Committee on the Rights of the Child closes eighty-ninth session after adopting concluding observations on reports of Madagascar and the Netherlands

GENEVA (11 February 2022) - The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon closed its eighty-ninth session after adopting its concluding observations on the reports of Madagascar and the Netherlands, which were reviewed during the session.

Mikiko Otani, Committee Chairperson, said the Committee had held its eighty-ninth session from 31 January to 11 February.  The Committee had reviewed the reports of Madagascar and the Netherlands and adopted concluding observations on them.  The concluding observations would be available on the website of the Committee on Thursday, 17 February.

On individual communications, Ms. Otani said that the Committee had adopted decisions in 13 cases.  It had found violations in six cases, including three cases against France concerning the repatriation of French children from refugee camps in Syria, two cases against Belgium concerning the administrative detention of migrant children pending their asylum proceedings, and one case against Switzerland concerning the deportation of a child to the Russian Federation without ensuring access to urgent medical treatment required for a child with disabilities.  One case against Belgium had been found admissible.  The Committee had discontinued five cases against Spain and one case against France.

The Committee had continued to discuss working methods, in particular on inquiries.  Ms. Otani said the Committee had agreed to the eight-year predictable review calendar with a mid-term follow-up procedure, and to the simplified reporting procedure.  The Committee had looked at the report of the day of general discussion on children in alternative care, which was held last September.  It had also continued its work on the new draft general comment on children and the environment, with a special focus on climate change.

Ms. Otani said that the ninetieth session of the Committee would be held from 3 May to 3 June.  The five weeks of the session would be dedicated to the review of the reports of 12 States parties to reduce the backlog.  The States parties to be reviewed would be announced later.  The ninety-first session of the Committee would be held from 29 August to 23 September which would also be dedicated to the review of States party reports.  The pre-sessional working group would meet from 26 to 30 September to adopt lists of issues and lists of issues prior to reporting. 

The Chair said that as of this session, there were 196 States parties to the Convention.  For the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict, 172 States had ratified it, and 177 States had ratified the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.  As for the third Optional Protocol on communications, it had been ratified by 48 States. 

Ms. Otani said the eighty-ninth session had been difficult, and they had only met for two weeks, but it had still been very productive and they had accomplished a lot of work.  She thanked the secretariat for their efforts.  

Faith Marshall Harris, Committee Rapporteur, read out the reports of the working groups of the Committee as well as a report on intersessional activities by Committee Experts.  

The Committee adopted the report of the session and Ms. Otani closed the session.

The eighty-ninth session of the Committee was held from 31 January to 11 February 2022.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings is available here.

The ninetieth session of the Committee will be held from 3 May to 3 June 2022.