skip navigation
Home  |  About Us  |  Accessibility  |  CRIN Quiz  |  FAQs  |  Contact Us
CRIN - Child Rights Information Network
 
Children's rights
Information by country
CRIN Themes
 

United Nations Commission on Human Rights

Links

Children's Human Rights Caucus Final Report

Sixty-first session of the CHR (14 March - 22 April 2005)

Relevant Resolutions adopted at the Commission on Human Rights:

Information

NGO Participation at the Commission on Human Rights

The subgroup on the Commission on Human Rights of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child brings together NGOs willing to promote the rights of the child at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). The subgroup aims to ensure that the CHR addresses the specific rights and situations of children worldwide by advocating the resolutions and by hosting a special interest group called the Children's Human Rights Caucus that serves as focal point for a range of participants to meet on children's issues.

Information sharing: The subgroup ensures daily information in French, Spanish and English on children's issues at the CHR through e-mail and reports here.

Morning briefings: The Caucus organises morning briefings 9 a.m to 10 am, starting on March 22 until 12 April 12 in room E-3025. All participants at the CHR are warmly welcome to discuss issues brought up in the light of the CHR 61st. session with invited Special Rapporteurs and Experts, Government delegations, the Human rights Committee members, members of expert panels, UNICEF, UNHCR, OHCHR secretariat, regional human and children’s rights organisations.  

Side events: The Commission attracts some of the foremost human rights advocates from around the world. As usual at the CHR, the Caucus members will facilitate, co-organize, participate and report from child rights and child rights linked side events. The side events are, if not otherwise mentioned, carried out during lunch hours 1- 3 pm.

Click here for the TIMETABLE of Morning Briefings, Side Events and Plenary Sessions

Click here for REPORTS from Morning Briefings, Side Events and Plenary Sessions

How can NGOs participate?

Accredited NGOs can participate directly in the Commission on Human Rights by making written statements, sent in advance to its secretariat, and oral statements addressing the Commission under the relevant items of its agenda. Yet, most NGO work consists of preparatory work, advocacy, information and substantive input prior and in parallel to the sessions, through direct contacts with member States, organisation of thematic panels, production of alternative information and follow-up of negotiations at the international and national levels. In that process, NGOs operate both individually and as organised groups.

Detailed information for NGOs that wish to participate to the 61st session is available on the OHCHR website, this link includes guidelines for participants, maps, etc. NGOs that wish to organise their own side-events, must fill out a room reservation form.

For further information, contact Julia Ekstedt, Convenor of the subgroup for the Commission on Human Rights.

Documents and Reports

  • Substantive progress report of the Secretary-General on the study on the question of Violence against Children - E/CN.4/2005/75
  • Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Abduction of Children in Africa - E/CN.4/2005/74
  • Information related to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons. Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Sigma Huda, on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children E/CN.4/2005/71: English, Français, Español , Arabic, Russian, Chinese.
  • Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (Mr. Olara Otunu) - E/CN.4/2005/77
  • Report of Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food - E/CN.4/2005/47 in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian - with addenda E/CN.4/2005/47/Add.1 (mission to Ethiopia) and E/CN.4/2005/47/Add.2 (mission to Mongolia) in English. Other languages available from the OHCHR website.
  • Rights of the Child - Note by the Secretariat - E/CN.4/2005/129.
  • Status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child - E/CN.4/2005/73 available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian
  • Programme of Action for the Elimination of the Exploitation of Child Labour - Note by the Secretary-General - E/CN.4/2005/76: English, Français, Español, Arabic, Chinese, Russian
  • Draft report from J-M Petit, Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography on child pornography on the Internet [html]. The Special Rapporteur will present 3 addenda to the Commission on Human Rights: the reports on his visits to Paraguay and Romania (E/CN.4/2005/78/Add.1 and E/CN.4/2005/78/Add.2) and a report on communications sent to Governments and replies received (E/CN.4/2005/78/Add.3). More information is available here.
  • The Annual Report of the Special Rapporteur on Education, Mr. Vernor Muños Villalobos - E/CN.4/2005/50. More information is available here. Last year's report is available here - E/CN.4/2004/45.
  • Report of the United Nations Development Fund for Women on the Elimination of Violence against Women [E/CN.4/2005/70]

