a major building block in adolescent development, the value of which should be recognized within the school and learning environment, recreational and cultural activities and opportunities for social, civic, religious and political engagement.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex commonly face persecution, including abuse and violence, stigmatization, discrimination, bullying, exclusion from education and training, as well as a lack of family and social support, or access to sexual and reproductive health services and information. In extreme cases, they face sexual assault, rape and even death. These experiences have been linked to low self-esteem, higher rates of depression, suicide and homelessness.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The Committee emphasizes the rights of all adolescents to freedom of expression and respect for their physical and psychological integrity, gender identity and emerging autonomy. It condemns the imposition of so-called "treatments" to try to change sexual orientation and forced surgeries or treatments on intersex adolescents. It urges States to eliminate such practices, repeal all laws criminalizing or otherwise discriminating against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status and adopt laws prohibiting discrimination on those grounds. States should also take effective action to protect all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex adolescents from all forms of violence, discrimination or bullying by raising public awareness and implementing safety and support measures.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- Many adolescents are at risk of being trafficked for economic reasons or for sexual exploitation. States are urged to establish a comprehensive and systematic mechanism for collecting data on the sale of, trafficking in and abduction of children, ensuring that the data is disaggregated and paying particular attention to children living in the most vulnerable situations. States should also invest in rehabilitation and reintegration services and psychosocial support for child victims. Attention should be paid to the gender-based dimensions of vulnerability and exploitation. Awareness-raising activities, including through social media, need to be conducted in order to make parents and children aware of the dangers of both domestic and international trafficking. States are urged to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and to harmonize legislation accordingly.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The Committee is concerned about the failure of humanitarian programmes to address the specific needs and rights of adolescents. It urges States parties to ensure that adolescents are provided with systematic opportunities to play an active role in the development and design of protection systems and reconciliation and peacebuilding processes. Explicit investment in post-conflict and transition reconstruction should be seen as an opportunity for adolescents to contribute to the economic and social development, resilience-building and peaceful transition of the country. In addition, emergency preparedness programmes should address adolescents, recognizing both their vulnerability and right to protection, and their potential role in supporting communities and helping to mitigate risk.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 105d (iii)
- Paragraph text
- [The Working Group recommends that States:] Adopt a holistic approach towards women's health and safety by looking at their full life cycle from childhood to old age as interconnected phases with distinct considerations and needs, and in this regard: Allow pregnant girls and adolescents to terminate unwanted pregnancies, as a measure of equality and health, so that they can complete their school education and protect them from the high risk to life and health, including from obstetric fistula, in continuing to bring a pregnancy to term;
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Integrating a gender perspective in the right to food 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- The reasons behind the failure to women's access to adequate food can arguably be linked to two structural disconnects which exist at the crossroads between Women's Rights and the Right to Food. The first disconnect refers to the failure in international law to fully endow women with their right to food. In the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) and the ICESCR, the right to food is accorded to himself and his family. Although the ICESCR General Comment 12 and other documents have underscored the non-discriminatory intention of the right to food, the archaic language of patriarchy taints the UDHR and treaty language. Concurrently the economic and social rights of the ICESCR are generally reviewed in CEDAW, but not the right to food, which is indirectly touched upon only through a call for rural women. In CEDAW, as in the Convention of the Rights of Child (CRC), food access and adequacy for adult women and teenage girls are addressed only on behalf of pregnant and breastfeeding females .
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- Healthy sexual development requires not only physical maturation, but an understanding of healthy sexual behaviours and a positive sense of sexual well-being. Sexual initiation can be a natural and healthy aspect of adolescence, and adolescents have the right to be provided with the tools and information to navigate sex safely. Sexual activity among adolescents is widespread, although rates vary significantly. Yet, adolescents around the world face significant discrimination and barriers in accessing the information, services and goods needed to protect their sexual and reproductive health, resulting in violations of their right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- The harms associated with drug use and involvement in the drug trade cannot be disentangled from State responses. Evidence shows that repressive and punitive responses to drugs have not been effective in reducing drug use or supply and that they have produced negative consequences, including violence and corruption. Criminalization of drug use and personal possession, as well as drug user registries and police violence, drive young people from services, producing a health-deterrent effect. Prevention and education programmes that focus on zero tolerance create an environment where adolescents may be less likely to seek information about harms related to use. Adolescents have lost parents to drug-related violence and to prolonged incarceration for non-violent offences, with significant implications for their mental health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- States should develop a core package of interventions for adolescents, including to sexual and reproductive health services, that are available free of charge. Services must be designed and delivered in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities, developmental needs and the best interests of adolescents. They must respect adolescents' right to privacy and confidentiality, address different cultural needs and expectations and comply with ethical standards. Services must be sensitive to gender and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex status, they must be non-judgemental regarding adolescents' personal characteristics, lifestyle choices or life circumstances and they must treat all adolescents with dignity and respect, consistent with their status as rights holders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- States must take legal, policy and other measures to address the underlying and social determinants of adolescent health, including: road and environmental safety; racial prejudice; access to education; persistence of forced and early marriage; corporal punishment; social, economic, political, cultural and legal barriers to health services, including sexual and reproductive health services; inadequate social protection; institutionalization; punitive drug laws; absence of comprehensive sexuality education; criminalization of exposure, non-disclosure of HIV status and transmission of HIV; criminalization of same-sex relationships; and lax legal frameworks governing the sale of tobacco, alcohol and fast foods.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- Substance dependence treatment must be tailored to the specific needs of adolescents. Adolescents must not lose their participation rights in any circumstance, including because of their substance use or dependence. Adolescents have the right to be heard when expressing opinions on their own health care and to give consent to treatment in accordance with their evolving capacities. Confidential counselling and information must be available without parental consent. All drug detention centres where adolescents are arbitrarily detained and suffer extreme abuses must be closed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Public and self-stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness, concerns about confidentiality and lack of general understanding all serve as barriers to getting help, particularly among adolescents, a problem compounded by the lack of quality mental health services in low- and middle-income countries. For adolescents, the attitude of service providers is more important than their technical expertise. Adolescents who seek services often experience negative or hostile responses from health-care providers, leading to a further reluctance to access help. Same-sex attraction is still considered by doctors in many countries to be a mental disorder. Lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents may be subjected to harmful therapeutic interventions intended to eliminate or suppress their sexual instincts. Such therapies have been deemed unethical, unscientific, ineffective and, in some instances, tantamount to torture.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Cost-effective public health and psychosocial interventions, including social protection, psychoeducation, coaching, counselling and psychotherapy, as well as parent training, should be available and accessible to all adolescents in need and their families. Such approaches aim at improving behaviour, holistic development and specific life skills, and reduce the need for medication. Medications and inpatient services may be needed as part of treatment plans in complex cases of mental conditions, but these treatment modalities should be used with caution. Schools are well-placed to promote emotional well-being and mental health and to prevent mental health problems, for example, through classes on mental health literacy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- The private sector is a significant provider of health care in many countries and plays a major role in the development and refinement of drugs and health-related products and technology. States should ensure that benefits accrue to all adolescents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- Services and goods must be affordable, considering that adolescents rarely have financial means or autonomy, and accessible, directly and without parental support. In practice, it should be recalled that user fees can obstruct access to services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Tackling the demand for the sexual exploitation of children 2016, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- A major enabler of demand is the perception of youth, consent and virginity. Indeed, the attraction of preferential offenders who are not paedophiles to adolescents often stems from social and cultural constructs. The obsession with virginity owing to notions of purity and health is, for example, a source of demand for the sexual exploitation of children. There are thus in several regions of the world those who specifically seek to have intercourse with virgins. Concurrently, a child who has lost his or her virginity is considered in negative terms and devalued, thus being more vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Besides, the definition of a child, although set at any person under 18 in international law, varies from one culture to another and is strongly related to his or her sexual maturity. There is further confusion as a result of the varying ages of sexual consent across the world. Preferential and situational offenders will thus justify their actions by affirming, based on their personal belief or on the degree of social tolerance, that their victim was not a child or consented to his or her exploitation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Tackling the demand for the sexual exploitation of children 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- In 2016, it will be 20 years since the first World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children was held in Stockholm. Substantial commitments were made by several stakeholders in the declarations at the end of that Congress and the following two, which were held in Yokohama, Japan, in 2001 and in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2008. The Special Rapporteur hopes that the anniversary will be an opportunity to look back at the progress that has been achieved and focus specifically on the pledges that were made in respect to demand in the Rio de Janeiro Declaration and Call for Action to Prevent and Stop Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- Encourages States to take into account the principle of the best interests of the child as a primary consideration and to promote, protect and respect the rights of children, bearing in mind in particular their needs at all times, including in the process of return to their countries of origin, and ensuring that, in any type of return, whether voluntary or otherwise, the principle of non-refoulement is respected in accordance with applicable international law;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon all States to ensure that their immigration policies are consistent with their obligations under international law, and to promote and protect the human rights of all migrants without discrimination, including by taking steps to increase cooperation and coordination at all levels to address serious human rights violations and abuses, serious crimes, such as the smuggling and trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children, and other abuse and exploitation;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- The Committee recommends that States disseminate widely the present general comment to all stakeholders, in particular parliament and all levels of government, including within ministries, departments and municipal/local authorities, and to all adolescents. The Committee also recommends that the present general comment be translated into all relevant languages, in adolescent-friendly versions and in formats accessible to adolescents with disabilities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Although adolescence is generally characterized by relatively low mortality compared to other age groups, the risk of death and disease during the adolescent years is real, including from preventable causes such as childbirth, unsafe abortions, road traffic accidents, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, interpersonal injuries, mental ill health and suicide, all of which are associated with certain behaviours and require cross-sectoral collaboration.