Mother of four named Commissioner for Children

Sonia Camilleri, the first Commissioner for Children, will champion the rights of those under 18 and tackle issues such as illiteracy, internet protection and the trauma of broken homes.

"We have to identify the problems children and young people face in our modern society and listen to what they have to say," she said.

Mrs Camilleri was yesterday presented with the letter of appointment by Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami at Castille in the presence of Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Parliamentary Secretary Dolores Cristina.

She was accompanied by her husband André Camilleri and her four children.

An educator by profession, Mrs Camilleri has had extensive experience in education and child welfare both in Malta and abroad in multi-ethnic communities.

Her appointment as Commissioner for Children, the first such institution in Malta, was approved by the parliamentary social affairs committee and enjoys bipartisan consensus.

The goals behind this role is to bring about a qualitative change in the promotion and protection of child welfare as meditated through the Commissioner for Children's Act.

Mrs Camilleri will be working at a strategic level on issues concerning the promotion of a child-friendly society and their rights and needs.

A basic function will be to ensure that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is being applied.

Her role includes:

¤ promoting respect for the views and experiences of children;

¤ representing children by striving towards helping them achieve a voice that is heard and accorded respect;

¤ shaping public opinion on important issues and attempt to influence the attitudes of decision makers on issues concerning children and

¤ reporting to parliament as to its work and the state of children in Malta.

Mrs Camilleri has also been given the power to investigate any breach to children's rights; support legal action on their behalf; request child impact statements where necessary and request the government or other bodies to consult and report on issues of child welfare.

Asked if she had been given the necessary resources to work, Mrs Camilleri said she will be liaising with Mrs Cristina to set up the necessary structures.

Both Dr Fenech Adami and Dr Gonzi said this was the first time in local history that children were being provided with an independent authority who could secure their welfare and give them a voice.

"The commissioner, through the Children's Council, shall have its share in governance ensuring the policies, structures and programmes are designed in a manner which take into consideration the impact these might have on children," Dr Gonzi said.

Mrs Cristina said the commissioner will also be looking at the interests of the unborn child, both from a legal point of view and by promoting the highest standards of health and social services for women during pregnancy.