Submitted by jhortolani on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
Costa Rica ratified the CRC in 1990, and the national courts regularly refer to it. Children can actively participate in trials where they are involved. Children are entitled to free legal representation and are exempt from paying court fees. If a conflict of interests arises between the child and his/her parents, an ad hoc representative is appointed by the judge. NGOs can intervene in cases to support children. Habeas corpus and Amparo are provided by the Constitution. In addition, Costa Rica is a member of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and has ratified the Third Optional Protocol to the CRC, thereby increasing the avenues for redress in cases of children’s rights violations.
