UNICEF’s support to the CRC reporting process

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Summary: The report explains the ways that UNICEF gives support to reporting on the Committee on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF’s support to the CRC reporting process The implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at global and national levels requires an international cooperation. The necessity for cooperation is recognised in various provisions of the Convention itself. Article 4 of the CRC encourages States parties to the Convention to seek and use international cooperation and technical assistance for the implementation of the Convention. UNICEF, the leading agency for children within the United Nations system, has a specific responsibility, particularly under Article 45 of the CRC. Article 45 calls on UNICEF to foster the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to assist State parties in their efforts to translate the Rights recognised in the Convention into concrete actions. UNICEF’s mandate is not to monitor the implementation of the Convention. This responsibility rests solely on the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is the body that monitors how well States are meeting their obligations under the CRC. However, the Committee’s role is also to assesses the level of support provided by international organisations to States parties. In line with Article 45 of the CRC, UNICEF has been actively involved in supporting Governments to fulfill their obligations under the Convention. With regard to States parties’ reporting obligations, UNICEF’s experience has demonstrated that reporting is not a mere administrative duty for the State party, but in itself constitutes a tool for mobilizing different actors and stimulating debates at national level on the implementation of human rights treaties in general, and the CRC in particular. For States parties, reporting provides the opportunity to establish national mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the CRC, to assess the progress being made in improving the situation of children, and the relevance of national policies in favor of children. UNICEF’s assistance to the reporting process takes place at all phases of the reporting cycle, and with a range of partners. It includes, amongst others: - encouraging governments to establish a constructive dialogue with the treaty monitoring body: the Committee on the Rights of the Child; - encouraging a participatory and transparent process that draws the attention of all sectors of society to the rights of the child; - contributing to sessions of the Committee by providing reports on the situation of children in each country, and on programmes of cooperation; - supporting the dissemination, implementation, and follow-up of the Committee’s Concluding Observations. Through the reporting process, States parties have made positive steps in advancing specific children’s rights issues in their respective countries. The reporting process has evolved into a vibrant national process, encompassing diverse actors within government, civil society, and amongst inter-governmental organisations. It has contributed to agreements on ways to use common statistical data and indicators to assess the situation of children by the State party, and the UN Country Team. It has inspired the integration of reporting activities into other government plans and programmes, such as the National Developments Plan, and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). The result is a strengthened UNICEF cooperation with government counterparts and other UN agencies. The reporting process has also reinforced relations with the Government, media, NGOs, and civil society, as well as contributed greatly to building momentum and visibility around children’s rights issues. The mobilisation of NGOs in supporting the implementation of the provisions of the treaties has had a strong influence on governments to respect their obligations, and has increased their willingness to submit high-quality and transparent reports. Although NGOs and civil society organisations, traditional leaders, and youth have been involved in the preparation of the report to the Committee, the obligation to write and submit the report on implementation of the Convention lies solely on State parties. Likewise, the responsibility to ensure that States’ reports are accurate and reflect the situation of children in the country rests on States Parties to the Convention. This is one of the reason why additional information from non-State sources are considered by all the treaty monitoring bodies to be crucial for enhancing the treaty bodies’ understanding of the situation within a country. In the case of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, these additional information are provided in the form of shadow reports submitted by NGOs and of studies, surveys and reports of UN entities, including UNICEF. Furthermore, the Committee’s pre- sessional meetings allow for discussion on the States Parties’ reports, and offer UN entities and NGOs the opportunity to express views on the priority issues of the country and propose recommendations on best ways to address them. The Chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies during their fifteenth meeting held from 23 to 27 June 2003 , agreed that assistance to the reporting process was important for effective national reporting. They welcomed the additional information which is often provided by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, other UN entities (including UNICEF) and NGOs and encouraged greater engagement by UN specialised agencies, funds and programmes in the reporting process both at the national and international level. In context with the Committee’s work, the sessions in Geneva and their principal outcome contained in the Concluding Observations have been crucial for Governments, NGOs and UNICEF. Indeed, Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child are country-specific. They provide a summary of the Committee’s views on the strengths and weaknesses of the State Party in implementing the Convention at national and local levels. The Committee make specific recommendations and suggestions to the State Party concerned on ways to address issues of concerns, underline areas where reform are needed and pinpoint the desired follow-up at national and local levels. The Committee also highlights areas where international cooperation is needed by expressly nominating the specific UN Agencies and/or international organisations that could be of assistance. In many instances, Concluding Observations have enabled national debate and dialogue on the most critical issues related to children’s rights. The Concluding Observations have guided UNICEF in developing and updating its Situation Analysis in light of the Human Rights-based approach, and in planning its Programme of Cooperation. The Concluding Observations have also allowed UNICEF to define appropriate social mobilisation strategies related to specific emerging issues affecting children, and to adopt new fundraising schemes. At the same time, UNICEF’s input to the Committee has played an important role in ensuring the Committee understands the precise situation in which children live in each country, thus favoring the issuance of Concluding Observations appropriate to the individual country setting. UNICEF’s support to the implementation of the Convention goes far beyond its assistance to the reporting process. The CRC has become the instrument used by UNICEF to redefine its policy at global, national, and local levels. It is also used to design its programmes, and to evaluate efforts made on behalf of children worldwide. To quote UNICEF’s mission statement adopted in 1996, the organisation’s mandate is “to advocate for the protection of children’s rights and to strive to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviours towards children”. UNICEF’s support to the implementation of the CRC has also stimulated and facilitated the integration of a human rights-based approach in all of UNICEF’s work. UNICEF’s rights-based approach to programming, formally adopted in 1998, emphasises the centrality of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and their guiding fundamental principals in all of UNICEF’s programmes cooperation. Furthermore, the involvement of children in the reporting process has enhanced their participation in programming. The CRC has enabled the organisation to adopt a holistic approach to children’s rights, and to expand the scope of its interventions. UNICEF’s approach is to strengthen the protective environment around the child, as well as to ensure that family, schools, communities, laws, and government’s policies and programmes are all contributing to creating a safe and supportive environment for children to grow and develop. Assistance in the reporting process is consistent with UNICEF’s commitments and mission statement. This assistance is part of UNICEF’s advocacy efforts in advancing children’s rights at the global and national levels. UNICEF’s strong lead in promoting the CRC has proven to be fundamental in producing concrete results for children worldwide. Likewise, the CRC has empowered the creation of alliances between UNICEF, other UN agency, as well as other partners whose aim is to improve respect for the rights of the child, and work towards achieving common goals such as the Millennium Development Goals and the World Fit For Children’s goals. pdf: www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/unicef_crc_reporting.doc

Organisation: 
UNICEF
Articles: 
Article 4: Implementation of rights
Attachment Link: 
http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/unicef_crc_reporting.doc
Tags: 
Reporting to and monitoring the CRC

Countries

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