Submitted by Abisola Omotayo 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.
Although Grenada has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, (CRC), it has not been incorporated in national law by statute, and cannot be relied upon before domestic courts. As a result, the CRC has had little impact in Grenada, with regard to access to the national courts by child victims, following violations of their rights. However, there has been an indirect adoption of some of the the rights enshrined in the CRC in Grenadian national law, such as the requirement to act in the best interests of the child when initiating proceedings, and when deciding suitable remedies. There are also several legislative provisions which make specific reference to the child’s due process rights to be heard. Nevertheless, children must normally be represented by a guardian or legal representative when initiating proceedings. There is also not a very developed pro bono culture, nor does there seem to be much scope for NGOs to intervene, or file claims on behalf of child victims, given the silence of Grenadian law on this issue.
