House Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, the details of the report before us are contained in the ATCs, and I'm not going to go through the report. But I'm just going to speak to the process, the observations, and the recommendations.
After consideration of the content of the South African government's second, third and fourth periodic country reports on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the committee met with civil society on 6 March to get their views. Thereafter, on 13 March, the portfolio committee engaged with the following government departments: the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities; the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development; the Department of Social Development; the Department of Health; the Department of Home Affairs; the Department of Basic Education; and the Department of Labour.
Having met with the departments, the committee came up with several observations, but I will only mention few. One of the observations was that the committee was concerned with the lack of co-operation and reports received from 10 departments in the compilation of the draft country report. With that, the committee also noted the importance of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans in providing information on the implementation of the optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict.
Hon Chairperson, I will go to some of the recommendations. The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities should adopt more proactive and creative ways of engaging with sister departments with regard to the necessary reports. In this instance, they should seek a common understanding on the importance of departmental reports.
The committee also recommended that the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities has awareness campaigns in which they educate other departments on the need for these reports. One of the recommendations was that the status of the National Plan of Action for Children should be clarified, and the Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and People with Disabilities should be briefed accordingly in so far as progress with regard to the implementation.
I want to conclude by commending the achievements made in advancing children's rights in South Africa. Notwithstanding the fact that the committee acknowledges the huge challenges faced to give effect to the national fulfilment of protecting and advancing of children's rights in South Africa.
Madam Chairperson, I therefore table this report before the House for adoption. Thank you.
There was no debate.
Chairperson, I move: That the Report be adopted.
Madam House Chair, the DA does not object to this report. However, we would like to raise our concern that this report is 14,5 years old and it has spent a period from 1998 to September 2012. It's a real indictment on this Parliament that we are today adopting a report which is that old. Thank you.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.