Revised Guidelines regarding initial reports submitted by CRC States Parties for the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children

Submitted by crinadmin on Wed, 04/12/2013 - 12:14

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography entered into force in 2002, and States that have ratified it have recently started to submit their initial reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child containing comprehensive information on the measures it has taken to implement the provisions of the Protocol nationally.

Thereafter, pursuant to article 12, paragraph 2, of the Protocol, States parties having submitted their initial report under this Protocol shall include in the reports they submit to the Committee in accordance with article 44, paragraph 1 (b), of the Convention any further information with respect to the implementation of the Optional Protocol. States parties to the Optional Protocol that are not parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child shall submit a report within two years following the entry into force of the Protocol and then every five years.

Guidelines regarding initial reports to be submitted by States parties under article 12,
paragraph 1, of the Optional Protocol were adopted by the Committee at its 777th meeting, on 1 February 2002. The process of reviewing the reports received has led the Committee to adopt revised guidelines, in order to assist the States parties that have not yet reported to better understand the kind of information and data it considers necessary to understand and evaluate the progress made by States parties in implementing their obligations and to enable it to provide them with appropriate observations and recommendations.

The revised guidelines are divided into eight sections.

section I contains general guidelines about the reporting process
section II concerns data
section III concerns general measures of implementation relevant to this Protocol
section IV concerns the prevention of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
section V concerns the criminalization of these practices and related matters
section VI concerns protection of the rights of child victims
section VII concerns international assistance and cooperation
section VIII concerns other relevant provisions of national or international law.

The Committee particularly wants to draw attention of the States parties to the annex to
these guidelines, which provides additional guidance on some issues and further indications as to the information needed for a comprehensive report of the States parties on the implementation of this Protocol.

Further information