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- Adolescent girls are particularly exposed to gender-based violence in the family and on their way to or at school, with extremely harmful impacts on their physical and mental health. In its resolution 70/137 the General Assembly called upon all States to improve the safety of girls on the way to and from school, taking steps to ensure that all schools are accessible, safe, secure and free from violence and providing separate and adequate sanitation facilities that provide privacy and dignity.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Certain groups of adolescents may be particularly subject to multiple vulnerabilities and violations of their rights, including discrimination and social exclusion. All measures taken in respect of legislation, policies and programmes focused on adolescents should take into consideration intersecting violations of rights and the compounded negative effects on the adolescents concerned.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 87d
- Paragraph text
- Stresses the importance of international, regional and bilateral cooperation in the protection of the human rights of migrant children, and therefore: (d) Expresses serious concern about the situation of vulnerability and risk faced by migrants in transit and destination countries, in particular migrant children, including adolescents, who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, who are forced to flee or decide to leave their homelands owing to multiple causes, and calls upon States of origin, transit and destination to work together to find effective and sustainable solutions, including within a framework of solidarity and regional and international cooperation;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Human rights in the administration of justice 2016, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- Also takes note with appreciation of the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the protection of human rights of juveniles deprived of their liberty, on access to justice for children and on the human rights implications of overincarceration and overcrowding and the joint report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children on prevention of and responses to violence against children within the juvenile justice system, submitted to the Human Rights Council;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Recalling also all previous resolutions of the General Assembly on the protection of the human rights of migrants, in particular those relating to the situation of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, such as Assembly resolution 69/187 of 18 December 2014, Human Rights Council resolutions on the protection of the human rights of migrants, in particular resolution 29/12 of 1 July 2015, the work of various special mechanisms of the Council that have reported on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, Commission on Population and Development resolution 2013/1 of 26 April 2013, entitled “New trends in migration: demographic aspects” and the Declaration of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, adopted on 3 October 2013,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right to sexual and reproductive health (Art. 12) 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Information accessibility includes the right to seek, receive and disseminate information and ideas concerning sexual and reproductive health issues generally, and also for individuals to receive specific information on their particular health status. All individuals and groups, including adolescents and youth, have the right to evidence-based information on all aspects of sexual and reproductive health, including maternal health, contraceptives, family planning, sexually transmitted infections, HIV prevention, safe abortion and post abortion care, infertility and fertility options, and reproductive cancer.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right to sexual and reproductive health (Art. 12) 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- States must also take affirmative measures to eradicate social barriers in terms of norms or beliefs that inhibit individuals of different ages and genders, women, girls and adolescents from autonomously exercising their right to sexual and reproductive health. Social misconceptions, prejudices and taboos about menstruation, pregnancy, delivery, masturbation, wet dreams, vasectomy and fertility should be modified so that these do not obstruct an individual's enjoyment of the right to sexual and reproductive health.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents are on a rapid curve of development. The significance of the developmental changes during adolescence has not yet been as widely understood as that which occurs in early years. Adolescence is a unique defining stage of human development characterized by rapid brain development and physical growth, enhanced cognitive ability, the onset of puberty and sexual awareness and newly emerging abilities, strengths and skills. Adolescents experience greater expectations surrounding their role in society and more significant peer relationships as they transition from a situation of dependency to one of greater autonomy.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- States should commit strongly to and invest more in supporting adolescents in alternative care. Preference for foster and small homes needs to be complemented with the measures necessary to tackle discrimination, ensure regular reviews of adolescents' individual situations, support their education, give them a real voice in the processes affecting them and avoid multiple moves. States are urged to ensure that institutionalization is used only as a measure of last resort and to ensure the appropriate protection of all children living in institutions, including through access to confidential complaints mechanisms and justice. States should also adopt measures to support the independence and improve the life chances of adolescents in alternative care and address the particular vulnerabilities and insecurities they face as they become old enough to leave such care.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- The Committee notes with concern the numbers of adolescents in marginalized situations who are not given the opportunity to make the transition to secondary education, such as adolescents living in poverty; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex adolescents; adolescents belonging to minorities; adolescents with psychosocial, sensory or physical disabilities; adolescents who are migrating; adolescents in situations of armed conflict or natural disasters; and adolescents in street situations or working. Proactive measures are necessary to end discrimination of marginalized groups in gaining access to education, including by establishing cash transfer programmes, respecting minority and indigenous cultures and children from all religious communities, promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities, combating bullying and discriminatory attitudes within the education system and providing education in refugee camps.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- There should be no barriers to commodities, information and counselling on sexual and reproductive health and rights, such as requirements for third-party consent or authorization. In addition, particular efforts need to be made to overcome barriers of stigma and fear experienced by, for example, adolescent girls, girls with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex adolescents, in gaining access to such services. The Committee urges States to decriminalize abortion to ensure that girls have access to safe abortion and post-abortion services, review legislation with a view to guaranteeing the best interests of pregnant adolescents and ensure that their views are always heard and respected in abortion-related decisions.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- The Committee encourages States to recognize adolescents' diverse realities and ensure that they have access to confidential HIV testing and counselling services and to evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment programmes provided by trained personnel who fully respect the rights of adolescents to privacy and non-discrimination. Health services should include HIV-related information, testing and diagnostics; information on contraception and the use of condoms; care and treatment, including antiretroviral and other medicines and related technologies for the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS; advice on suitable nutrition; spiritual and psychosocial support; and family, community and home-based care. Consideration should be given to reviewing HIV-specific legislation that criminalizes the unintentional transmission of HIV and the non-disclosure of one's HIV status.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents are more likely to be initiated into drug use and can be at a higher risk of drug-related harm than adults, and drug use initiated in adolescence more often leads to dependence. Those identified at greatest risk of drug-related harm are adolescents in street situations, those excluded from school, those with histories of trauma, family breakdown or abuse, and those living in families coping with drug dependence. States parties have an obligation to protect adolescents from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. States parties should ensure adolescents' right to health in relation to the use of such substances, as well as tobacco, alcohol and solvents, and put in place prevention, harm-reduction and dependence treatment services, without discrimination and with sufficient budgetary allocation. Alternatives to punitive or repressive drug control policies in relation to adolescents are welcome. Adolescents should also be provided with accurate and objective information based on scientific evidence aimed at preventing and minimizing harm from substance use.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Unintended injuries or injuries due to violence are a leading cause of death and disability among adolescents. Most of the unintentional injuries result from road traffic crashes, drowning, burns, falls and poisoning. To reduce risk, States parties should develop multisectoral strategies that include legislation requiring the use of protective equipment, policies on driving while intoxicated and on licensing, programmes on education, skills development and behaviour change, adaptations to the environment, and the provision of care and rehabilitation services for those who suffer injuries.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- The impact of poverty has profound implications during adolescence, sometimes leading to extreme stress and insecurity and to social and political exclusion. Strategies imposed on or adopted by adolescents to address economic hardship can include dropping out of school, being involved in child or forced marriage, becoming involved in sexual exploitation, trafficking, hazardous or exploitative work or work that interferes with education, becoming members of a gang, being recruited into militias and migrating.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Overmedicalization may result in reduced access to or affordability of services needed by women and a barrier to developing adequate alternative services which can be competently provided by nurses, midwives or auxiliary nurses, either at clinics or at home. Such "task shifting", particularly in places where there are few qualified doctors, would make services more accessible. Similarly, restricting authorization for the use of contraceptives to a medical practitioner is a barrier to access. Allowing pharmacists to provide contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, over the counter is essential for effective availability, especially for economically disadvantaged women or adolescent girls.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Restrictions in many countries on girls' and women's access to unbiased, quality education, including evidence-based comprehensive sexuality education, and information about where and how to obtain essential health services prevent women from making free and informed decisions about their health and safety and hence obstruct proper, informed access to health care. This is particularly true for adolescents and marginalized women facing multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination. Such restrictions are manifestations of censorship that limit women's and girls' choices.