Non-legal measures to support incorporation of children’s rights
- Article 4 CRC requires States Parties to adopt ‘all appropriate measures’ to implement the CRC. Non-legal measures are important steps to support children’s rights legislative reform and its subsequent implementation.
- They do not replace legal measures or the full and direct incorporation of the CRC.
- Non-legal measures can be a stepping-stone at the beginning of the incorporation journey, or they may be developed in parallel with or after the legislative reform to support its implementation.
- Non-legal measures also resonate with the government’s commitment to children’s rights legislative reform and to comprehensively respect, protect and fulfil the CRC (see also: Affirming government commitment at all stages) and can help overcome the challenges in this regard (see also: Potential barriers when engaging in children’s rights legislative reform).
- Some areas of legislative reform involve systemic changes that require increased resources, policy and physical infrastructure. Full compliance with a CRBA also requires a long-term and substantial financial commitment from the government at all levels.
