Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Basic facts about the CRC
The reporting process
Guide for NGO submissions to the CRC
Useful guides & Links

Basic facts

• The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child was created in 1989.
• The UK ratified the Convention in 1991.
• Click here to read the Convention
• Compliance with the treaty is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child
• Click here to read more about the Committee
• The UK’s obligations were last monitored in 2016
• The UK’s next review will take place in May 2023

The reporting process

1. The state prepares and submits its report, in consultation with civil society.
2. Civil society organisations and national human rights institutions may submit ‘shadow reports’ with their own evidence.
3. The Committee presents its ‘List of Issues’ to the State Party, highlighting any problems with implementation of the Convention.
4. The state party presents a response to the List of Issues
5. The Committee and state party meet, and have constructive dialogue about the issues
6. The Committee issues its concluding observations, including their recommendations for improvement
7. The state party implements the recommendations, sometimes submitting follow-up reports. Civil society organisations may also submit follow-up reports to the Committee
   
   

Guide for NGO submissions to the CRC

• The Committee welcomes international, regional, national and local organisations to submit written reports on how the Convention is being implemented in a country.
• Information may be submitted by individual NGOs or coalitions of NGOs, as well as by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Ombudspersons.
• Joint submissions are encouraged, as are submissions by children
• All reports should be submitted electronically, in WORD format only, through the Child Rights Connect website.
• They can be comprehensive (maximum 10.000 words) or thematic (maximum 3.000 words).
• Submissions from children’s own organisations can use other communication formats and, when in writing do not have a word limit.
• Organisations should clearly indicate whether their report is confidential or if they wish the Committee to make it public.
• Reports that are submitted for publication on OHCHR’s website should not contain names, personal details, photos or any other information that might identify an individual child.
• NGOs who submit reports to the Committee may also request to participate in the pre-sessional working group; a confidential, interactive meeting between the Committee and United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, NGOs, NHRIs and children.
• Requests should be submitted through the Child Rights Connect website, when submitting the report or at least two months prior to the beginning of the pre-sessional working group concerned.
• Based on the submissions and requests received, the Committee will issue a written invitation to selected organisations to participate in the pre-sessional working group.

Useful Guides and Links

UK State Party reports and Concluding Observations

• UK state party report to the UNCRC, addressing the List of Issues Prior to Reporting, November 2022
• UK state party report to the UNCRC, March 2015
• UK reply to the List of Issues, April 2016
• Concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, July 2016

Civil society guides and submissions

• The State of Children’s Rights in Scotland: 2023, Together’s submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, in preparation for its 2023 review of the UK
• The Reporting Cycle of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: A guide for NGOs and NHRIs
• Children’s Rights in Scotland: Civil society report to inform the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s List of Issues Prior to Reporting, Together report, 2020
• State of Children’s Rights in Scotland, Together’s Shadow Report, 2016
• Report of the UK Children’s Commissioners on Fifth UK Periodic Report, 2015
• Children’s rights in Great Britain, Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Follow-up Report, 2020
• Report of the UK Children’s Commissioners, 2020