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Report of the SR on the right to health and Agenda 2030 2016, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- The fields of global health and human rights have, in recent years, developed accountability analysis and institutions, which can inspire accountability for the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and help to shape new arrangements. In 2011, the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health, established to propose a framework to ensure that commitments made under the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health (2010-2015) were met, proposed a tripartite model of accountability, composed of monitoring, review and remedial action. That model, derived from the human rights understanding of accountability, was subsequently taken up by the Secretary-General, including in the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health 2016-2030, which supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to women's, children's and adolescents' health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- Adolescence (10-19 years of age) is a life stage when inequities become more sharply differentiated in terms of access to services, life decisions and future trajectories. Foundations laid down during adolescence, in terms of emotional security, health, education, skills, resilience and the understanding of rights will have profound implications for the social, economic and political development of adolescents. The costs of failing adolescents are high, which is why a powerful case exists for paying greater attention to the right of adolescents to the highest attainable standard of health and development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Lack of access to safe reproductive health services and information contributes to adolescent girls among the most at risk of dying or suffering from serious or lifelong injuries associated with early pregnancies and childbirth. The lack of effective adolescent mental health policies and services leads to significant failures in emotional and social development, including violence against and among adolescents. Nearly all these risks are preventable, with outcomes grounded in physical and social environments and frequently mediated by their behaviours.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- While there are many health issues of concern during adolescence, in the present report the Special Rapporteur focuses on mental health, substance use and drug control, and the rights to sexual and reproductive health, in view of the particular challenges they pose in balancing adolescents' emerging autonomy with their right to protection. Using the right-to-health framework, the Special Rapporteur underlines the importance of valuing adolescents' strengths and engaging with them as partners in informing and shaping the measures needed to realize the right to health and the optimum development of adolescents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Adolescence is a period of development towards increasing capacity for independent decision-making, moving away from the protective environments associated with earlier childhood. It is accompanied by greater experimentation, risk-taking and impulsivity and by the increased influence of the peer group. These behaviours contribute to building resilience, character and self-confidence and to the exploration and understanding of boundaries, and reflect the gradual adjustment from protection towards autonomy. Accordingly, while adolescents under 18 years of age continue to be entitled to protection from violence, abuse and exploitation, as well as to consideration of their best interests, under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the nature of those protections and their application must reflect the emerging competencies acquired throughout adolescence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The transition towards adulthood is characterized by the changing nature of relationships. Across cultures, adolescents begin to attach far greater significance to and are increasingly influenced by their peer group and less by family and caregivers. Adolescents also begin to explore their sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity. There is considerable diversity in combinations of gender identities, expression and sexual orientation, irrespective of whether such diversity is culturally accepted. It is increasingly clear that sexual orientation and gender identity derive from a complex interplay of biological, genetic and social factors and that individuals have little or no choice in its determination.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- States are strongly encouraged to decriminalize abortion, in accordance with international human rights norms, and adopt measures to ensure access to legal and safe abortion services. Criminal laws with respect to abortion result in a high number of deaths, poor mental and physical health outcomes, infringement of dignity and amount to violations of the obligations of States to guarantee the right to health of adolescent girls. Furthermore, information about and access to abortion services must be available, accessible and of good quality, without discrimination, at a minimum in the following circumstances: when the life or health of the mother is at risk, when the mother is the victim of rape or incest and if there is severe and fatal foetal impairment. Post-abortion care must be available and accessible to all adolescent girls irrespective of the legal status of abortion.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Prevention, care, treatment and support are mutually reinforcing elements in providing a comprehensive and effective response to HIV/AIDS. All adolescents should have access to HIV testing and counselling, and evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment programmes. Health services should offer HIV-related information, testing, sexual and reproductive health services, contraception, condoms and HIV-related care and treatment, including antiretroviral and other medicines, diagnostics and related technologies for the care of HIV/AIDS, related opportunistic infections and other conditions, good nutrition and social, spiritual and psychological support, as well as family, community and home-based care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- In order to ensure the relevance and efficacy of interventions, adolescents' experiences, concerns, knowledge and creativity should be utilized in the development, implementation and monitoring of relevant legislation, policies, services and programmes affecting their right to health and development at the school, community, local and national levels. Consultative mechanisms alone are insufficient to fulfil the right to be heard and to be taken seriously. Adolescents must be afforded safe spaces with opportunities to identify for themselves issues of most concern to them and to enable them to act on those concerns. Particular attention should be paid to adolescents with disabilities, who must be provided with disability and age-appropriate assistance to realize this right.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- States are urged to consider the introduction of a legal presumption of competence that an adolescent seeking preventive or time-sensitive health goods and services, including for sexual and reproductive health, has the requisite capacity to access such goods and services. Where minimum ages of consent exist, as the Committee on the Rights of the Child has argued, any adolescent below that age and able to demonstrate sufficient understanding should be entitled to give or refuse consent. At a minimum, States should ensure a minimum age well below 18 years at which adolescents have the right to consent to or refuse services without mandatory authorization or notification of parent, guardian, spouse or intimate partner. The right to counselling and advice is distinct from the right to give medical consent and should not be subject to any age limit.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- The commitment expressed in the Global Strategy on Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health 2016-2030 to improve national and global accountability, including for adolescent health, is welcome, as is the broader commitment to accountability in the Sustainable Development Goals. In this connection, States should ensure the quality and timely collection of appropriately disaggregated data and that laws, policies and programmes concerning adolescent health are transparently and regularly reviewed. National assessments or public inquiries into adolescents' right to health are welcome and could be conducted by national institutions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Adolescent girls, adolescents with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex adolescents, adolescents living in institutions and adolescents from communities with a proliferation of unregulated weapons or experiencing armed conflict are among those particularly vulnerable to violence. The risks for girls include, for example, exposure to sexual violence and exploitation, forced and early marriage, honour killings and abusive practices often carried out in health-care settings, such as forced sterilization and forced abortion for girls with disabilities, and forced virginity testing.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The right to protection extends to violence in the digital environment. With growing use of social media and online activity, adolescents are increasingly vulnerable to cyberbullying, which is associated with a wide range of mental, psychosocial, cognitive, educational and health problems, including depression and suicide, as well as other poor coping responses such as problems with alcohol and other drug use. However, it is neither appropriate nor possible to seek to restrict adolescents' access to the digital environment. Therefore, States should fulfil their obligations through the adoption of holistic strategies aimed at enhancing adolescents' capacities to protect themselves from online harm, strengthening legislation and law enforcement mechanisms to tackle online abuse, including cross-border abuse, combating impunity and training parents and professionals who work with children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 113b
- Paragraph text
- [In connection to sexual and reproductive health rights, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Decriminalize abortion and guarantee all adolescents access to confidential, adolescent-responsive and non-discriminatory sexual and reproductive health information, services and goods, including on family planning, counselling, pre-conception care, maternal care, sexually transmitted infections, diagnosis and treatment, as well as modern forms of contraception, including emergency contraception, and safe abortion and post-abortion services;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111l
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Support national human rights institutions to conduct national assessments or public inquiries into adolescents' right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sale of children for the purpose of forced labour 2016, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- An ILO study on international migration and child labour has underlined the importance of promoting safe behaviours in relation to migration, by supporting adolescents in adequately informing themselves and properly preparing for the journey, preferably by securing a job contract before leaving. However, in some instances, the contract is part of the migration arrangement itself, paving the way for exploitative conditions. Studies have also stressed the importance for countries of avoiding legislative frameworks in which a legal stay is conditioned to one employer, as it paves the way for dependency on that employer.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Efforts need to be made to consult adolescents on the barriers impeding their continued participation in school, given the high levels of early school leaving while still illiterate or without obtaining qualifications. The Committee has observed the following contributory factors: fees and associated costs; family poverty and lack of adequate social protection schemes, including adequate health insurance; lack of adequate and safe sanitation facilities for girls; exclusion of pregnant schoolgirls and adolescent mothers; persistent use of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments; lack of effective measures to eliminate sexual harassment in school; sexual exploitation of girls; environments not conducive to girls' inclusion and safety; inappropriate teaching pedagogies; irrelevant or outdated curricula; failure to engage students in their own learning; and bullying. In addition, schools often lack the flexibility needed for adolescents to be able to combine work and/or family care responsibilities with their education, without which they may be unable to continue to meet the associated costs of schooling. Consistent with article 28 (1) (e) of the Convention and Sustainable Development Goal 4, States should introduce comprehensive and proactive measures to address all these factors and improve enrolment and attendance, reduce early school leaving and provide opportunities to complete education for those who have left.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 107
- Paragraph text
