Oral Statement Argentina Human Rights Council March 2019

Thank you, Mr. President.  

Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents in Argentina

Mr. President.

In Argentina the position of Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents was created in 2005 by law 26.061 with the objective of ensuring the protection and promotion of the rights of children enshrined in the National Constitution, supervising public and private entities dedicated to the care of children and providing advice and support to children and their families.

In 2017 the position of Ombudsperson was advertised and more than 60 applications were received by a bicameral Commission.  The appointment of an Ombudsperson was to have taken place by November 2018 but no progress has been made and the children and adolescents of Argentina still remain without an Ombudsperson. 

During the UPRs of 2008, 2012 and 2017 Argentina received and accepted repeated recommendations on the appointment of an Ombudsperson for Children.  In addition in 2018 the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations to Argentina recommended the appointment of an Ombudsperson with an adequate allocation of human, technical and financial resources and with the power to act for the benefit of children and adolescents who have their rights violated.

In view of the above we call on the Government of Argentina as a matter of urgency to establish and appoint an Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents and so ensure the promotion and protection of their rights.

Thank you, Mr. President.