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Below please find brief descriptions of independent offices for children, which exist in Latin American countries. Most are within the context of a broader Ombudsman Office or Commissioner for Human Rights.
National Commissioner for Human Rights
In Costa Rica there is an Ombudsman Office for the Inhabitants of the Republic, an organ which falls under the Legislative Assembly. The definition of "inhabitant" in the constitutive law of the Ombudsman Office, includes responsibility for the rights children and adolescents. Moreover, article 7 of the new legal code for children and adolescents establishes that: "The obligation to provide for the integral development of minors corresponds in first place to the parents or tutors. The institutions of the National System for the protection of childhood and youth, stipulated by paragraph IV of this Code, guaranties the respect for the best interests of these persons in any public or private decision. The defense board for inhabitants of the Republic will monitor the effective implementation of these obligations" Actually the Defense Board has a specialized department for child and adolescents’ rights, with a director in charge of it, although the responsibility goes back to the Ombudsman whose name is Sandra Piszk. The phone number of the ombudsman office is: 506-220 1884/2962515
In Guatemala there is an Ombudsman Office for the Rights of the Child within the Human Rights Ombudsman Office. Presently the lawyer Ms. Marylis Barrientos de Estrada is in charge of this office. The Children's Ombudsman Office has the level of Director within the Procuraduria, its functions are those of defending human rights of children, the term of the ombudsman is indefinite. S/he is named by the Commissioner for Human Rights and the address is : 13 Calle 11-42, Zona 1; phone:232 1683.
Defensoria del Pueblo is established at the constitutional level. The Defensor del Pueblo is elected through the Congress from a pre-selected list of three candidates which is presented by the President of the Republic. Within the Defensoria del Pueblo there is a delegate for Children, Women and Seniors, who is named by the Ombudsman in accordance with the internal needs. Presently this post is hold by Beatriz Linares Cantillo, whose address is : Calle 55 no. 10-32, Piso 30, Santafé de Bogotá. Phone: 212 52 50
In Panama there is an office of a General Ombudsman, only recently established; after nearly one year it is in the process of getting organized. With the family code the "defenders" of minors have been created, although they are not yet functionning. It is expected that this issue will be taken up again before the discussion and elaboration of a proposal for a Law for the Protection of children.
In both countries there are posts of a Commissioner of State and within these offices a defender delegated for children.
In the case of Nicaragua, there should be a Commissioner for Human Rights of Children, but due to the fact that the National Assembly has not yet nominated a Commissioner for Human Rights, these offices are not yet functioning. The law of 8 January 1996, establishes the creation of an Commissioner for Human Rights. According to this law after 60 days of entry into force, the Commissioner and his deputy should have been named.
In Mexico, within the administrative structure of the National Commission of Human rights there is a specific program on children, which has been developed through the Coordination of Woman, the Child and the Family. The responsible person is Ms. Edda Alatorra Winter, who’s phone number is: 56 3100 40 extension 300 and 305. |
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Last edited by Barneombudet March 22, 2004 |