What do they do and how do they do it?

Presentation  History, structure and governance  Main areas of work  Achievements  Challenges  Lessons learnt

The NGO Group for the CRC  Vision: A world in which children’s rights, as defined by the CRC, are universally recognised and realised.  Mission: Facilitate the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the CRC.  Global network of 71 national and international NGOs  Works with national and international NGOs in 150 countries, including over 100 national coalitions  Partner in the work of the Committee

History  20 NGOs joined forces in 1983 to coordinate their actions to draft the CRC  Unprecedented impact on the final text of an international human rights treaty  Decided to create a more formal structure to promote ratification and reporting

Structure and governance  General Assembly (member organisations)  Executive Committee (7-10 members)  Secretariat (5 staff) Thematic working groups  Children without parental care  Communications procedure for the CRC  Human Rights Council  Indigenous children  Sexual exploitation of children  Violence against children

Main areas of work  Support the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child  Strengthen capacity and/or facilitate NGO participation in the reporting process  Develop legal instruments on child rights  Produce practical tools to advocate and monitor child rights  Mainstream child rights in the broader UN Human Rights system

Facilitate NGO participation in reporting process  According to need, train NGOs in forming coalitions and writing alternative reports  Ensure NGOs participate effectively in the full reporting process (pre-session and session)  Pay for NGOs to attend the Committee’s meetings

Practical tools to advocate and monitor child rights Website:  Guidelines to reporting on CRC & its Optional Protocols  Fact sheets on elections, DGD and General Comments  Alternative report database with CRIN  Guidelines for children to report (coming soon)  Country reports

Achievements  Leading expertise in the work of the Committee and the monitoring of the CRC and its Optional Protocols  Contributes to the drafting of treaties such as the CRC, its Optional Protocols and regional standards.  Ensures NGO input into international child rights events, days of general discussion and general comments.  Contribute to the development of the Committee’s working methods

Achievements  Model for alternative reporting for UN treaty bodies  Committee receives credible, representative and comprehensive information from national NGOs and children  National NGOs (increasingly children) have direct access to the Committee responsible for the CRC  Committee’s dialogue with states and recommendations take into account NGO information

Challenges  Managing the network structure  Keeping members focused on common goals and avoiding conflict of interest  Raising funds for ‘abstract activities’  Follow-up to Committee’s recommendations

Lessons Learnt  Have an independent coordinating body that follows and influences the work of the Committee  Facilitate the access of national NGOs/coalitions  Work closely with Committee secretariat, UNICEF and Committee members and other key partners  Create practical tools for NGOs to engage effectively in the work of the Committee  Develop methods to follow-up Committee recommendations

Thank you for listening!