- In their health-related and other policies aimed at investing in adolescents, States should be guided by the principle that adolescence is a period of development towards increasing capacity for independent decision-making. Adolescents need to be protected from violence, exploitation and other adversities, but the nature of those protections and their application must take into account the emerging competencies and evolving capacities acquired throughout adolescence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Accountability, including its constituent components monitoring, review and redress, is essential if the right to health is to be more than an aspiration. Accountability reveals where progress has been made and where it has not been made, allows duty bearers to explain what they have done and make adjustments, and provides an opportunity for rights holders, including adolescents, to engage with duty bearers in the promotion and protection of their rights and to seek redress where violations have occurred.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right to sexual and reproductive health (Art. 12) 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- States are obliged to ensure that adolescents have full access to appropriate information on sexual and reproductive health, including family planning and contraceptives, the dangers of early pregnancy and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, regardless of their marital status and whether their parents or guardians consent, with respect for their privacy and confidentiality.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Further group-specific protections are found in other human rights treaties, but the Committee on the Rights of the Child has been at the forefront of efforts to apply the right to health in the context of adolescents, notably in its general comment No. 4 (2003) on adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and general comment No. 15 (2013) on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Services, goods and facilities must be accessible to all adolescents without discrimination on any grounds. This includes access to information on their health, as well on the nature, availability, location, costs and timing of services. Services must be physically accessible, including to adolescents in remote or rural communities and adolescents with disabilities, and be located in spaces that provide adolescents with confidence that their specific health-care needs will be met.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage 2016, para. 12
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- Urges Governments to respect and protect the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health through the development and enforcement of policies and legal frameworks and the strengthening of health systems, including health information systems, that make universally accessible and available quality, gender-responsive, adolescent-friendly health services, sexual and reproductive health-care services, information and commodities, HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care, mental health services and nutrition interventions;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula 2016, para. 14l
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States and/or the relevant funds and programmes, organs and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates, and invites the international financial institutions and all relevant actors of civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and the private sector, to end obstetric fistula within a generation by: (l) Enhancing the participation of men and adolescent boys in the intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula and further strengthening their involvement as partners, including in the global Campaign to End Fistula;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Taking note also of the work of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, especially the reports in which the mandate holder addressed the human rights of migrant children and adolescents, and inviting States to give due consideration to the recommendations contained therein, and of the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child with regard to the treatment of unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin, including in its general comment No 6 (2005) on the topic, and the general discussion held by the Committee in 2012 on the rights of all children in the context of international migration,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Deeply concerned at the fact that migrant children and adolescents who are in vulnerable situations when attempting to cross international borders without the required travel documents may be exposed to serious human rights violations and abuses that can threaten their physical, emotional and psychological health and well-being, and may also be exposed to crimes and human rights abuses, including theft, kidnapping, extortion, physical abuse, smuggling and trafficking in persons, including forced labour, and sexual exploitation and abuse, during their journeys,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- The Committee expresses deep concern about the fact that adolescent boys and girls are being recruited, including through the use of social media, by States' armed forces, armed groups and militias, and urges all States parties to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. It is also concerned about adolescents' vulnerability to being enticed by terrorist propaganda, extremist views and involvement in terrorist activities. Research with adolescents should be undertaken to explore the factors driving their engagement in such activities and States should take appropriate action in response to the findings, paying particular attention to measures promoting social integration.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- The Committee notes that adults' understanding and awareness of adolescents' right to participation is important for adolescents' enjoyment of that right, and it encourages States to invest in training and awareness-raising, particularly for parents and caregivers, professionals working with and for adolescents, policymakers and decision makers. Support is needed to enable adults to become mentors and facilitators so that adolescents can take greater responsibility for their own lives and the lives of those around them.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- States, together with non-State actors, through dialogue and engagement with adolescents themselves, should promote environments that acknowledge the intrinsic value of adolescence and introduce measures to help them to thrive, explore their emerging identities, beliefs, sexualities and opportunities, balance risk and safety, build capacity for making free, informed and positive decisions and life choices, and successfully navigate the transition into adulthood. An approach is required that builds on strengths and recognizes the contribution that adolescents can bring to their lives and those of others, while addressing the barriers that inhibit those opportunities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The Committee recognizes that adolescence is not easily defined, and that individual children reach maturity at different ages. Puberty occurs at different ages for boys and girls, and different brain functions mature at different times. The process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood is influenced by context and environment, as reflected in the wide variation in cultural expectations of adolescents in national legislations, which afford different thresholds for entry into adult activities, and across international bodies, which employ a variety of age ranges to define adolescence. The present general comment does not seek, therefore, to define adolescence, but instead focuses on the period of childhood from 10 years until the 18th birthday to facilitate consistency in data collection.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- The Committee notes that several of its general comments have a particular resonance for adolescents, notably those relating to adolescent health and development, HIV/AIDS, eradicating practices that are harmful to women and children, unaccompanied and separated children and juvenile justice. The Committee emphasizes the particular significance for adolescents of the recommendations arising from the day of general discussion on digital media and children's rights. The present general comment has been developed to provide an overview on how the Convention in its entirety needs to be understood and implemented in respect of all adolescents and should be read together with other general comments and with documents arising from the day of general discussion.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- As they move through their second decade, children begin to explore and forge their own individual and community identities on the basis of a complex interaction with their own family and cultural history, and experience the creation of an emergent sense of self, often expressed through language, arts and culture, both as individuals and through association with their peers. For many, that process takes place around and is significantly informed and influenced by their engagement with the digital environment. The process of construction and expression of identity is particularly complex for adolescents as they create a pathway between minority and mainstream cultures.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 37b
- Paragraph text
- [In accordance with general comments No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6) and No. 19 (2016) on public budgeting for the realization of children's rights (art. 4), the Committee draws attention to States parties' obligations to implement the following measures to establish the framework for the realization of the rights of children during adolescence. The experience and perspectives of adolescents themselves should be fully recognized and taken seriously in the development of all such measures, including:] Monitoring implementation to ensure that the rights of adolescents are respected in legislation, policy and services;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The role of parents and caregivers in providing security, emotional stability, encouragement and protection to children remains important throughout adolescence. The Committee emphasizes that States' obligations to render appropriate assistance to parents and caregivers, as outlined in articles 18 (2) and (3) of the Convention, and to assist parents in providing the support and living conditions necessary for optimum development consistent with article 27 (2), have equal application to parents of adolescents. Such support should respect the rights and evolving capacities of adolescents and the increasing contribution they make to their own lives. States should ensure that they do not, in the name of traditional values, tolerate or condone violence, reinforce unequal power relations within family settings and, therefore, deprive adolescents of the opportunity to exercise their basic rights.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- The Committee draws States parties' attention to the significance of a growing divide between the environments in which adolescents live, characterized by the digital era and globalization, and those in which their parents or caregivers grew up. Adolescents are exposed to and inevitably influenced by a global commercial world, unmediated or regulated by parental or community values, that can inhibit intergenerational understanding. This changing context poses challenges to the capacity of parents and caregivers to communicate effectively with adolescents and provide guidance and protection in a manner that takes into account the current realities of their lives. The Committee recommends that States undertake research with adolescents and their parents and caregivers into the nature of guidance, assistance, training and support needed to help address the intergenerational divergence of experience.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- There is significant evidence of poor outcomes for adolescents in large long-term institutions, as well as in other forms of alternative care, such as fostering and small group care, albeit to a much lesser degree. These adolescents experience lower educational attainment, dependency on social welfare and higher risk of homelessness, imprisonment, unwanted pregnancy, early parenthood, substance misuse, self-harm and suicide. Adolescents in alternative care are commonly required to leave once they reach 16-18 years of age and are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking and violence as they lack support systems or protection and have been afforded no opportunities to acquire the skills and capacities to protect themselves. Those with disabilities are often denied opportunities for community living and are transferred to adult institutions, where they are at increased risk of being subjected to continuing violations of their rights.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- The inadequate attention paid to and the insufficient respect shown for the cultures, values and world vision of adolescents from minority and indigenous groups can lead to discrimination, social exclusion, marginalization and non-inclusion in public spaces. This increases the vulnerability of minority and indigenous adolescents to poverty, social injustice, mental health issues, including disproportionately high suicide rates, poor educational outcomes and high levels of detention within the criminal justice system.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- A significant number of adolescents are the primary caregivers of their families, either because they themselves are parents or because their parents have died or disappeared or are absent. Articles 24 and 27 of the Convention require that adolescent parents and caregivers be provided with basic knowledge of child health, nutrition and breastfeeding, and appropriate support to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities towards the children they are responsible for and, when needed, material assistance with regard to nutrition, clothing and housing. Adolescent caregivers need extra support in order to enjoy their rights to education, play and participation. In particular, States should introduce social protection interventions at key stages of the life cycle and respond to the specific requirements of adolescent caregivers.