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Summary:

At its 22th session (Geneva, 20 September - 8 October 1999) the Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted 5 Recommendations on the Administration of Juvenile Justice. These 5 recommendations can be read here. They are issued from Chapter I of the "Report on the twenty-second session" CRC/C/90, pp. 3-4.

Recommendations on “The administration of juvenile justice”, adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in the "Report on the twentysecond session" (Geneva, 20 September-8 October 1999)

Recommendations on “The administration of juvenile justice”, pp. 3-4

Bearing in mind that the implementation of articles 37, 40 and 39 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child must be considered in conjunction with all the other provisions and principles of the Convention and should take into account other existing international standards, such as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (“The Beijing Rules”), adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 40/33 of 29 November 1985, the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (“The Riyadh Guidelines”), adopted and proclaimed by the Assembly by its resolution 45/112 of 14 December 1990, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, adopted by the Assembly by resolution 45/113 of 14 December 1990, and the Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System, annexed to Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/30 of 21 July 1997,

Recalling that since the beginning of its work, the administration of juvenile justice has received consistent and systematic attention from the Committee in the form of concrete recommendations in the concluding observations adopted in relation to States parties’ reports,

Noting that the experience of the Committee in its review of reports presented by States parties on their implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child has shown that in all regions of the world and in relationto all legal systems, the provisions of the Convention relating to the administration of juvenile justice are in many instances not reflected in national legislation or practice, giving cause for serious concern,

Recalling that at its tenth session in 1995 the Committee devoted one day to a general discussion on the administration of juvenile justice, emphasizing the implementation of existing international standards and the need to strengthen international cooperation both within and outside the United Nations system (see CRC/C/46, paras. 203-238),

Welcoming the establishment, as recommended in the Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System, of the Coordination Panel on technical advice and assistance in juvenile justice in order to facilitate the coordination of activities in this field undertaken by relevant entities of the United Nations system as well as non-governmental organizations, professional groups and academic societies involved in the provision of technical advice and assistance,

1. Calls upon States parties to give urgent attention to undertaking all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the full implementation of the provisions of the Convention and existing international standards relating to the administration of juvenile justice;

2. Stresses the importance of identifying and understanding the legal, social, financial and other obstacles preventing the full implementation of the provisions of the Convention and existing international standards relating to the administration of juvenile justice and of designing ways and means to overcome these obstacles, including raising awareness and strengthening technical assistance;

3. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to give priority to promoting the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and existing international standards relating to the administration of juvenile justice, to consider what steps might be taken to identify obstacles preventing their full implementation and to design ways and means to overcome these obstacles, including raising awareness and strengthening technical assistance, in cooperation with United Nations bodies and agencies, and other partners;

4. Suggests that the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in accordance with her mandate as the coordinator of the human rights promotion and protection activities throughout the United Nations system, as stated in General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, encourage all appropriate United Nations bodies and agencies to enhance their work in the area of the administration of juvenile justice and to use the Convention on the Rights of the Child as their main tool to achieve this objective, and to facilitate their work in that regard;

5. Invites the High Commissioner to inform the Committee of progress made in the implementation of the present recommendation.

The report, as well as introduction, agenda, suggested guide, can be read in full on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Previous CRC - Basic Reference Document items

Contact Information:

For further information contact the
Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Secretariat, Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights,
Palais des Nations - CH-1211 Genève
10 - Switzerland, Phone +41 22 917
9235 or 9000, Fax +41 22 917 9022,
or email mbustelo.hchr@unog.ch.

Last updated 27/03/2001 12:38:07

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5 Recommendations on the Administration of Juvenile Justice

Previous CRC - Basic Reference Document items

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