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Vision of the mandate 2014, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- In general, food and nutrition security policies continue to treat women primarily as mothers, focusing on the nutrition of infants and young children or pregnant women, rather than addressing constraints on women’s economic and social participation. Teenage mothers, women without children and women of post-reproductive age with specific nutritional needs are generally not considered within those policies, and this must change
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention of the Rights of the Child 2003, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- The Committee is concerned that early marriage and pregnancy are significant factors in health problems related to sexual and reproductive health, including HIV/AIDS. Both the legal minimum age and actual age of marriage, particularly for girls, are still very low in several States parties. There are also non-health-related concerns: children who marry, especially girls, are often obliged to leave the education system and are marginalized from social activities. Further, in some States parties married children are legally considered adults, even if they are under 18, depriving them of all the special protection measures they are entitled under the Convention. The Committee strongly recommends that States parties review and, where necessary, reform their legislation and practice to increase the minimum age for marriage with and without parental consent to 18 years, for both girls and boys. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has made a similar recommendation (general comment No. 21 of 1994).
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2003
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Harmful practices (joint General Recommendation with CRC) 2014, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Women and adolescent girls who have been, or are at risk of being, subjected to harmful practices face significant risks to their sexual and reproductive health, in particular in a context where they already encounter barriers to decision-making on such issues arising from lack of adequate information and services, including adolescent-friendly services. Special attention is therefore needed to ensure that women and adolescents have access to accurate information about sexual and reproductive health and rights and on the impacts of harmful practices, as well as access to adequate and confidential services. Age-appropriate education, which includes science-based information on sexual and reproductive health, contributes to empowering girls and women to make informed decisions and claim their rights. To this end, health-care providers and teachers with adequate knowledge, understanding and skills play a crucial role in conveying the information, preventing harmful practices and identifying and assisting women and girls who are victims of or might be at risk of being subjected to them.
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The girl child 1998, para. g
- Paragraph text
- [Actions to be taken by Governments, civil society and the United Nations system, as appropriate:] Recognize and protect from discrimination pregnant adolescents and young mothers and support their continued access to information, health care, nutrition, education and training;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Youth
- Year
- 1998
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Effective Implementation of the OPSC 2010, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- The risk of HIV infection is very high for these addicted adolescents because of their high-risk sexual behaviour and the sexual exploitation to which they are subjected.
- 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)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Criminalisation of sexual and reproductive health 2011, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- General Comment No. 14 places emphasis on access to information because it is a critical component of the right to health (ibid; footnote 8), and particularly guarantees access to sexual and reproductive health information. States are additionally required to provide adequate resources and refrain "from censoring, withholding or intentionally misrepresenting health-related information, including sexual education and information (see E/C.12/2000/14, para. 14)". The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has recommended that a comprehensive understanding of the content of sexual and reproductive education encompass the topics of reproductive rights, responsible sexual behaviour, sexual and reproductive health, prevention of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, prevention of teenage pregnancies, and family planning, and stressed that education campaigns are urgently needed to combat harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. Comprehensive education and information on sexual and reproductive health is also useful in reducing knowledge gaps between men and women on these issues.
- 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
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism 2013, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- Over the years, classifications of different profiles have been made to facilitate the development of appropriate interventions. A distinction was therefore made between "situational" and "preferential" child sex tourists. The situational sex tourist was described as not travelling with the intention of being a sex tourist, who is tempted by an opportunity to have sex with children in a country, not usually having a preference for children, abusing children who are pre-pubescent or not, driven by the search for new experiences and justifying their acts on the basis of cultural or economic grounds. The preferential sex tourist travels specifically with the aim of abusing children, can experience sexual attraction for adults, but tends to search for pubescent or adolescent children. In addition, the paedophile, usually considered as someone suffering from a clinical disorder, with an exclusive inclination for pre-pubescent children, who may not show any preference for the gender of the child and may not view sexual contact with children as harmful. In contrast to the situational offender, they are notorious reoffenders, seeking out vulnerable children.
- 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
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Comprehensive child protection systems 2011, para. 43a
- Paragraph text
- [To ensure that child victims receive appropriate assistance for their full social reintegration and physical and psychological recovery, follow-up measures must:] Provide appropriate mental health services for children, adolescents and adults;
- 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
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Effective Implementation of the OPSC 2010, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Sexually exploited children and adolescents are often trapped in their situation by drugs. Drugs are used to lure children into the world of the sex industry, and addiction ensures that they will remain there. Dosages are increased to ensure addiction and keep them compliant and incapable of escaping.