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Age-appropriate, comprehensive and inclusive sexual and reproductive health education, based on scientific evidence and human rights standards and developed with adolescents, should be part of the mandatory school curriculum and reach out-of-school adolescents. Attention should be given to gender equality, sexual diversity, sexual and reproductive health rights, responsible parenthood and sexual behaviour and violence prevention, as well as to preventing early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Information should be available in alternative formats to ensure accessibility to all adolescents, especially adolescents with disabilities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents are the only age group in which death due to AIDS is increasing. Adolescents may face challenges in gaining access to antiretroviral treatment and remaining in treatment; the need to gain the consent of guardians in order to access HIV-related services, disclosure and stigma are some barriers. Adolescent girls are disproportionately affected, representing two thirds of new infections. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adolescents, adolescents who exchange sex for money, goods or favours and adolescents who inject drugs are also at a higher risk of HIV infection.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Situations of armed conflict and humanitarian disasters result in the breakdown of social norms and family and community support structures. They force many displaced and crisis-affected adolescents to assume adult responsibilities and expose them to risks of sexual and gender-based violence, child and forced marriage and trafficking. Furthermore, adolescents in such situations are likely to be denied education, skills training, safe employment opportunities and access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health services and information, and to face isolation, discrimination and stigma, mental health and risk-taking behaviour.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to food and nutrition 2016, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Advertisements influence people's food preferences and habits. Recognizing that children are especially exposed to aggressive marketing and promotion strategies by food and beverage companies, some States prohibit media advertising to children for certain "restricted" food and drink products. In Chile, for example, where children form more than 20 per cent of the audience, mandatory regulations restrict advertising to children under 14, while Taiwan Province of China bans the advertising of restricted foods on channels dedicated to children, levying fines for violations of its regulations. Brazil imposes strict regulations, prohibiting any "abusive publicity" and strategies that appeal directly to children and adolescents. In practice, however, there seem to be many difficulties in implementing such restrictions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Contemporary challenges to freedom of expression 2016, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Article 20 (2) provides for restrictions with respect to hateful advocacy that amounts to incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence; it does not permit restrictions merely on the basis of "incompatibility" with a particular faith's values, nor does it (or article 19) permit restrictions that amount to blasphemy as such. Nonetheless, Maldives enacted a law in 2016 that criminalizes speech not expressed in accordance with social norms, national security and Islam. Singapore noted that a teenager was convicted under national legislation "for posting a video containing remarks against Christianity with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of Christians". While "wounding religious feelings" may involve real emotional costs, such charges have no basis under international human rights law and limit without justification the sharing of information and ideas pertaining to religion and belief.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- The benefits of participation in physical activity and sport and the adoption of healthy lifestyles can be especially pronounced for children. Physically active young people have higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, better metabolic profiles, improved bone health and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. Accordingly, WHO has recommended that children and adolescents should participate in 60 minutes of cumulative physical activity daily. Among adolescents, there is a correlation between participation in organized sport and an increased likelihood of meeting physical activity targets.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- Competitive sport is notable for being one of the few remaining areas within society that has largely failed to integrate human rights standards pertaining to children. In many sports, training must commence at a very early age in order for athletes to be competitive when reaching majority. Eating disorders are more prevalent in adolescents than in the general population, and are particularly prevalent among top athletes. Furthermore, a drift towards professionalism in competitive sport has been associated with compromises of the rights of child athletes, ranging from physical and emotional abuse through to doping, sexual violence and even the trafficking of child and adolescent athletes. The true extent of these problems is unknown, due to challenges in data collection and insufficient research.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- States should take steps to establish frameworks and minimum standards of care and protection for children participating in sports to protect them from the risks of abuse, overtraining and violence and should promote guidelines for healthy participation in sport at all levels for minors. They should ensure that children and adolescents have recourse to effective, safe and child-sensitive counselling, reporting and complaints mechanisms, in the event of health rights violations. Moreover, children should only engage in intensive training programmes and/or professional sport at ages when their cognitive development is sufficient for them to understand the concept and implications of competition, in order to avoid negative impacts on their early development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- International sporting actors must take more action to ensure that the rights of children participating in their competitions or events are protected. Presently, there are no consistent minimum age limits for competing in international adult sporting events, nor is there any coordinated action regarding the international movement of children and adolescents for participation in high-level or professional sport. Responsibility for the well-being of young athletes is often delegated to States or national sporting organizations. International sporting actors should standardize policies and protocols concerning the participation of children in high-level or professional sport in order to protect the children's health and other human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- States are reminded of the right of every child to a suitable standard of living for physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development, and are urged to introduce social protection floors that provide adolescents and their families with basic income security, protection against economic shocks and prolonged economic crises and access to social services.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Tackling the demand for the sexual exploitation of children 2016, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- As indicated above, certain preferential offenders cannot be described as paedophiles as they are interested solely in pubescent children. The specific sexual interest in teenagers is called hebephilia and derives from a range of factors linked to the underlying level of demand. A strong motivation for committing such sexual exploitation of children is, for instance, linked to the context of sexually transmitted diseases with offenders believing that virgins or young children pose less of a health risk. There are also other practices, such as adults becoming sexually involved with teenagers in exchange for money or goods. This phenomenon is present across the world and those adults are often referred to as "sugar daddies", and the practice is often referred to as "compensated dating". It is also at the heart of the exploitation of children in the context of tourism and travel.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Debt bondage as a key form of contemporary slavery 2016, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- In the western and central parts of Tamil Nadu, a high number of adolescent girls reportedly work as bonded labourers under the sumangali scheme in textile mills and garment factories, which is a major hub in the global knitwear sector that supplies international brands. The majority of these workers are reported to belong to Dalit communities and are aged between 14 and 18 years. Debt bondage is also reported in power loom workshops located in the Tiruppur region of Tamil Nadu, which produce woven cloth both for domestic manufacturers and for global suppliers. Those affected by debt bondage in this region are reported to include members of Dalit communities and other poor communities and to include both men and women. Furthermore, some non-agricultural industries in which debt bondage among children is reported to exist include carpet weaving, beedi making, silk production, silk sari production, the brick kilns and stone quarries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Models based on over-medicalization and institutionalization should be abandoned and replaced with early interventions and comprehensive community-based multisectoral responses. Adolescent health policies must be developed with the involvement of professionals in the health, education and social welfare sectors, who can provide a flexible network of services, including schools, community outpatient and day care mental health services rooted in the evidence-based biopsychosocial model.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- There is an alarming lack of HIV-related harm reduction services designed for adolescents who inject drugs, as well as multiple barriers to accessing such services, including age restrictions in law, and absence of data on injecting drug use among children and young people in most countries. Technical guidelines on HIV prevention, treatment care and support for young people who inject drugs have been developed, and should form the basis of States' efforts in this regard.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing the need to raise awareness among men and adolescent boys and, in this context, to fully engage men and community leaders as strategic partners and allies in the efforts to address and eliminate obstetric fistula,
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Men
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Taking note of the Secretary-General’s renewed Global Strategy on Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, and recognizing the important role it may play in reducing preventable maternal mortality and morbidity,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing the need to intensify efforts to end the AIDS epidemic through fast-tracking the HIV response across the prevention and treatment continuum, including in the context of the 90-90-90 targets of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and acknowledging the specific vulnerabilities of adolescent and young girls and women owing to, inter alia, unequal power relations in society between women and men, boys and girls,
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 7d
- Paragraph text
- [The objectives of the present general comment are:] To strengthen the case for greater visibility and awareness of adolescents and for investment to enable them to realize their rights throughout the course of their lives.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur recognizes the heterogeneity of adolescence and that definitions vary by country and region. However, to promote consistency and facilitate the measurement of adolescent health, this report adopts the definition of the World Health Organization, which views adolescents as persons between the ages of 10 and 19 years (until the twentieth birthday).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Adolescence is a life stage of intrinsic value, not merely a transition between childhood and adulthood. It is a critical developmental stage characterized by growing cognitive abilities and emotional competencies, during which the brain has substantial neural plasticity. The physical, mental and social potential established during the second decade contributes to enhanced intellectual ability and emotional functioning throughout adulthood.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Measures to address the right to health should be holistic and integrated, go beyond the provision of health services and be underpinned by cross-departmental commitment. States should take account of and respond to the particular challenges faced by different groups, such as younger and older adolescents, males, females and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- Prevention cannot justify disproportionate infringements of adolescents' rights, including their rights to privacy, bodily integrity and education. States are encouraged to continue to restrict and, when necessary, ban alcohol and tobacco advertising, which has too often targeted young people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- States should take specific measures to ensure that adolescents with disabilities enjoy their right to family life and are not removed from their families against their will. States should ensure that information, training and support are provided to parents to enable them to help their adolescent children attain the highest attainable standard of health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The right to non-discrimination is fundamental to realizing adolescents' right to health. Discrimination encompasses any distinction, exclusion or restriction that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights and freedoms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 112a
