Recommendations and observations made to the Maltese government by a UN Committee on the Rights of the Child nearly three years ago needed to be revisited as Malta prepared to appoint a Commissioner for Children, Labour MP Evarist Bartolo has said in parliament.

Speaking during the debate on the Commissioner for Children Bill, Mr Bartolo said the adoption of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child had led to widespread development of the rights of children all over the world. Yet two million children aged under five still died from disease and poverty every year; 130 million had no access to schooling and 60 million were malnourished. Millions of children were exploited by employers and thousands were fighting in wars. In Italy, 20 per cent of children were seen as falling below the poverty line.

Maltese children, unfortunately, were near the top of international lists in areas such as the prevalence of allergies and respiratory disease, early smoking, excessive pressures at schools, obesity and lack of exercise.

Furthermore, too few children were taken to museums or participated in cultural and art activities. Only half were furthering their education after turning 16. Some 2,000 16- year-olds did not have basic skills.

Furthermore, the environment was being ruined for children and their future was clouded by the national debt.

All this showed that the problem was not of individuals, but a culture change was needed in Malta.

Clearly, Malta had much to do for its children.

Mr Bartolo said the government needed to clarify how the commissioner was to be appointed. The bill said the appointment would be made by the prime minister after consultation with the House Social Affairs Committee. What would this consultation consist of? His suggestion was the introduction of a public hearing, whereby the committee could question the nominee before his/her appointment.

The bill said that one of the roles of the commissioner was to promote the highest standards of education. But who would define those standards?

In view of complaints about young people being reluctant to participate in society, he felt that student councils should be introduced in secondary schools, thus instilling the spirit of participation in students.

Mr Bartolo said far too little was known by the general public on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Yet, abroad, even child-friendly CDs had been issued for the purpose.

Referring to the Council for Children, Mr Bartolo said the ministry of the environment should also be represented, not least because environmental degradation affected children.

He felt that the commissioner's annual report should be discussed in public and interested organisations should be able to participate in the debate within the Social Affairs Committee.

Mr Bartolo observed that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in June 2000 had made a number of observations and recommendations to the Maltese government, which were worth revisiting.

In particular, the committee had asked why the Maltese government had declared a reservation on article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which laid down that social services should be available for all children. It had also called for this reservation to be lifted.

Indeed, Mr Bartolo said, the government should explain its position and the need for this reservation.

The committee had also insisted that the convention should become part of Maltese law.

This bill, Mr Bartolo observed, did not go that far, but said that one of the functions of the commissioner was "to promote compliance" with the convention. What would happen when the convention conflicted with domestic law?

The committee had also called for a comprehensive law on the rights of the child, something which had not been done yet.

It had also suggested the creation of a structure to promote child issues, something which was also lacking.

Complaints about the lack of child-related statistics had been partly remedied, but data on some areas, such as about children who fell back in education, was still missing.

The committee also called for more training for professionals involved in the needs of children, including members of the judiciary, the police, psychologists and social workers.

It had insisted that discrimination between illegitimate children and other children, in areas such as succession, should stop.

Corporal punishment, within families as well as schools, needed to be outlawed, and updated legislation was needed regarding fostering and adoptions.

Breast feeding levels in Malta was viewed as being too low and concern was expressed about children working illegally, mostly in summer within family concerns.

This report, Mr Bartolo said, needed to be discussed further.

The appointment of the Commissioner for Children was clearly a step in the right direction, but it was one step, and many more needed to be taken.

Mrs Helen D'Amato (PN) said she wanted to assure Mr Bartolo that the government had actually lifted its reservation on article 26 of the convention.

She said this bill looked at various aspects covered by the CRC such as the benefits of the child, their aspirations and how the rights as children were to be safeguarded.

The main role of the Commissioner for Children was that he should be the voice of children, especially those who were marginalised by society.

In this context, government agencies such as Sedqa and Appogg deserved praise for their efforts to help young people who needed individual attention.

The Commissioner should work for youth services to become more efficient in their operations as well as to monitor and coordinate such services.

The commissioner would, no doubt, also be able to ensure that mental health issues affecting young people were given due importance.

Other important priorities were the issues of adoption and fostering. Comprehensive legislation on child minding was also needed.

The commissioner would also need to monitor developments in the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) as they would affect children in the future.

Mrs D'Amato said she agreed with previous speakers that the commissioner's reports should not only be tabled in parliament, but analysed by the Social Affairs Committee.

Concluding, she said one should recognise the positive contribution by the Commission on Family Welfare which translated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Maltese in 1989. This publication, however, needed to be promoted heavily to the public.

Teachers should also be made aware of the convention as well as the new law, now being discussed.

Dr Michael Gonzi (PN) making his maiden speech, said that many of the problems which affected children were carried on to adulthood. Therefore, society had much to gain if it improved the quality of life of children.

Children needed to be protected because they were affected by decisions taken by adults, and they were vulnerable to maltreatment.

Dr Gonzi observed that Dar Merhba Bik sheltered 134 mothers, many with children, last year. Had enough studies been made on the trauma such children went through and, therefore, how they could best be protected?

Studies on 16-year-olds conducted by Sedqa in 1995 and 1999 showed that Malta's young people were in the top five in alcohol consumption. Some 10 per cent of young people started smoking when aged 13 or less; 21 per cent were not happy with their relationship with their parents, 37 per cent had bullied and almost half had been bullied at some time.

The Commissioner for Children should follow up these studies by also seeking the input of other organisations and then drawing up a programme of action - making him protective and proactive in the interests of children.

He should implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and draw up guidelines on matters involving children including education, health and transport and assist the government to draw up policies accordingly.

Dr Gonzi said that one could argue that this bill could undermine the authority of the parents or even absorb funds which could be chanelled directly to existing agencies.

But all those countries which had appointed commissioners for children had reported good results, more so as the commissioner would serve as the link between the various organisations whose activities also involved children and served to strengthen the family unit.

Although the family was still an important nucleus in society, it was important for the state to strengthen it and protect all its components, particularly children. Spending on children was not a cost, but an investment for the future, Dr Gonzi said.

The debate is expected to continue on Monday.