Individual communications

The Committee can receive and consider individual communications, also known as complaints, from or on behalf of an individual or group of individuals, within the jurisdiction of a State party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the child on a communications procedure (OPIC), claiming to be victims of a violation by that State party of any of the rights set forth in any of the following instruments to which that State is a party:

1. The Convention;
2. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography;
3. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

The following resources provide more information on submitting complaints:

• Individual complaints form and guidance note
• Working methods to deal with individual communications received under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (PDF)
• Guidelines on interim measures (Word)
• Guidelines on third party interventions (PDF)
• General information about the complaints procedures for all treaty bodies
• General information about individual complaints
• Guidelines on oral hearings

Recent complaints

• Table of pending cases​

Jurisprudence

Jurisprudence highlights

• April - November 2023
• November 2022 - March 2023
• September - October 2022

Follow up

• Table of views and follow-up
• Follow-up progress report on individual communications

Interim measures

Interim measures can be requested under article 6 of the OPIC in urgent and exceptional circumstances in order to avoid possible irreparable damage to victim(s) of the alleged violation.

How to submit a complaint

Complaints should be submitted using the online submission form.

Learn more: Treaty bodies communications page