Committee on the Rights of the Child
Encyclopedia
The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is a body of independent experts that monitors and reports on implementation of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child
by governments that ratify
the Convention. The Committee also monitors implementation of the optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OP-AC
) and the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-SC).
The CRC is one of the eight UN human rights treaty bodies. States that have ratified the Convention (i.e., all UN member states except Somalia
and the United States) are required to submit initial and periodic reports on the national situation of children's rights to the Committee for examination. The Committee examines each report and raises concerns or makes recommendations to the State party. It also issues occasional General Comments on the interpretation of particular CRC obligations.
The Committee cannot consider individual complaints, although child rights may be raised before other committees with competence to consider individual complaints. However, at least the case of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, 11th Panchen Lama, was considered by the Committee on May 28, 1996, as well as at other later dates.
The Committee is made up of 18 members from different countries and legal systems who are of 'high moral standing' and experts in the field of human rights
. Although members are nominated and elected by states parties to the Convention, Committee members act in a personal capacity. They do not represent their countries' governments or any other organization to which they might belong. Members are elected to a four-year term and can be re-elected if nominated.
The current and incoming members of the CRC are:
Leaving on 28 February 2011: Luigi Citarella (2011) Azza El Ashmawy (2011) Kamel Filali (2011) Lothar Friedrich Krappmann (2011) Rosa María Ortiz (2011) Dainius Puras (2011)
Joining on 1 March 2011: Aseil Al-Shehail (2015) Jorge Cardona Llorens (2015) Bernard Gastaud (2015) Gehad Madi (2015) Kirsten Sandberg (2015) Hiranthi Wijemanne (2015)
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children...
by governments that ratify
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
the Convention. The Committee also monitors implementation of the optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OP-AC
Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict
The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Annex I of a resolution on 25 May 2000.The protocol came into force on 12 February 2002....
) and the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-SC).
The CRC is one of the eight UN human rights treaty bodies. States that have ratified the Convention (i.e., all UN member states except Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and the United States) are required to submit initial and periodic reports on the national situation of children's rights to the Committee for examination. The Committee examines each report and raises concerns or makes recommendations to the State party. It also issues occasional General Comments on the interpretation of particular CRC obligations.
The Committee cannot consider individual complaints, although child rights may be raised before other committees with competence to consider individual complaints. However, at least the case of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, 11th Panchen Lama, was considered by the Committee on May 28, 1996, as well as at other later dates.
The Committee is made up of 18 members from different countries and legal systems who are of 'high moral standing' and experts in the field of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Although members are nominated and elected by states parties to the Convention, Committee members act in a personal capacity. They do not represent their countries' governments or any other organization to which they might belong. Members are elected to a four-year term and can be re-elected if nominated.
The current and incoming members of the CRC are:
| Name | State | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes Akosua Aidoo |  Ghana |
2015 |
| Hadeel Al-Asmar | 2013 | |
| Peter Guran |  Slovakia |
2013 |
| Maria Herczog |  Hungary |
2015 |
| Sanphasit Koompraphant |  Thailand |
2013 |
| Hatem Kotrane |  Tunisia |
2015 |
| Yanghee Lee |  South Korea |
2013 |
| Marta Mauras Pérez |  Chile |
2013 |
| Awich Pollar |  Uganda |
2013 |
| Susana Villarán Susana Villarán Susana María del Carmen Villarán de la Puente is a centre-left politician in Peru, a former presidential candidate, and in municipal elections in 2010 became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Lima.... |
 Peru |
2013 |
| Jean Zermatten Jean Zermatten Jean Zermatten is a specialist of Children's Rights. He's the son of the Swiss writer Maurice Zermatten. He's Chairman of the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child... (chair) |
 Switzerland |
2013 |
Leaving on 28 February 2011: Luigi Citarella (2011) Azza El Ashmawy (2011) Kamel Filali (2011) Lothar Friedrich Krappmann (2011) Rosa María Ortiz (2011) Dainius Puras (2011)
Joining on 1 March 2011: Aseil Al-Shehail (2015) Jorge Cardona Llorens (2015) Bernard Gastaud (2015) Gehad Madi (2015) Kirsten Sandberg (2015) Hiranthi Wijemanne (2015)