CRC COMMITTEE: Call for NGO involvement in elections

Submitted by crinadmin on Tue, 10/06/2008 - 04:56

In December 2008, the terms of nine members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child will expire. These are: Ms. Ms. Alya Ahmed Bin Saif Al-Thani (Qatar), Ms. Joyce Aluoch (Kenya), Ms. Yanghee Lee (Republic of Korea), Mr. David Brent Parfitt (Canada), Mr. Awich Pollar (Uganda), Mr. Kamal Siddiqui (Bangladesh), Ms. Lucy Smith (Norway), Ms. Nevena Vuckovic-Sahovic (Serbia) and Mr. Jean Zermatten (Switzerland). Elections of new members will be held during a meeting of States Parties in December 2008 at the United Nations in New York.

Nomination process
• In June 2008, the States Parties to the CRC will receive a letter from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights requesting nominations for members of the Committee.
• Nominations are due to be submitted by States Parties to the Office of the High Commissioner before the end of August.
• The nine members will be elected during the States Parties meeting in December 2008.

Criteria for nominees
Article 43(2) of the CRC states that the Committee shall consist of “eighteen experts of high moral standing and recognised competence in the field covered by the Convention” and consideration shall be given to equitable geographical distribution and the principal legal systems. The following are a few suggestions as to the recommended background of candidates:
• A demonstrated expertise in the field of human rights, particularly children’s rights
• Independence and impartiality
• The ability to devote sufficient time to the work of the Committee
• Experience working with NGOs
• An awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences

The role of NGOs in the process
• Identify qualified candidates and approach them for their availability
• Lobby their State Party to nominate a good candidate who meets the above criteria

To understand the nomination and election procedure and the role that NGOs can play in these processes, please refer to the attached fact-sheet.

For additional information or if you have any questions, contact Lisa Myers at [email protected].

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/Fact-sheet_Elections_EN[1].pdf

Attachment Link:

http://www.crin.org/docs/Fact-sheet_Elections_EN[1].pdf

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