- 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)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Criminalisation of sexual and reproductive health 2011, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Other laws restricting access to family planning and contraception include a city-wide de facto ban on so-called "artificial" contraception in one jurisdiction, which created significant difficulty for women in accessing reliable forms of birth control (see A/HRC/14/20/Add.1). A total of 70 per cent of the affected population, a majority of whom were poor and marginalized, depended on Government providers for services including female sterilization, oral pills, intrauterine devices and injectables (ibid.). The ban resulted in the absolute deprivation of access to family planning services and contraception for many women and men. In other instances, States require women to obtain their husband's consent and adolescents to obtain parental consent before acquiring various forms of contraception. Other jurisdictions allow pharmacists, and in some cases pharmacies, to refuse to dispense emergency contraception, which is otherwise legally available. These laws directly infringe upon the right of women and girls to make free and informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health and reflect discriminatory notions of women's roles in the family and society.
- 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
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
HIV/AIDS and the rights of the children 2003, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- The use of substances, including alcohol and drugs, may reduce the ability of children to exert control over their sexual conduct and, as a result, may increase their vulnerability to HIV infection. Injecting practices using unsterilized instruments further increase the risk of HIV transmission. The Committee notes that greater understanding of substance use behaviours among children is needed, including the impact that neglect and violation of the rights of the child has on these behaviours. In most countries, children have not benefited from pragmatic HIV prevention programmes related to substance use, which even when they do exist have largely targeted adults. The Committee wishes to emphasize that policies and programmes aimed at reducing substance use and HIV transmission must recognize the particular sensitivities and lifestyles of children, including adolescents, in the context of HIV/AIDS prevention. Consistent with the rights of children under articles 33 and 24 of the Convention, States parties are obligated to ensure the implementation of programmes which aim to reduce the factors that expose children to the use of substances, as well as those that provide treatment and support to children who are abusing substances.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2003
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The girl child 1998, para. f
- Paragraph text
- [Actions to be taken by Governments, civil society and the United Nations system, as appropriate:] Improve the health care for adolescent girls by health personnel and provide the latter with appropriate training, and encourage health- care personnel to work with girls to understand their special needs;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 1998
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Solitary confinement 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- In the same year, the General Assembly adopted resolution 45/113, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. In paragraph 67 the Assembly asserted that "All disciplinary measures constituting cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment shall be strictly prohibited, including ... solitary confinement or any other punishment that may compromise the physical or mental health of the juvenile concerned".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Joint report with SRSG Violence against Children on child-sensitive complaint mechanisms 2011, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- In some counties, legislation recognizes a broad general right of children to lodge complaints before public authorities. The effectiveness of such legislation is closely associated with children's access to information on their right to access justice and to complain before a judicial or non-judicial mechanism. The Costa Rican Children's and Adolescents' Code, for example, provides that: "Persons under the age of majority shall have the right to seek shelter, help and advice when a threat to their rights entails a serious risk to their physical or spiritual health; and to receive timely assistance and protection from the competent authorities." The Paraguayan Children's and Adolescents' Code recognizes the right of children to personally request any public body or official to take action that is within their mandate or competence, and to receive a timely reply. In Romania, Law No. 272/2004 on the protection and promotion of the rights of the child recognizes the child's right to personally make complaints regarding violations of his or her fundamental rights. In Spain, the law recognizes children's right to receive from the public authorities adequate assistance in guaranteeing respect for their rights, including the right to request protection or support from any public institution and to make complaints regarding violations of their rights to the public prosecutor or the Ombudsman.
- 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
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Effective Implementation of the OPSC 2010, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- Around the world, adolescent substance abuse is a growing and alarming phenomenon. The rising - and disturbing - number of adolescents addicted to all types of drugs (including solvents, psychotropic substances, cannabis, heroin, cocaine, crack, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy)) and/or to alcohol, forces a large number of them to turn to prostitution to obtain the money to supply their habits.
- 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)
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Accordingly, all institutions should adopt and publish principles and standards of care and establish safe and effective reporting mechanisms and systems for redress in line with international standards. Monitoring mechanisms should be in place to ensure that violations of the rights of adolescents in mental health care settings can be reported and redress sought.
- 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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph