Democracy and Political Governance Chapter 3 Juvenile Delinquents Act to restrict the circulation of reports on all actions taken by juvenile courts. It amended the Divorces and Legal Separation Act to compel courts to ask for the views of children older than 10 who are able to judge in any case in which they have an interest. It amended the Police Act to prevent permits for employing minors in the security or protection services being issued. 324. 325. Section 3(1) of the Adoption Act (Act 21 of 1987) created the National Adoption Council. The National Adoption Council, which deals with issues of adoption and follow-up of children adopted by foreigners, falls under the MWRCDFW. It ensures that the adoption of a Mauritian child by a foreigner will only be approved after all other possibilities of adoption in the country have been explored. 326. Mauritius established the Child Development Unit and the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in 1995 and decentralised them to five different regions. The mission of the CPU is to enforce the Child Protection Act and implement child development policies and programmes. It offers a 24-hour service through free toll lines to children at risk. It also offers free legal counsel and psychological counselling to children. Mauritius established the CPU as a pilot to provide multidisciplinary and integrated services in cases where children are exploited. 327. 142 Mauritius established several institutions to protect the rights of children. It established the National Children’s Council (NCC) in 1990 to ensure that the government and NGOs strive together for the welfare of children. It should coordinate the activities of organisations working for the welfare of children. It reviewed the work of the council in 1998 to make it more dynamic and sensitive to the needs of children and to guarantee that children participate. Section 3 of the National Children’s Council Act (Act 5 of 2003) created the present NCC. It repeals the previous National Children’s Council Act. The NCC is responsible for promoting the Convention on the Rights of the Child through sensitisation, information, education and communication campaigns. The government established a number of Clubs for Children and Recreational Centres across the island to comply with article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The clubs offer children opportunities to participate fully in cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activities. The government is reviewing the objectives of the clubs to ensure that children are involved in making decisions. Chapter 3 Democracy and Political Governance ii. Findings of the CRM 328. Mauritius, which subscribed to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in July 1990, has established a legislative and institutional system for promoting and protecting Mauritian children. The laws mentioned above testify to that. The same applies to institutions it established to implement government policies. They include the MWRCDFW and the ombudsperson for children. 329. The MWRCDFW has addressed the development of children aged between birth and 18, especially the aspects that other ministries do not address, since 1991. Its mission is to develop a coherent and coordinated action programme that conforms to the recommendations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This ministry, despite a highly reduced budget, makes considerable efforts to protect Mauritian children. It established the Child Development Unit in 1995 to do so. The mandate of this unit, which has been decentralised to the six regions of the island, is to implement the Child Protection Act as well as policies and programmes for developing children. The unit works closely with the police and offers services on a 24hour basis, through telephone lines, to children at risk as well as free legal and psychological assistance to them. It has established social support systems for children in distress. In addition, joint mobile teams of the MWRCDFW and the Minors’ Protection Brigade have been carrying out patrols since 2008 at several points on the island to ensure that children, pupils and students do not abandon their studies for other illicit activities and to protect them from delinquency. Children carry out these illicit activities at bus stations, in commercial areas, amusement parks and gardens, and at beaches. The MWRCDFW also has a policy to control sexual abuse and child prostitution. 330. The CRM sees the establishment of an independent ombudsperson for children in 2003 as a major leap forward in safeguarding children. The ombudsperson is responsible for ensuring that the government, private authorities, individuals and associations consider the rights, needs and interests of children fully. The CRM appreciates the efforts that Mauritius is making to promote and protect the rights of children (see chapter 6 on socioeconomic development). However, the CRM learnt, from interacting with stakeholders and reading articles in the press and on websites, that there are problems that Mauritius needs to address. They include inequality in the education system, violence against children, commercial sexual exploitation of children, as well as juvenile delinquency and its treatment. 143