THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
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THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD |
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What
is the role of the Committee? The
Committee is mainly responsible for examining the progress achieved by the
State Parties in complying with their obligations as provided for in the
CRC. For
such purpose, the Committee receives the reports submitted by the State
Parties and examines them in open meetings where the representatives of
the States participate. Once the report has been examined, the Committee
adopts and publicly discloses its final observations and recommendations.
Likewise,
and whenever deemed suitable, the Committee will convey to the specialized
bodies, UNICEF and others, those reports that include a request for advice
or technical assistance, together with its own observations and
suggestions. It may also recommend the United Nations General Assembly to
request the Secretary General to develop, on behalf of the Committee,
surveys on issues related to the Rights of the Child.
The
Committee meets three times every year,
on January, May-June and October, at the headquarters of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. Prior to each session, a working
group privately prepares the issues to be discussed and defines the agenda
for the analysis of the reports. Thanks
to the active role performed and significant contributions made by the
NGOs during the drafting of the CRC, its provisions (article 45) authorize
the Committee to invite Non Governmental Organizations to provide their
advice on the enforcement of the Convention, either through their
participation in working groups or by sending their reports in writing or
submitting the relevant information verbally. The
CRC is the only international treaty concerning Human Rights that
specifically assigns the Non Governmental Organizations a monitoring role
on its enforcement.
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