34 35 Strategic Objective 4: Enhancing the Realisation of Children’s Rights Strategy II: Best interests of children are taken into due consideration at all levels of society, including by decision-makers Strategy I: End discrimination against children11 Description Description By 2025, more children are able to realize their rights without regard to distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, social origin or physical, disabilities or any other status Long Term Discriminatory laws and practices impairing the realisation of children’s rights are removed Impact i. By 2023, law enforcement officers are better aware of children’s rights to nondiscrimination Medium Term Proportion of law enforcement officers who have participated in OCC’s awareness-raising programme ii. By 2025, more children in Malaysia are given access to public education without discrimination of any kind Long Term Amendment to Federal Constitution and Education Act to address legal barriers to access to public education i. Strengthening evidence generation on discrimination against children Medium Term ii. To increase awareness on children’s right to nondiscrimination amongst public Medium Term iii. To prepare and present policy recommendations on non-discrimination and equality amongst children in Malaysia to government and key stakeholders Medium Term iv. Strengthening complaints mechanism at OCC to address discrimination against children Short Term – Medium Term Non-Discrimination as outlined in the Preamble to the Child Act, read together with Article 8 of the Federal Constitution Indicators Indicators Outcome Output 11 Timeframe Timeframe Number of studies/reports published by OCC on discrimination against children Number of dialogues and seminars organised by OCC on children’s right to non-discrimination Number of policy recommendations on non-discrimination submitted to government Procedural guidelines on handling and processing complaints filed by or on behalf of children, (considering their life circumstances, including in relation to age, gender, disability and equity) are available at OCC Outcome By 2025, best interests of children are considered in most decisions involving children by decisionmakers, and monitoring and reporting on children’s rights is strengthened Long Term Proportion of decisions where children’s best interests are considered Impact By 2024, most decision-making mechanisms have a framework in place in order to assess children’s best interests and take them as a primary consideration Medium Term Framework is established Output i. Increasing awareness and knowledge on the principle of the best interest of children Short Term Number of dialogues and seminars organised by OCC on best interest of the child ii. Strengthening evidence generation on consideration of best interest of children in decisions that affect children Long Term Assessment of consideration of children’s best interests in Malaysia in all decisions affecting children iii. Preparing and advocating recommendations to government and key stakeholders on the centrality of the best interests of the child in child protection system, through holistic approaches and effective best interest’s determination mechanisms Medium Term Number of recommendations presented to government to strengthen the consideration of best interests of children in all decisions involving children Number of meetings, RTDs with the relevant government agencies and stakeholder on this idea