Publications

Since its adoption in November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by states across all regions and today it is in force in all but two countries. The CRC is the first binding international human rights instrument incorporating in the same text social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights. To monitor progress achieved in the realization of children’s rights, the CRC has established an international expert body, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which also provides awareness and understanding of the principles and provisions of this treaty. The present publication contains the eight General Comments issued by the Committee, and the CD Rom accompanying this text includes all the Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee in relation to State Parties presented between 1993 and 2006. The CD-Rom also includes the status of ratification of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols, as well as the text of the reservations and/or declarations made by European States and Asian Republics at the moment of signature and ratification of those legal instruments.

Desde su adopción en Noviembre de 1989, la Convención ha sido ratificada por Estados a través de todas las regiones y en la actualidad es aplicable en todos los países, a excepción de dos. La CDN es el primer instrumento internacional que crea obligaciones y responsabilidades para los Estados y que incorpora en un mismo texto derechos sociales, culturales, económicos, civiles y políticos. La CDN ha establecido un órgano internacional formado por expertos, el Comité de los Derechos del Niño, que tiene como finalidad vigilar y analizar el progreso que se ha alcanzado en la realización de los derechos de la infancia, así como también sensiblizar y proveer conocimiento sobre los principios y provisiones de la CDN. La presente publicación contiene las siete Observaciones Generales emitidas por el Comité, y en el CD-Rom que acompaña este texto se incluyen todas las Conclusiones Generales adoptadas por el Comité referentes a los informes presentados por los Estados Europeos y Repúblicas Asiáticas entre los años de 1993 y 2005. El CD-Rom, a su vez, incluye el estado de ratificación de la Convención y de sus Protocolos Facultativos, así como también el texto de las reservas y/o declaraciones introducidas por los Estados Europeos y las Repúblicas Asiáticas al momento de firmar y ratificar tales instrumentos internacionales.

In 2003 the Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted an important statement: its General Comment n°5 on General Measures of Implementation. That same year, the Innocenti Research Centre began a study of the general measures of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The study reviews 62 countries, representing all regions of the world, that have submitted two reports to the Committee on implementation of the CRC. This analytical review is based primarily on the reports of States Parties to the Committee on the Rights of the Child and other documents generated as part of the reporting process established under the CRC and it is supplemented in some cases by information received from UNICEF field offices and partners, and by expert discussions and consultations. The overall objective of the study includes the promotion of the universal recognition of children’s rights, through the documentation of actions undertaken in the context of CRC implementation.

Since its adoption in November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by states across regions and today it is in force in all but two. The CRC is the first binding international human rights instrument incorporating in the same text social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights. The Committee on the Rights of the Child exists to monitor progress achieved in the realization of children’s rights. The present publication contains the seven General Comments issued by the Committee, and the CD Rom accompanying this text includes all the Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee in relation to State Parties reports presented by European Countries and the Asian Republics between 1993 and 2005. The CD-Rom also includes the status of ratification of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols, as well as the text of the reservations and/or declarations made by European States and Asian Republics at the moment of signature and ratification of those legal instruments.

The CRC Implementation Report addresses areas where the potential of the treaty can be maximized, to advance the cause of children's rights and support UNICEF's agenda, as defined in its Medium Term Strategic Plan. Further the study constitutes a contribution to the follow-up to the Declaration and Plan of Action of the General Assembly Special Session on Children (UNGASS) and its support to the Millenium Declaration and achievements of the "Millenium Development Goals" (MDGs). The Plan of Action adopted by the Special Session, highlights the importance of effective implementation of the CRC and calls for the development of national legislation, policies, actions plans and other measures to promote and protect the rights of the child. Outcomes of the study will assist governments, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF and other relevant actors at national, regional and international levels, in furthering this important agenda. This study focuses on the general measures of implementation of the CRC in 62 countries, with a particular emphasis on legal and institutional reforms at the national level aimed at ensuring the effective application and enforcement of the provisions of the CRC.