Procedure
25.After the decision on admissibility, the Committee transmitted the complaint to the
Respondent State, which duly filed its written reply, after which the matter was
scheduled for a public hearing. During its 23" Ordinary Session, from 9 — 16 April
2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a public hearing was held where representatives of
the Complainants and the Respondent State made their oral submissions.
The Respondent State’s Arguments
26.Both in its written reply to the Complaints and oral submissions, the Respondent
State has not specifically rejected the allegations. It has actually admitted that the
alleged violations of the various Charter provisions exist, and continue to take place.
27.|n recognition of the existence of the alleged violations, the Respondent State
submitted that it has adopted various constitutional, policy, legislative and
administrative measures aimed at, inter alia, protecting all children, particularly those
forced to beg. In particular, the Respondent State contended that as a result of a
workshop that was held early 2013 to formulate strategic plans of action for the
eradication of child begging, an inter-ministerial council on the managing of child
begging was convened on Friday, 8 February 2013, under the auspices of the
Honourable
Prime Minister. Consequent to this event, an ad-hoc Committee was set
up and it has adopted
strategic options:
a number of recommendations
which
revolve around three
(a) The withdrawal of all child beggars from the street and their temporary
placement in public institutions, community centres and voluntary families, as
well their integration with their family or country of origin. This would also
involve the implementation of measures relative to the educational aspects
and to economic support for the family;
(b) Social Policy Communication for a positive and lasting behavioural change
that occurs through effective application of the law and with the strong will of
political, religious, social, and cultural actors aimed at eradicating child
begging; and
(c) The prevention aspect; that is, while particularly emphasising policy and law
enforcement, there is a need for utilising existing initiatives by the
communities to assist children in their villages of origin and the strengthening
of public and community social services.
28.|In respect of eliminating worst forms of child labour, the Respondent State submitted
that it has undertaken various measures; including establishing the Project for the Fight
against the Worst Forms of Child Labour within the Ministry of Labour. Regarding the
improvement of the quality of education in the daaras, the Respondent State contended
that it has set up the Trilingual Project of the Direction of Alphabetisation and of National
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