The Ministry does not feel, however, that it gets necessary support from other stakeholder institutions and organisations. One of the sectors the Ministry has found particularly unhelpful in this regard is the media. Over-commercialisation has meant that broadcasters, including the state broadcaster, charges exorbitant fees even to air public service announcements and messages that would help increase society’s general awareness of the importance of education. Judicial and administrative proceedings The Juvenile Justice Bill, which like the Education Bill, has now been in the drafting stages for many years, is intended to enable the Maldives to fulfil its obligations as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other related international treaties and conventions. It aims to establish a juvenile justice system based on international norms and principles, which is wholly separate from the criminal justice system for adults. Once ratified, it will become the key piece of legislation in this focus area. Unlike most other instruments of law related to children, the Juvenile Justice Bill specifically states that if any legal power is exercised over the child, detailed information regarding the said power should be provided to the child in a manner s/he would understand (Article 5 (a).5). The Bill also stipulates that should a child be charged with any crime, s/he should have access to information regarding the case ‘and also the opportunity to participate’ in the proceedings (Article 7 (b)). Article 14 states that if legal action is being taken against a child, s/he should have access to legal representation and ‘translation’ services. Furthermore, Article 19 (c) related to children held at a detention centre states that children should be consulted and allowed to participate in decisions that affect their lives according to the child’s age and development, especially in matters related to: projects conducted at the detention centre where the child is being held; maintaining relations with the child’s family; and the child’s health and education. It also states that information relating to projects planned for the child’s future should be shared with the child. Chapter 5 of the Bill, which governs the procedures for bringing criminal charges against a minor, also provides mechanisms for children’s participation. It stipulates that any file involving a child offender sent to the Prosecutor General should include a report on the child’s social circumstances. Article 17 (c) 5 requires that the report include proposals for reforming the child’s behaviour ‘made by the child, the child’s parents or guardians’. Article 17 (d) states that the child can be privy to the contents of the report on the child’s social circumstances. Article 23 of the Bill also stresses that at every stage of a child’s involvement with the law, priority should be given to diverting the child away from the criminal justice system and to dealing with the child within the community. The ‘System of Diversion’, which is proposed as an alternative to detention, also provides room for children’s participation in that it requires children in conflict with the law to be given the opportunity for reform according to a regime agreed between the child and his/her guardian (Article 24(a)2). Additionally, Article 25(b) 2 requires the child’s signature on the Diversion Plan prepared for the child as an alternative to detention. The Plan should provide details of all the actions required of the 16