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GLOSSARY

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Unaccompanied refugee children

     IRC site

CRC Article = 22
Note:
Article 22 of the CRC accords special rights to children who are seeking refugee status outside the country of their nationality or former habitual residence or who are considered a refugee in accordance with applicable international or domestic law and procedures, whether accompanied or unaccompanied by their parents or by any other person.

See also:
Accompanied refugee children   Children deprived of their family environment   Family reunification   Family tracing   Refugee children   Refugee status   

Unborn child

     IRC site

CRC Preamble para. = 9
Note:
Article 1 of the CRC defines who is to be considered a "child" for the purposes of the CRC, but does not address the question of a lower age limit. The intent of the drafters was to maintain maximum flexibility in this regard so as to enable potential States Parties to the CRC to adopt whatever position they wished, for the purposes of their own domestic law, on the issue of the right to life of the foetus or unborn child. Thus, while recognizing in paragraph 9 of the preamble that the unborn child is deserving of appropriate protection, its right to life per se is not recognized in the CRC (see Article 6 of the CRC).

See also:
Definition of the child   

United Nations Children's Fund

     IRC site

CRC Article = 45(a)(b)
Note:
In order to foster the effective implementation of the CRC and to encourage international co-operation in the field covered by the CRC, the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and other United Nations organs are entitled to be represented at the consideration by the Committee on the Rights of the Child of the implementation of such provisions of the CRC as fall within the scope of their mandate. The specialized agencies, UNICEF and other competent bodies may also be invited by the Committee to provide expert advice and to submit reports on the implementation of the CRC in areas falling within the scope of their respective mandates. In addition, any State reports that contain a request, or indicate a need, for technical advice or assistance may be transmitted by the Committee to such bodies.

See also:
Committee on the Rights of the Child   Competent bodies   Technical advice and assistance   United Nations organs   

United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child

     IRC site

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

     IRC site

Note:
Article 22(2) of the CRC obligates States Parties to provide, as they consider appropriate, co-operation in any efforts by the United Nations and other competent intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations co-operating with the United Nations to protect and assist refugee children. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the main organ of the United Nations dealing with refugees. The mandate of the High Commissioner is to provide international protection to refugees under the auspices of the United Nations and, together with governments, to seek permanent solutions to their problems. In August 1988 the UNHCR issued the first edition of the "Guidelines on Refugee Children", which was updated in 1994. These Guidelines, which define the objectives, principles and practical measures for the protection and assistance of refugee children, take the provisions of the CRC into account.

See also:
Family tracing   Refugee children   Refugee protection   Refugee-assisting organizations   United Nations organs   

United Nations organs

     IRC site

CRC Article = 45(a)(b)
Note:
In order to foster the effective implementation of the CRC and to encourage international co-operation in the field covered by the CRC, the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and other United Nations organs are entitled to be represented at the consideration by the Committee on the Rights of the Child of the implementation of such provisions of the CRC as fall within the scope of their mandate. The specialized agencies, UNICEF and other competent bodies may also be invited by the Committee to provide expert advice and to submit reports on the implementation of the CRC in areas falling within the scope of their respective mandates. In addition, any State reports that contain a request, or indicate a need, for technical advice or assistance may be transmitted by the Committee to such bodies. United Nations organs concerned with human rights include the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat. Other United Nations bodies in the field of human rights include the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the treaty-monitoring bodies and the Centre for Human Rights.

See also:
Committee on the Rights of the Child   Competent bodies   Economic and Social Council   General Assembly   United Nations Children's Fund   United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees   United Nations specialized agencies   

United Nations specialized agencies

     IRC site

CRC Article = 45(a)(b)
Note:
In order to foster the effective implementation of the CRC and to encourage international co-operation in the field covered by the CRC, the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and other United Nations organs are entitled to be represented at the consideration by the Committee on the Rights of the Child of the implementation of such provisions of the CRC as fall within the scope of their mandate. The specialized agencies, UNICEF and other competent bodies may also be invited by the Committee to provide expert advice and to submit reports on the implementation of the CRC in areas falling within the scope of their respective mandates. In addition, any State reports that contain a request, or indicate a need, for technical advice or assistance may be transmitted by the Committee to such bodies. The specialized agencies of the United Nations concerned with human rights include: the International Labour Organisation (ILO); the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the World Health Organization (WHO).

See also:
Committee on the Rights of the Child   Competent bodies   Technical advice and assistance   United Nations organs   

United Nations studies

     IRC site

CRC Article = 45(c)
Note:
In order to foster the effective implementation of the CRC and to encourage international co-operation in the field covered by the CRC, the Committee on the Rights of the Child may recommend to the General Assembly of the United Nations to request the Secretary-General to undertake on its behalf studies on specific issues relating to the rights of the child.

See also:
Committee on the Rights of the Child   General Assembly