- Paragraph text
- [In connection to mental health, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] In line with target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, formulate and implement a national adolescent mental health policy enabling the development of a spectrum of preventive and curatives services, in consultation with adolescents, that is sensitive to their rights and needs;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 113c
- Paragraph text
- [In connection to sexual and reproductive health rights, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Ensure that sexual and reproductive health services are welcoming, adolescent-friendly, non-judgemental and guarantee privacy and confidentiality;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that children and adolescents are more likely to be lost to care and that those on antiretroviral medication are less likely than adults to reach viral load suppression and that there are many challenges in diagnosing and treating infants, children and adolescents,
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The right to privacy takes on increasing significance during adolescence. The Committee has repeatedly raised concerns about violations of privacy in respect of, for example, confidential medical advice; space for and belongings of adolescents in institutions; correspondence and other communications, either in the family or other forms of care; and exposure of those involved in criminal proceedings. The right to privacy also entitles adolescents to have access to their records held by educational, health-care, childcare and protection services and justice systems. Such information should only be accessible in compliance with due process guarantees and to individuals authorized by law to receive and use it. States should, through dialogue with adolescents, ascertain where breaches of privacy have taken place, including in relation to personal engagement in the digital environment and the use of data by commercial and other entities. States should also take all appropriate measures to strengthen and ensure respect for the confidentiality of data and the privacy of adolescents, consistent with their evolving capacities.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Acknowledging the contribution of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families to the international system for the protection of migrants,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- The Committee recognizes that, in many parts of the world, adolescents are recruited into gangs and pandillas, which often provide social support, a source of livelihood, protection and a sense of identity in the absence of opportunities to achieve such goals through legitimate activities. However, the climate of fear, insecurity, threat and violence posed by gang membership threatens the realization of the rights of adolescents and is a major factor contributing to adolescent migration. The Committee recommends that more emphasis be placed on the development of comprehensive public policies that address the root causes of juvenile violence and gangs, instead of aggressive law enforcement approaches. Investment is needed in prevention activities for at-risk adolescents, interventions to encourage adolescents to leave gangs, rehabilitation and reintegration of gang members, restorative justice and the creation of municipal alliances against crime and violence, with an emphasis on the school, the family and social inclusion measures. The Committee urges States to give due consideration to adolescents forced to leave their country for reasons related to gang violence and to afford them refugee status.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 7c
- Paragraph text
- [The objectives of the present general comment are:] To enhance understanding of and respect for the evolving capacities of adolescents and the implications for the realization of their rights;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- There is a growing focus on adolescence within the international health and development community, as reflected, most notably, in the Global Strategy on Women's, Children's and Adolescents Health 2016-2030. These are important and welcome commitments that now need to be translated into action on the ground.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- However, all too often States continue to deny adolescents the right to make autonomous and confidential decisions with regard to accessing health services by requiring parental notification or consent. These restrictions often make adolescents reluctant to access needed services so as to avoid seeking parental consent, which may result in rejection, stigmatization, hostility or even violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Particular regard must be afforded to the barriers faced by adolescents with disabilities, as their views should be given due weight in accordance with age and maturity on an equal basis with others and as they must be provided with opportunities for supported decision-making.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents, together with other key civil society stakeholders, should play an active role in accountability. They should be actively involved in the determination of indicators at the national and local levels that reflect the issues they consider to be of critical importance in realizing the right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Poor mental health can affect the health and development of adolescents more generally and is associated with many damaging health and social outcomes, such as substance use, the inability to form relationships, dropping out of school or academic underperformance and delinquent behaviours, together with increased likelihood of poverty and poorer employment opportunities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Despite these obligations and commitments, there is a worrying lack of recognition or awareness of the nature and scale of mental health problems among adolescents in many countries. Evidence indicates that many adolescents consider emotional well-being to be the most important health problem they face and would like more access to quality mental health care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Prevention of mental health problems and promotion of mental well-being in adolescence should be a central part of national health policies. Action plans should include programmes for evidence-based interventions that are well-funded and monitored and that aim to reinforce protective factors within adolescents, their families and communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- The focus in the Sustainable Development Goals on tackling violence against women and girls is welcome. However, significant levels of violence are also experienced by adolescent boys. Boys caught up in violent crime are often exposed to harsh punitive responses by States that create a downward spiral of increasing violence with profound detriment to their physical and mental health and well-being.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- The vulnerability of the growing number of adolescents in refugee camps or seeking asylum is worrying. States are reminded of their broad international obligations to protect refugees and ensure necessary assistance in the enjoyment of their rights, including the right to optimum mental health and well-being.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Children, including adolescents, lack the full autonomy of adults while being subjects of rights. Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child addresses the legal and social status of children, recognizing their capacity to form their own views and to express them freely in all matters affecting them and giving them due weight in accordance with age and maturity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Tackling the demand for the sexual exploitation of children 2016, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The growing use of sex offender registers has nonetheless been criticized in some cases. Provisions such as residency restrictions are particular controversial and have not proved to prevent offending. Moreover, there is a particular danger when the registry is made publicly accessible as it can encourage vigilantism. When offenders are minors, there is the risk that they will be placed on a sex offender register, which can last for life, thus hampering any rehabilitation and reintegration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- There are many reasons why images intended for private consumption may be more widely disseminated. There may be an explicit intention to harm the individual in question, or those involved may be unaware of the implications of their actions, or the perceived anonymity of the online environment encourages adolescents to act in ways they would not in face-to-face interactions. In any case, once online, such images or material are particularly difficult to delete.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- The Committee has identified multiple forms of discrimination, many of which have particular implications in adolescence and necessitate an intersectional analysis and targeted holistic measures. Adolescence itself can be a source of discrimination. During this period, adolescents may be treated as dangerous or hostile, incarcerated, exploited or exposed to violence as a direct consequence of their status. Paradoxically, they are also often treated as incompetent and incapable of making decisions about their lives. The Committee urges States to ensure that all of the rights of every adolescent boy and girl are afforded equal respect and protection and that comprehensive and appropriate affirmative action measures are introduced in order to diminish or eliminate conditions that result in direct or indirect discrimination against any group of adolescents on any grounds. States are reminded that not every differentiation of treatment will constitute discrimination, if the criteria for such differentiation are reasonable and objective and if the aim is to achieve a purpose that is legitimate under the Convention.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Mindful of the fact that, in the fulfilment of their obligations to promote, protect and respect the rights of migrants in accordance with international law, States of origin, transit and destination can benefit from greater international cooperation,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Requests the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the panel discussion in the form of a summary, and to submit it to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-sixth session;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Invites the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, within their mandates, to continue to give due consideration to the situation of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and the impact of this issue on the full enjoyment of their human rights, and to continue to report thereon;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- States parties are urged to introduce comprehensive juvenile justice policies that emphasize restorative justice, diversion from judicial proceedings, alternative measures to detention and preventive interventions, to tackle social factors and root causes, consistent with articles 37 and 40 of the Convention, and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency. The focus should be on rehabilitation and reintegration, including for those adolescents involved in activities categorized as terrorism, in line with the recommendations in general comment No. 10 (2007) on children's rights in juvenile justice. Detention should be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, and adolescents should be detained separately from adults. The Committee emphasizes the imperative to ban the death penalty and prohibit life imprisonment for anyone convicted of a crime committed when under the age of 18 years. The Committee is seriously concerned at the number of States seeking to lower the age of criminal responsibility and encourages States to raise progressively the age of criminal responsibility to 18 years.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- The Committee draws States parties' attention to the powerful case for a focus on adolescents to promote the realization of their rights, strengthen their potential contribution to positive and progressive social transformation and overcome the challenges they face in the transition from childhood to adulthood in an increasingly globalized and complex world.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- The instrumentalization of women's bodies as objects to serve sexual and other purposes leads to practices such as invasive cosmetic procedures. Unhealthy dieting, particularly among adolescent girls, can have disastrous health consequences, including eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a comprehensive normative and legally binding framework to address the right to health of adolescents under the age of 18, while other treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, provide a framework relevant for all adolescents, including those aged 18 and 19.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The right to health gives rise to an obligation of States to ensure the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health services, goods and facilities. States must ensure that sufficient health facilities, goods, services and programmes are available to meet the needs of adolescents, especially the most marginalized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- All health-related services must be appropriate and of good quality, with skilled personnel who have been adequately trained, in particular on adolescents' right to health. Equipment and drugs must be appropriate for adolescents and regular assessments of the quality of health-care services undertaken.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The health sector should take the lead in development plans for adolescents' right to health. However, intersectoral collaboration is vital, including among the education and social protection sectors, and right-to-health considerations must be integrated into relevant policies and strategies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The family, in its diverse forms and arrangements, refers to the essential environment for the well-being, protection and development of children and adolescents. The recognition of diverse family forms is necessary to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of all of children and adolescents, without discrimination of any sort.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents have the right to play an increasingly important role in the determination of their own health care. Respect and recognition of their capacities is intrinsic to the enhancement of positive health outcomes. Forging partnerships with adolescents is the key to shaping an environment that enables the realization of their right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111f
