UN child rights body to review Eritrea, Mexico, Ghana, Honduras, Ethiopia, Netherlands, Laos, Israel

GENEVA (12 May 2015) –The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is meeting in Geneva from 18 May to 5 June to review children’s rights in the following countries*:  Eritrea, Mexico, Ghana, Honduras, Ethiopia, Netherlands, Laos, and Israel.

The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts, monitors how States that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child are complying with its obligations. The Committee also reviews how States are implementing two optional protocols to the Convention – one on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OPSC) and one on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC).

States that are party to the Convention and the Optional Protocols must submit regular written reports to the Committee. During the meetings in Geneva, Committee members hold question and answer sessions with the respective government delegations. The sessions are webcast live here: http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/.

The Committee will meet at Palais Wilson in Geneva in two chambers:

A: Eritrea (19-20 May), Ghana (20-21 May); Netherlands (27 May); Israel OPSC (28 May).

B:  Mexico (19.20 May), Honduras (20-21 May), Ethiopia (22 May), Lao People's Democratic Republic OPAC/OPSC (27 May)

More information, including issues, the countries’ submitted reports and information from NGOs, is available at http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=829&Lang=en . The CRC will publish its concluding observations here on 10 June.

*Nepal was due to be reviewed on 21 and 22 May, but in light of the recent devastating earthquake the authorities requested a postponement to a date yet to be established, which the CRC agreed to.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Liz Throssell (+41 (0) 22 917 9466/ ethrossell@ohchr.org

BACKGROUND:

The Committee on the Rights of the Child: 
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/index.htm

Convention on the Rights of the Child (ratified to date by 194 States):
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx

Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (ratified to date by 169 States):  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/OPSCCRC.aspx

Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (ratified to date by 159 States): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/OPACCRC.aspx

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