She had been in demand for 20 years. The National Assembly on Tuesday created a “delegation for children’s rights”, responsible for feeding legislative work on subjects ranging from child welfare to domestic violence, through school harassment.
The creation of this new body was decided unanimously by the conference of presidents of the Assembly, which brings together the leaders of the political groups, on the proposal of its president Yaël Braun-Pivet (Renaissance, presidential majority). It will be made up of 36 deputies, divided between the groups in proportion to their presence in the hemicycle.
“120 children lose their lives each year under the blows, thousands suffer violence, at home or at school. It is a taboo on which I would like all political groups to work,” pleaded Yaël Braun-Pivet, in a statement sent to AFP.
Domestic violence, incest, school bullying…
The delegations, which also exist in the Senate, aim to allow parliamentarians to build up expertise on certain subjects, to improve legislative work and control of government action in a field. Such bodies for reflection and monitoring, with less extensive prerogatives than permanent parliamentary committees, exist for example on subjects such as women’s rights or intelligence.
The delegation devoted to children’s rights will be able to look into topics such as social assistance for children, domestic violence, incest, school bullying or even access to pornography, specified the presidency of the National Assembly. It will have the possibility of “hearing any person whose hearing it considers necessary for its good information”, of presenting “information reports” or even of “carrying out flash missions on the subjects of its competence”.