Cap. 462 Art. 10Guiding principles. Promoting the best interests of children.

The Commissioner shall be guided by the following general principles:

(a) that the best interests of children and the family are paramount;

(b) that all children are to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness;

(c) disabled children and children with disadvantaged family or social circumstances should enjoy the same quality of life like all other children;

(d) that children and their families are to be provided with opportunities to participate in decisions that affect them and in defining, planning and evaluating services to children; and the conditions under which children develop, the Commissioner shall:

(a) provide public education and information designed to promote an understanding of the rights of children;

(b) initiate measures for asserting the rights and promote the interests of children;

(c) collect information and investigate any alleged breaches of the rights of children including the death of any child if the Commissioner considers such an investigation to be necessary;

(d) set standards to be applied by ministries, departments or agencies of the Government to help ensure that their internal review processes are responsive to complaints about decisions concerning the provision of designated services to children;

(e) monitor whether ministries, government departments and agencies referred to in paragraph (d) are meeting the standards set under that paragraph;

(f) collect data about, conduct or encourage research into, matters relevant to services for children;

(g) ensure that such services in relation to children are -

(i) accessible,

(ii) community-based,

(iii) co-ordinated and integrated,

(iv) inclusive of gender, culture and language, and

(v) responsive to individual needs;

(h) provide public education and information designed to promote an understanding of, and to invite public comment on, the work of the Commissioner;

(i) monitor and assess the policies and practices of social welfare services affecting children;

(j) ensure that legislation relating to the protection of children’s interests is observed;

(k) act as a spokesperson for the rights, needs and interests of children and put forward proposals for measures which can solve or prevent conflicts between children and society;

(l) advise the Government and propose to the Government such measures as may be required in order for the rights and interests of children to be provided for.