CRC/C/SAU/CO/2
page 6
2. Definition of the child (art. 1 of the Convention)
25.
The Committee takes note of the information that the age of majority is 18 in the State
party but is concerned about the information given during the dialogue that a judge has the
discretionary power to decide that a child has reached majority at an earlier age.
26.
The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary legislative and
other measures to unequivocally set the age of majority at 18 with no exception for specific
cases, including within the juvenile justice system. The Committee further recommends
that the State party clearly set by law the minimum age for marriage at the same
internationally acceptable level for boys and girls.
3. General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)
Non-discrimination
27.
The Committee shares the concerns expressed by the Committee on the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination in its concluding observations on Saudi Arabia adopted in March 2003
(CERD/C/62/CO/8) that the mere statement of the general principle of non-discrimination in
domestic law is not a sufficient response to the requirements of the Convention. De jure and
de facto discrimination against girls and de facto discrimination against children born out of
wedlock are issues of particular concern to the Committee as well as disparities in the enjoyment
of economic and social rights experienced by non-nationals’ children and other vulnerable
groups, such as children belonging to religious minorities.
28.
The Committee recommends that the State party review relevant domestic laws
and administrative regulations in order to ensure full respect for the equality between
girls and boys in the enjoyment of all rights in the Convention, and in order to ensure
that children born out of wedlock, children of non-Saudi nationals (migrants) and children
begging on the streets are not discriminated against. The Committee encourages the
State party to further strengthen its proactive and comprehensive efforts to eliminate
de facto discrimination on any grounds and against all vulnerable groups of children,
including through public education campaigns to prevent discrimination and combat
negative attitudes in society. The State party should pursue such efforts in close
cooperation with community and religious leaders with a view to promoting change in
persisting patriarchal sociocultural traditions and attitudes, especially towards girls in
particular.
29.
The Committee requests that specific information be included in the next periodic
report on the measures and programmes relevant to the Convention undertaken by the
State party to follow up on the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at
the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance, and taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 1 on
article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention (aims of education).