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Jorge Cardona Lloréns, 53, from Spain, is a Professor of International Public Law and International Relations at the University of Valencia. Alongside teaching, Jorge designs human rights and children's rights programmes for the NGO Fundación por la Justicia (Foundation for Justice). He is also involved in the protection mechanism of the Ibero-American Youth Rights Convention. He has previously worked as a member of the 'Committee of Wise Men' appointed by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to study legal reform of the Inter-American human rights system. Click here to read Jorge's full CV. Can you tell us a bit about your experience in children's rights? I participate in the implementation of the Ibero-American Youth Rights Convention. This sets out specific rights for people from 15-24 years old. It includes many of the same rights as the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as additional rights which recognise young people's political and sexual rights. The Convention is monitored by the General Secretariat of the Ibero-American Youth Organisation. I am one of the three people who will be responsible for the monitoring process once State Parties begin submitting their reports. I also serve as a legal expert on human rights for the Conference of Ibero-American Ministers of Justice. As part of this work, I draft texts on how to improve respect for human rights. In October, I will participate in approving the recommendations that I prepared on children's rights in the justice system. Why do you want to serve on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child? What do you think you can contribute to the Committee's work? I believe I can bring a broader perspective to the Committee because I have also worked with other marginalised groups, particularly with people who are vulnerable on more than one ground. This has included collaborating with the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Which issue in children's rights do you feel needs more attention? From my experience with the Ibero-American Conference of Ministers, I know that a lot of States lack knowledge about children's rights, so we need to spend more time monitoring respect for these rights. What has been the best achievement of your career? What is your vision for the UN Committee? What do you think is the biggest challenge the Committee faces? How do you think the Committee could work more effectively with NGOs? If you were not working in children's rights, what would you be doing? Sum up children's rights in one word
I currently teach international law at the University of Valencia, including child rights law, but I'm also involved in a number of children's rights research projects and programmes. I am involved in managing an NGO called Fundación por la Justicia, which works to raise awareness and train people in human rights and justice. As the Programme Director, I design programmes on a range of children's rights issues. I helped create a programme to train girls on their rights in Ethiopia as part of our programme on female genital mutilation (FGM), and designed programmes for child soldiers in various countries, for children without parental care in India, and for albino children in Senegal.
To be honest, it hadn't even crossed my mind that I would be nominated! Someone contacted me in July to ask me if I would agree to be nominated and of course, after so many years of fighting for children's rights, it was an honour I couldn't refuse. It is a great privilege and responsibility to influence and monitor children's rights at the highest level.
Firstly, I have a background in law which is useful in interpreting the Convention's provisions. I also have extensive experience of applying theory to practice in my work to designing programmes to implement children's rights.
The challenges are enormous. The global economic crisis is triggering repercussions for all vulnerable groups, particularly in the developing world.
I think it is the daily work of teaching, training and creating systems to protect children's rights that is most worthwhile, rather than one concrete achievement. To give an example, I received an email from an old student of mine yesterday who is now working for a child health project with UNICEF in Mauritania. She wrote to me about her work and said that I had inspired her to work in this field. It gave me great pleasure to know that I had influenced the training of that person. Another example is the training work I have undertaken to prevent FGM and to think that this has contributed to some girls being spared this mutilation.
I think the way to make the Committee's work more effective would be to provide stronger follow-up to the Concluding Observations. Otherwise, States come and present their reports and their commitments stay in Geneva.
The Committee faces challenges in efficiency. It is overburdened with work: it has a backlog of reports to examine, it has to ensure the protection and promotion of children's rights, monitor the actions of each and every State and it guides the direction of children's rights. In addition, it will soon be examining individual complaints when the new Optional Protocol comes into force.
NGOs are essential to the Committee's work. They provide an independent voice which gives a different perspective on the government's report. However, their interaction with the Committee should not be restricted to presenting alternative reports when their State Party reports are up for examination; they should have a continuous dialogue with the Committee in between the sessions so that the Committee gains a better understanding of the reality on the ground. Many others have already said this though – it is not my discovery!
I am a privileged person; I have been free to work in whichever field I choose and have never felt limited, so if I was not working in children's rights, I would be working to advance the rights of another vulnerable group.
For children I would say "dignity"; for myself I would say "responsibility", or - more than that - "commitment".