From January 13 to January 31, 2014, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) will be holding its 65th Session in Geneva, Switzerland at the UN Headquarters. During the session, the CRC will review the status of children’s rights in six countries: Republic of the Congo (Jan. 13-14), Yemen (Jan. 14-15), Holy See (Jan. 16), Portugal (Jan. 22-23), Russian Federation (Jan. 23-24), and Germany (Jan. 27-28). [CRC Provisional Agenda]
A primary purpose of the session is to analyze States Parties’ adherence to their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two optional protocols, and to make recommendations for improvement in States’ practices. In addition to reviewing implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the aforementioned countries, the CRC will also review the Holy See, Portugal, and Germany under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and will further review the Holy See, Portugal, Russian Federation, and Yemen under the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict. [CRC Provisional Agenda]
In advance of each session, the CRC conducts a preliminary review of each State’s report and prepares a list of issues at its pre-sessional working group. Information from civil society organizations and national human rights institutions is also welcome in order to supplement the official State reports. Following receipt of the Committee’s list of issues, each State party submits its responses and other information, as requested, before the formal session takes place. During its sessions, the Committee holds a constructive dialogue with each State, on the basis of the government and civil society reports and responses to the Committee’s list of issues. The constructive dialogues held during the 65th Session will be webcast live on the UN Treaty Body Webcast site. On February 5, 2014, the CRC will publish its concluding observations and hold a news conference that same day. [OHCHR Press Release]
During its 65th Session, the CRC will also discuss treaty-body strengthening, cooperation with other UN organs, and the general comment on harmful practices that it is drafting together with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. [CRC Provisional Agenda]
Currently, 193 States have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child or one or more of its protocols and are required to undergo regular examinations of their records before the CRC, which consists of 18 independent experts. [OHCHR Press Release]