Information for civil society, NGOs and NHRIs

The Convention on the Rights of the Child expressly gives civil society a role in monitoring its implementation. Under article 45(a) of the Convention, the Committee may invite specialized agencies, UNICEF and “other competent bodies” – including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), national human rights institutions (NHRIs), individual experts and children – to provide expert advice on the implementation of the Convention. Their participation in the Committee’s activities is essential to provide a comprehensive picture of the way States are implementing the rights and obligations enshrined in the Convention.

The Committee warmly welcomes international, regional, national and local organizations 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 NHRIs and Ombudspersons. Importantly, the Committee greatly welcomes submissions by children. It encourages civil society to coordinate and submit joint comprehensive reports to strengthen national-level cooperation and enhance the impact of the monitoring and reporting process.

The following information concerns the review of State party reports under the standard reporting procedure. Read more about how non-State party stakeholders can submit information to the Committee under the simplified reporting procedure.

Read more about how children can participate in the Committee’s reporting process.

Written submissions

Deadlines for written submissions by non-State party stakeholders to the Committee:

* Additional submissions may include: comments on the List of Issues and Written Replies and/or any other relevant information

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 organizations can use other communication formats and, when in writing, do not have a word limit.

Organizations 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.

Participation in the pre-sessional working group

The pre-sessional working group is a confidential, interactive meeting between the Committee and United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, NGOs, NHRIs and children. It provides a unique opportunity for dialogue with partners regarding implementation of the Convention and its Optional Protocols by States parties.

Local, national, regional and international NGOs who submit reports to the Committee may also request to participate in the pre-sessional working group. 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 organizations to participate in the pre-sessional working group.

The Committee will only invite partners whose information is particularly relevant to its consideration of the State party's report. Priority will be given to partners who have submitted information within the requested timeframe, who are working at national level and who can provide first-hand information that is complementary to information already available to the Committee. The Committee reserves the right to limit the number of partners invited.

Please note that only the organizations that submit written information in accordance with the above-mentioned deadlines and procedures can be invited to participate in the pre-sessional working groups. The pre-sessional working group is a meeting closed to the public, and observers are not allowed.

Contact information

For general queries, please contact the CRC Secretariat at [email protected].

If you wish to receive support and capacity building to engage in the reporting process and the work of the Committee, you can contact Child Rights Connect:
Child Rights Connect
1 rue de Varembé
1202 Geneva, Switzerland
T: +41(0)22 740 4730
[email protected]
www.childrightsconnect.org

Child Rights Connect is an international network of NGOs that advocates for children’s enjoyment of their rights and empowers civil society and non-State actors, including children, NHRIs and Ombudspersons, to engage effectively with the Committee.

Read the Child Rights Connect Guides for NGOs, NHRIs and children on the CRC Reporting Cycle and other resources.