Non-legal measures to support incorporation of children’s rights
ContentsComprehensive national strategies for children’s rights
The CRC Committee provides specific guidance to States Parties on the development of comprehensive national strategies for children’s rights (CRC GC 5, paras. 28-36).
- Children’s rights legislative reform should ideally be embedded in a national children’s rights strategy.
According to the CRC Committee, the government as a whole needs to work on the basis of a unifying, comprehensive and rights-based national strategy rooted in the CRC to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights.
The CRC Committee welcomes the development of comprehensive national strategies or national plans of action for children, using the CRC as a framework, and expects States Parties to implement its recommendations.
E.g.: Concerning Sao Tome and Principe, the Committee, while taking note of the national strategy for the implementation of the CRC, recommends that the State Party expeditiously develop a comprehensive action plan, with clear indicators and benchmarks and dedicated human, technical and financial resources, for the implementation of the CRC (para 9)
Concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Sao Tome and Principe 23 June 2023E.g.: Concerning Turkey, the Committee noted the finalisation of the Children’s Rights Strategy Document and Action Plan (2023-2028) and the child rights targets in the Human Rights Action Plan (2021-2023) and recommended that the State Party ensure that the plans provide a comprehensive implementation framework for the overall realisation of the CRC and its Optional Protocols, including by establishing the priorities, targets and respective responsibilities and adequate resources for their implementation and are reviewed through a consultative process to determine their effectiveness in achieving set targets (para 9)
Concluding observations on the combined fourth to fifth reports of Türkiye 2 June 2023For the strategy to be effective, it needs to relate to all the rights in the CRC and to the situation of all children within the jurisdiction of the State Party.
The strategy should (CRC GC 5, paras. 29-32):
- be developed through a process of consultation, including children and those living and working with them;
- pay particular attention to marginalised and disadvantaged groups of children, to fulfil the non-discrimination principle (article 2 CRC);
- be endorsed at the highest level of government;
- be linked to national development planning and included in national budgeting;
- be adequately resourced (human and financial resources).
The CRC Committee also gives guidance on the content of national strategies (CRC GC 5, para. 32):
- The strategy should include a description of a sustainable process for realising children’s rights throughout the State Party;
- It must go beyond statements of policy and principle, to set real and achievable targets in relation to the full range of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights for all children;
- It may be elaborated in sectoral national plans of action – for example for education and health – setting out specific goals, targeted implementation measures and allocation of financial and human resources;
- It should set priorities without neglecting or diluting the detailed obligations which States have accepted under the CRC.
Once drafted, the strategy will need to be widely disseminated across the State and to the public, including children. This means that a child-friendly version of the strategy will need to be developed.
The strategy should include an arrangement for monitoring its implementation and continuous review, regular updating and periodic reporting to parliament and the public. (CRC GC 5, para. 33).