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Ensure that health services are delivered in such a way as to respect adolescents' rights to privacy and confidentiality, address their different cultural needs and expectations and comply with ethical standards;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- Violence in intimate relationships among adolescents is also common, resulting in both immediate and potential long-term consequences for their physical, mental and social health. In addition to its immediate health consequences, the trauma of violence perpetrated by an intimate partner can lead to long-term physical injuries, to both immediate and delayed-onset health problems and to experiences of repeated revictimization.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are at risk of "punitive" rape on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Adolescents suffer disproportionately from the effects of gun violence and significant numbers of adolescents face serious harm or death as a consequence of armed conflict.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- LGBTQI+
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- To achieve substantive equality, States must take special measures in order to diminish or eliminate conditions that cause discrimination" by introducing comprehensive legislation and policies, as well as affirmative action measures, to diminish or eliminate structural barriers and historic conditions that result in direct or indirect discrimination against any group of adolescents on any grounds.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111e
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Guarantee that health systems are responsive to the whole spectrum of health and psychosocial needs of adolescents, and ensure an integrated, multisectoral approach across social, child protective and education sectors;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 114a
- Paragraph text
- [In connection to substance use and drug control, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Close without delay all drug detention centres for adolescents, ensure the provision of prevention, harm reduction and dependence treatment services, without discrimination, and allocate a budget sufficient for the progressive realization of the right to health;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Welcoming the convening of the high-level plenary meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, held in New York on 19 September 2016,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: safeguards to prevent torture during police custody and pretrial detention 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Recalling also that accused juvenile persons shall be separated from adults and brought as speedily as possible for adjudication,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Concerned at the fact that the protection and assistance needs of many unaccompanied migrant children, often including their most basic needs, have not yet been met,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- The digital environment can also expose adolescents to risks, such as online fraud, violence and hate speech, sexist speech against girls and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex adolescents, cyberbullying, grooming for sexual exploitation, trafficking and child pornography, over-sexualization and targeting by armed or extremist groups. This should not however restrict adolescents' access to the digital environment. Instead, their safety should be promoted through holistic strategies, including digital literacy with regard to online risks and strategies for keeping them safe, strengthened legislation and law enforcement mechanisms to tackle abuse online and fight impunity, and training parents and professionals who work with children. States are urged to ensure the active engagement of adolescents in the design and implementation of initiatives aimed at fostering online safety, including through peer mentoring. Investment is needed in the development of technological solutions on prevention and protection and the availability of assistance and support. States are encouraged to require businesses to undertake child-rights due diligence with a view to identifying, preventing and mitigating the impact of risks on children's rights when using digital media and information and communications technology.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- It is estimated that 1.3 million adolescents died in 2012 from preventable or treatable causes. Road traffic accidents, suicide and homicide, violence and war, drowning and fire-related incidents account for about 40 per cent of all deaths among youth (people aged between 15 and 24 years). A small percentage of adolescents suffer from life-limiting and sometimes terminal illness, of which a majority are estimated to have no access to palliative care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- The rate and breadth of developmental change during adolescence is second only to that experienced in early childhood. While investments during the past 20 years have resulted in enormous gains for children in the early years, far less recognition has been afforded by policymakers to the implications of development in the second decade of life. Over the past 50 years, health has improved far less among adolescents than it has among young children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Supporting adolescents to navigate successfully the challenging path towards healthy emotional, psychosocial, physical and sexual development requires recognition of their rights to information, freedom of expression and association, protection from all forms of violence, safety, bodily integrity and family life, and respect for their dignity and evolving capacities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Given the scale of these concerns, target 3.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, on ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, is welcome. To achieve this target, States will have to adopt a comprehensive gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory sexual and reproductive health policy for all adolescents and to integrate it into national strategies and programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Policies designed to protect families and family values should avoid measures that undermine the human rights of individual family members, including women, adolescents and younger children. Such approaches can be detrimental as they may, in the name of traditional values, tolerate or condone violence, reinforce unequal power relations within family settings and, therefore, deprive adolescents from the opportunity to exercise their basic rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111g
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Ensure that adolescents' health-care and other service providers, including social workers and educators, do not obstruct access to health facilities, goods and services by addressing discriminatory and stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours through information and awareness-raising campaigns;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111i
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Protect from interference and harm by non-State actors and third parties, including private service providers, by ensuring that they do not compromise the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health-care and other relevant services, facilities and goods for adolescents;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 110
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur would like to link his recommendations with the global call to double investment in adolescence as a major precondition of successfully attaining the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111a
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Meet their core obligation to recognize adolescents as rights holders by respecting their evolving capacities and their right to participate in the design, delivery and evaluation of all policies and services affecting their health and well-being;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Rights to protection and increasing participation are mutually reinforcing. Guaranteeing adolescents the right to be heard, to challenge rights violations and to seek redress empowers them to exercise agency in their own protection. Failure to do so will condemn millions globally to continuing and extreme violations of their rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage 2016, para. 8
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States to promote and protect the right of women and girls to equal access to education through enhanced emphasis on free and quality primary and secondary education, including catch-up and literacy education for those who have not received formal education or have left school early, including because of marriage and/or childbearing, which empowers young women and girls to make informed decisions about their lives, employment, economic opportunities and health, including through scientifically accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive education, relevant to cultural contexts, that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men, in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, with information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and the empowerment of women, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and to develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young persons, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers, in order to contribute to ending child, early and forced marriage;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Reminds States that migrant children should not be subject to arbitrary arrest or arbitrary detention, and encourages States to respect the human rights of each child and to take into account, as a primary consideration, the best interests of the child;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- Adolescents may come into contact with justice systems through conflict with the law, as victims or witnesses of crime or for other reasons, such as care, custody or protection. Measures are needed to reduce adolescents' vulnerability both as victims and perpetrators of crimes.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 7a
- Paragraph text
- [The objectives of the present general comment are:] To provide States with guidance on the legislation, policies and services needed to promote comprehensive adolescent development consistent with the realization of their rights;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Mental health and psychosocial problems, such as suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and depression, are primary causes of ill health, morbidity and mortality among adolescents, particularly among those in vulnerable groups. Such problems arise from a complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental causes and are compounded by, for example, experiences of conflict, displacement, discrimination, bullying and social exclusion, as well as pressures concerning body image and a culture of "perfection". The factors known to promote resilience and healthy development and to protect against mental ill health include strong relationships with and support from key adults, positive role models, a suitable standard of living, access to quality secondary education, freedom from violence and discrimination, opportunities for influence and decision-making, mental health awareness, problem-solving and coping skills and safe and healthy local environments. The Committee emphasizes that States should adopt an approach based on public health and psychosocial support rather than overmedicalization and institutionalization. A comprehensive multisectoral response is needed, through integrated systems of adolescent mental health care that involve parents, peers, the wider family and schools and the provision of support and assistance through trained staff.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- In some countries, adolescent girls are deterred from accessing information and services for family planning and termination of pregnancy that are needed to protect their health and safety and prevent unwanted high-risk pregnancies, including the requirement of third party authorization.
