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United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Speaking Note

We wish

on

the Rights

to raise the subject of the UN Convention of the Child. The UK signed the Convention in April 1990, ratified the Convention on 16 December 1991 and now wishes to extend ratification to its dependent

territories.

2.

be

The British side consider that it would desirable and appropriate that Hong Kong be included in the

UK ratification.

This would demonstrate to the

international community Hong Kong's commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of the child. We note that the Government of the People's Republic of China has recently ratified the Convention.

3.

Hong Kong's legislation and practice concerning the protection of children essentially comply with the Nevertheless, there are inevitably some

Convention.

differences between Hong

ranging consensus instrument. identified a number of areas where the UK envisages the need to make declarations or reservations on behalf of Hong Kong upon ratification.

Kong's legislation and this wide

The British side has

4.

Firstly, articles 1 and 6 of the Convention read

together with paragraph 9 of the preamble may be interpreted as broadening the

include children before birth.

definition of the child to

Like the UK, Hong Kong

needs a reservation to cover legal termination of pregnancy and to avoid inconsistency with domestic legislation.

5.

Secondly, the provisions in

regarding immigration

broad terms.

the Convention

and nationality are drafted in very AS in respect of the UK, a reservation on behalf of Hong Kong is required to reflect the way in which immigration and nationality laws operate in Hong Kong.

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