Summary:

The Committee on the Rights of the Child has submitted its report to the General Assembly (GA). The report will be presented during the GA's 67th session in New York.

http://www.crin.org/docs/G1243476.pdf

In its annual report to the General Assembly, the Committee on the Rights of the Child outlined the work it has undertaken, including:

• An update on the State reporting process
• The latest on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (read about campaign for the new Optional Protocol)
• An update on the latest draft General Comments.
• Trends and challenges in children's rights
  
  

Age of criminal responsiblity

In outlining the trends and challenges, the Committee noted with concern that there is a growing tendency in both
developed and developing regions of the world to consider — or even reform earlier progressive legislation on juvenile criminal justice — by lowering the age of criminal responsibility and increasing penalties for children found guilty, in a misguided effort to reduce increasing public insecurity and, as a result, weakening the realization of children’s rights.

While public security is a goal that the Committee understands and shares, It said that evidence does not sustain the view (often held or repeated by the mass media) that juvenile delinquency is on the rise and that it is linked to insecurity in general; nor does it show that a harsher treatment of young offenders by itself improves public security.

• Read the full report above
  
  

Further Information

• Visit the webpage of the Committee
• Visit CRIN's CRC news section

Previous UN report items

• 17/09/2012: SEXUAL ORIENTATION: UN launches publication on States' core legal obligations
• 29/08/2012: ARMED CONFLICT: UN Expert submits annual report to Human Rights Council
• 29/08/2012: JUVENILE JUSTICE: Summary of March discussion at the Human Rights Council
• 29/08/2012: UN: Report on freedom of expression on the internet follows landmark discussions
• 29/08/2012: DEATH PENALTY: International standards not being fully respected, says UN

Organisation Contact Details:

Committee on the Rights of the Child

Last updated 22/10/2012 12:38:47

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.