- Body
- Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Report of the SR on the right to health and Agenda 2030 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Another key mechanism is the Independent Accountability Panel, appointed earlier in 2016, which will monitor progress towards the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the appointment of the Panel and will follow its work with interest.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The right to mental health must be underpinned by legal frameworks that are fully compliant with human rights standards, which demand respect for the evolving capacities of adolescents with disabilities and their physical integrity. Adolescents with disabilities are vulnerable to neglect, mental and physical abuse, sexual violence and forced sterilization or contraception while detained in mental health care settings.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111j
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Protect adolescents from violence and neglect, including in family settings, by, inter alia, upholding their right to confidential services and counselling without parental consent;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111k
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Take the measures necessary to support families, including through training and services, to increase the abilities of parents to raise children and adolescents in a competent and confident manner and reinforce skills to manage situations in a non-violent way;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111c
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Ensure the quality and timely collection of appropriately disaggregated data to inform public policy, and make the reality and needs of adolescents visible;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 111d
- Paragraph text
- [In this connection, the Special Rapporteur recommends that Governments:] Adopt a human rights framework for adolescent health, ensuring that health plans and strategies prioritize a holistic approach addressing underlying and social determinants and balancing curative service provision with investment in the resilience and autonomy of adolescents;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- This has been broadly conceptualized as the right to and principle of participation, and is central to the realization of adolescents' right to health, both in individual matters relating to their own health care and in wider issues such as the design and development of health-related services. It implies a fundamental shift in the traditional status of the child as a passive recipient of adult decisions and interventions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Not only is adolescence a period of considerably enhanced cognitive development, it is also associated with greater self- and social awareness, and the ability to grapple with complexity and to take into consideration the perspectives of others. These developments have profound implications for adolescents' capacities to take increasing levels of responsibility for decision-making in respect of the right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Rights of the child 2016, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- Also expresses its concern about the high level of impunity enjoyed by traffickers and their accomplices, as well as other members of organized crime entities, and in this context the denial of rights and justice to migrant children, including adolescents, who have suffered from abuse;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: domestic violence 2016, para. 15f
- Paragraph text
- [Urges States to address structural and underlying causes and risk factors so as to prevent domestic violence, including by:] Committing themselves to accelerate efforts to scale up scientifically accurate age-appropriate comprehensive education that provides adolescent girls and boys and young women and men, in and out of school, consistent with their evolving capacities, with information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and women's empowerment, human rights, physical, psychological and pubertal development and power in relationships between women and men, to enable them to build self-esteem and informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills and develop respectful relationships, in full partnership with young people, parents, legal guardians, caregivers, educators and health-care providers, in order to end domestic violence;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age as a human rights concern 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Encourages the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in close collaboration with the World Health Organization, to intensify efforts to bring the technical guidance to the attention of the Secretary-General and all United Nations entities with mandates relevant to preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age, including the High-level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, and to continue dialogue on the issue of preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age with all relevant actors with due regard to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that there are large disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity rates between countries, but also within countries, and between women with a high and a low income, and between those living in rural as against urban areas, and noting with concern that the risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years of age, and that complications in pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among adolescent girls in developing countries, and recognizing also that the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity is exacerbated in armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon governments and stakeholders to uphold commitments to eliminate mother-to-child transmission and keep mothers alive, including through integrating HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, including confidential voluntary counselling and testing and elimination of mother-to-child/vertical transmission, with other primary health-care services, especially sexual and reproductive health-care services, and through means to prevent new infections among women and adolescent girls of reproductive age and the provision of sexual and reproductive health-care services and lifelong antiretroviral medication for women and girls living with HIV;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS 2016, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Stresses the importance of governments, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and other United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes in developing and implementing strategies to improve infant HIV diagnosis, including through access to diagnostics at the point of care, significantly increasing and improving access to treatment for children and adolescents living with HIV, including access to prophylaxis and treatments for opportunistic infections, and promoting a smooth transition from paediatric to adult treatment and related support and services, while taking into account the need to put in place programmes focused on delivering services to HIV-negative children born to women living with HIV, as they are still at high risk of morbidity and mortality, and developing actions to limit post-delivery transmission through breastfeeding through the provision of information and education;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right to sexual and reproductive health (Art. 12) 2016, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The realization of the rights of women and gender equality, both in law and in practice, requires repealing or reforming discriminatory laws, policies and practices in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Removal of all barriers interfering with access by women to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, goods, education and information is required. To lower rates of maternal mortality and morbidity requires emergency obstetric care and skilled birth attendance, including in rural and remote areas, and prevention of unsafe abortions. Preventing unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions requires States to adopt legal and policy measures to guarantee all individuals access to affordable, safe and effective contraceptives and comprehensive sexuality education, including for adolescents; to liberalize restrictive abortion laws; to guarantee women and girls access to safe abortion services and quality post-abortion care, including by training health care providers; and to respect the right of women to make autonomous decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- States should ensure the recovery and gender-sensitive reintegration of adolescents who are recruited into armed forces and groups, including those in migration situations, and prohibit the recruitment or use of adolescents in all hostilities as well as peace or ceasefire negotiations and agreements with armed groups. States should support opportunities for adolescent participation in peace movements and peer-to-peer approaches to non-violent conflict resolution rooted in local communities, to ensure the sustainability and cultural appropriateness of interventions. The Committee urges States parties to take firm measures to ensure that cases of conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse and other human rights abuses against adolescents are promptly and duly addressed.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- The introduction to age-appropriate forms of work plays an important developmental role in the lives of adolescents, equipping them with skills and enabling them to learn responsibilities and, where necessary, to contribute to their families' economic well-being and support their access to education. Action against child labour should comprise comprehensive measures, including school-to-work transitions, social and economic development, poverty eradication programmes and universal and free access to quality, inclusive primary and secondary education. It should be underlined that adolescents, once they reach the national legal minimum working age, which should be aligned with international standards and with compulsory education, have the right to perform light work under appropriate conditions, with due respect accorded to their rights to education and to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- The Committee emphasizes the importance of participation as a means of political and civil engagement through which adolescents can negotiate and advocate for the realization of their rights, and hold States accountable. States should adopt policies to increase opportunities for political participation, which is instrumental in the development of active citizenship. Adolescents can connect with peers, engage in political processes and increase their sense of agency to make informed decisions and choices, and therefore need to be supported in forming organizations through which they can participate in a variety of means, including digital media. If States decide to lower the voting age to under 18 years, they should invest in measures that support adolescents to understand, recognize and fulfil their role as active citizens, including through citizenship and human rights education and by identifying and addressing barriers to their engagement and participation.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- The Committee observes that the potential of adolescents is widely compromised because States parties do not recognize or invest in the measures needed for them to enjoy their rights. Data disaggregated by age, sex and disability are not available in most countries to inform policy, identify gaps and support the allocation of appropriate resources for adolescents. Generic policies designed for children or young people often fail to address adolescents in all their diversity and are inadequate to guarantee the realization of their rights. The costs of inaction and failure are high: the foundations laid down during adolescence in terms of emotional security, health, sexuality, education, skills, resilience and understanding of rights will have profound implications, not only for their individual optimum development, but also for present and future social and economic development.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- In the present general comment, the Committee provides guidance to States on the measures necessary to ensure the realization of the rights of children during adolescence, cognizant also of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It highlights the importance of a human rights-based approach that includes recognition and respect for the dignity and agency of adolescents; their empowerment, citizenship and active participation in their own lives; the promotion of optimum health, well-being and development; and a commitment to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of their human rights, without discrimination.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph