Reporting guidelines

Under article 44 of the Convention, States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on the steps they have taken to put the Convention into effect and on progress in the enjoyment of children’s rights in their territories. States should consider the reporting process, including the preparation of their reports, as a way to ensure compliance with their international obligations.

States must report initially within two years of the entry into force of the Convention and then whenever the Committee requests. The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of concluding observations.

Reports benefit from broad-based consultation and constructive engagement. States parties should encourage and facilitate the involvement of children, specialized civil society organizations, and other civil society actors in the preparation of their reports.

Guidelines for reporting to the Committee on the Convention and its Optional Protocols

The purpose of these reporting guidelines is to advise States parties on the form and content of their reports, to ensure reports are comprehensive and presented in a uniform manner.

• Guidelines for initial reports under the Convention (CRC/C/5)
• Guidelines for periodic reports under the Convention (CRC/C/58/Rev.3)
• Guidelines regarding initial reports under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on involvement of children in armed conflict (CRC/C/OPAC/2)
• Guidelines regarding initial reports to be submitted under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRC/C/OPSC/2)
• Additional guidelines and tools for treaty body reporting (all treaty bodies)

Simplified reporting procedure

Please be informed that due to the backlog of more than 60 reports pending consideration, the issuing of Lists of Issues prior to Reporting is suspended until 2025. More information will be available on the CRC website in the course of 2025.

From 1 January 2024, the Committee will apply the simplified reporting procedure to all periodic reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and for initial reports under the Optional Protocols. States parties who did not opt out of the simplified reporting procedure will receive from the Committee request for specific information, known as List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) containing up to 30 questions. The State party's replies to the LOIPR constitute the State party's report to the Committee.

Differently from the traditional reporting procedure, under the LOIPR, State parties are no longer required to submit to the Committee both a State party report and written replies to a list of issues, thus reducing the two reporting steps to one.

• List of States and their reporting status using the simplified reporting procedure
• Information note for States parties (Word)
• Information note for stakeholders (Word)
• States that have opted out of the simplified reporting procedure (PDF)
• Simplified reporting procedure calendar (PDF)

Simplified reporting procedure

Traditional reporting procedure