334.
Children infected with HIV/AIDS and who started ART throughout the country have
been traced and offered a monthly financial contribution as support for family members‟
nutrition and children‟s education. About ERN 83,078,342.50 fund provided by the Global
Fund (2004 – 2016) is used for monthly cash assistance to 12,958 HIV/AIDS infected
persons. The aim is to improve their nutritional status and enhance their immune system.
These interventions have alleviated the family problems and improved the diet of the
beneficiaries. Moreover, it is also an additional drive for families to send children to school.
335.
The Government also promotes a Community Based Street Children Prevention and
Rehabilitation Program. Through this program 43,672 street children attend formal
schooling. Assistance for school materials and cash assistance for uniforms and reference
books, etc is provided. Another 2,554 attended vocational training in metal and wood work,
auto mechanics, machine shop, computer skills, drawing, music, sewing and embroidery.
Trainees were provided with allowances and insurance schemes. Furthermore, 5,856
families of street children got support to start micro-enterprises and petty trade. This enabled
them to improve their livelihoods and ensure the educational continuity of their children.
Children in contact with the law
336.
During the reporting period The GoSE has taken the following steps to improve the
respect and protection of Children in Conflict With the Law (CCWL)፦
established a probation service, which provides counseling
set separate chambers where their cases are heard
organized after care services to CCWL who complete probation and correctional periods
Advocacy has been strengthened as one mechanism for improving the existing custody
and detention centers where children are kept while awaiting trial, or in cases where
parents/guardians cannot be located.
financed the renovation of the existing pre-trial detention center in the Central Rregion
337.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Transitional Penal Code, the court appoints a
government paid advocate, to assist young offenders. This applies in cases where no parent,
guardian or other person in loco parentis appears to represent them, or when the young
offender is charged with an offence punishable with rigorous imprisonment exceeding ten
years. Furthermore, they continue to order admission to a curative, correction or
rehabilitation institution, supervised education, reprimand, school or home arrest, for those
found guilty of a crime. Hence, penitentiary detention or imprisonment of a young offender
is only seen after the above-mentioned measures are applied and fail. This indicates that the
system employs detention and institutionalization of child offenders as a last resort.
338.
Due to limitation of capacity and resources, the Asmara pre-trial detention center has not
expanded to the other five regions. Likewise, there are no rehabilitation centers for CCWL.
This condition has forced the authorities to detain adolescent offenders in the same prison
Page 86 of 100