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A group of organisations recently launched a campaign to establish a Communications/complaints mechanism to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Such a procedure would provide a mechanism that would ensure the availability of legal remedies for children at the international level.

Already, more than 300 organisations – human rights institutions, international, regional and national NGOs and others from over ninety countries – have signed a petition urging States to start the process of drafting an Optional Protocol to the Convention.

The first step necessary in order to create the procedure is to establish a drafting Working Group of States, through a resolution at the Human Rights Council. Once drafted, the Optional Protocol would go to the UN General Assembly for adoption.

First step

We are working to have the establishment of the Working Group included in the resolution on children’s rights which will be negotiated in the Human Rights Council session in March. If we are unsuccessful in this first attempt, it will still be useful to have alerted States to the campaign and will help to ensure that the necessary Working Group is established at a future session).

We hope you will consider approaching your Ministry/Department of Foreign Affairs, alone or with other appropriate organisations, preferably before the end of February.

What can you do

1. If you have not as yet signed the petition please consider doing so by going here: http://www.crin.org/petitions/petition.asp?petID=1007#call and encourage others to sign as well;

2. You could consider adapting the draft letter below and sending it, together with the attached briefing, to the relevant Minister and officials.

3. You could also consider requesting a meeting to discuss the proposal.

4. Please also keep us informed of any response/reaction to the campaign by emailing us at: info@crin.org

Documents for your campaigning:

• Letter to send to your foreign ministries
  This letter is calling for the Human Rights Council to establish a Working Group to draft an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to develop a communications procedure for children
• Briefing for States Parties
  This briefing paper has been prepared for States Parties to the CRC and explains why an OP to the CRC is needed and answers some of the arguments against such a procedure.
• Treaty Body Communications Procedures
  This document contains text of Optional Protocols and other provisions for the core treaties.

Previous Paper (general) items

• 18/02/2008: Early Childhood
• 14/02/2008: EURONET achievements paper EP report Towards an EU Strategy on Children's Rights
• 14/02/2008: EURONET Summary of EP report Towards an EU Strategy on Children's Rights
• 13/02/2008: ADOPTION: Disappearance of newborn babies for illegal adoption in Europe
• 07/02/2008: DEATH PENALTY: Child rights expert explains Arab Charter

Contact Information:

Email: info@crin.org

Last updated 12/11/2009 01:50:50

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.