Credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre
This week in Geneva, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is holding its 64th Session to review States’ implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. Earlier this month two other United Nations human rights treaty bodies, the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), held similar sessions. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) will also begin its 56th Session in Geneva at the end of the month.
During its 64th Session, held from 16 September to 4 October, the CRC will consider reports submitted by China, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tuvalu on their compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Committee will also evaluate reports from the Republic of Moldova and Paraguay concerning the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography along with reports from China and Paraguay regarding the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The Committee’s interactive dialogue concerning State reports may be viewed through live webcasts.
Under the CRC and other treaties, States Parties are required to submit periodic reports on their implementation of the convention’s provisions. Prior to formal consideration of the report, the Committee publishes a list of issues for discussion. State representatives are then invited to participate during the session when the Committee evaluates their report. At this time, they have the opportunity to make statements regarding the submitted report, present additional information and answer questions from the Committee members. As a part of this process, NGOs and other advocates are also allowed to submit alternative reports to the Committee to supplement the State’s official report. The State reports, list of issues, and documents submitted by third parties are all available online.
The CRPD gathered in Geneva for its 10th Session, held from September 2 to 13. Over the course of the session, the Committee considered reports receive from Australia, Austria, and El Salvador, and adopted lists of issues on the initial reports submitted by Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Sweden. Simultaneously, the CMW met for their 19th Session, from September 9 to 13, during which time it held interactive dialogues with Burkina Faso, Morocco, Uruguay, and Kyrgyzstan.
Next week, CEDAW will hold the opening meeting for its 56th Session, which runs from September 30th to October 18th. During this session, the Committee will consider reports from the following States: Andorra, Benin, Cambodia, Columbia, Republic of Moldova, Seychelles, and Tajikistan.
Over the course of the next two months, several other United Nations treaty bodies will also meet. Notable upcoming sessions include those of the Human Rights Committee (October 14 to November 1), Committee against Torture (October 28 to November 22), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (November 4 to 29), and the Committee on Enforced Disappearance (November 4 to 15).
Certain sessions will be webcast live through the independent website www.treatybodywebcast.org. For more information about available webcasts, visit the webpage of the specific treaty body.
For more information on current and upcoming sessions visit the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.