CRC General Comment on the Right to Health

Summary: The Committee on the Rights of the Child has published its General Comment No. 15 on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (Article. 24). The General Comment was adopted during the Committee's 62nd session.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) contains legally binding obligations in relation to the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health (art. 24). By virtue of its mandate, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (the CRC Committee) decided to elaborate a General Comment on the right to health of children under eighteen.

What are General Comments?

The CRC Committee elaborates its General Comments with a view to clarifying the normative contents of specific rights provided for under the Convention on the Rights of the Child or particular themes of relevance to the Convention, as well as offer guidance about practical measures of implementation. General Comments provide interpretation and analysis of specific articles of the CRC or deal with thematic issues related to the rights of the child. General Comments constitute an authoritative interpretation as to what is expected of States parties as they implement the obligations contained in the CRC.

The General Comment on the right to health will clarify:

(a) the normative content of the right of the child and adolescent to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation in relation to health care services, and

(b) the legally binding obligations of States parties to the CRC with respect to ensuring the full realisation of the child’s right to health. The General Comment will provide a conceptual framework and recommendations for concrete measures and actions required by States Parties, and non-State actors, to fulfil these obligations.

  • You can read the General Comment in the attached document above.

 

Further Information

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/CRC-C-GC-15_en-1.pdf

Countries

    Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.