Further information:

  • NGO Written Statements [html]
  • A list of reports is available [html format]
  • All documents issued for the 61st session organised according to the agenda can be consulted on the OHCHR website.
  • All documentation will be posted at the following website, classified by: Resolutions, Decisions, Reports, Correspondence from Governments, NGO written statements, Summary Records, etc.
  • A Database of all documents submitted to the Commission is available at the following: [html]
  • Other useful websites: Charter-Based Database

News coverage

  • Press releases will be issued by the CHR on a daily basis and will be made available on the OHCHR website.
  • News and Civil Society Perspectives [html]
  • Join the Children's Human Rights Caucus email list for regular updates about the Sixtieth session by sending a blank email to: childrightscaucus_chr-subscribe@domeus.co.uk, or by visiting the CRIN website [html]. Archives of the briefings will also be available.
  • CRIN will bo covering the 61st session through its regular English CRINMAIL and its special email update.

Further reading | Reports of previous sessions of the Commission on Human Rights are available on the OHCHR website. For archives of the 60th Session, visit the CRIN site.

^ top of page

Item 13: Rights of the Child

This year's resolution on the rights of the child is sponsored by Luxembourg as president for the EU group and, as usual by Uruguay for the Latin American group (GRULAC).

  • Omnibus Resolution on the Rights of the Child adopted by the Commission [E/CN.4/2005/L.96]
  • Draft Alternative NGO Resolution on item 13 - [word]
  • Official record of votes on the Omnibus Resolution
  • Official summaries of CHR reports presented under item 13

Background to the omnibus resolution on the rights of the child

There are numerous occasions when the rights of the child are addressed at the meeting. They are dealt with as a specific item of discussion and an "omnibus resolution" on the rights of the child is adopted every year. This resolution began as a combination of separate resolutions. Previously a number of resolutions on specific issues affecting children were introduced by the country most concerned about the issue. These included children living and working on the street, sexual exploitation of children and children affected by armed conflict. Concerned about the "proliferation" of resolutions pertaining to children, in 1994 the Commission decided to bring together all the issues in an omnibus resolution. It was initially intended that the omnibus resolution would not only consolidate the many resolutions on children's rights but also would be rationalised and shortened. Although there have been ome attempts to streamline the resolution, at the same time the resolution has continued to grow through the inclusion of new issues. This growth has often occurred on an ad hoc basis rather than in response to a clear, coherent overarching structure and purpose. The resolution adopted by consensus at the 58th session was co-sponsored by 104 countries and, although still very long, contains strong language, including many of the issues that NGOs have pushed for, such as the appointment of an independent expert to carry out the study on violence against children, the fact that the 'Convention on the Rights of the Child [..] and other relevant human rights instruments must constitute the standard in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child', a call to 'abolish by law as soon as possible the death penalty for those under 18 at the time of the commission of the offence'.

Further reading

Rights of the child, Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/85, dated 27 April 2000 (E/CN.4/RES/2000/85) [html format ]

Rights of the child, Commission on Human Rights resolution 2001/75, dated 25 April 2001 (E/CN.4/RES/2001/75) [html format ]

Rights of the child, Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/92, (E/CN.4/RES/2002/92) [html format]

Rights of the child, Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/92, (E/CN.4/RES/2003/86) [html format]

^ top of page

Background information: The Commission on Human Rights

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (CHR), composed of 53 States, meets each year in regular session in March and April for six weeks in Geneva. Over 3,000 delegates from member and observer States and from non-governmental organisations participate. During its regular annual session, the Commission adopts about a hundred resolutions, decisions and Chairperson's statements on matters of relevance to individuals in all regions and circumstances. It is assisted in this work by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, a number of working groups and a network of individual experts, special representatives and rapporteurs mandated to report to it on specific issues.

The Commission can also meet exceptionally between its regular sessions in special session to deal with urgent and acute human rights situations in the most expeditious way. To date, the special sessions have been held in Geneva concerning the situation of human rights in the territories of the former Yugoslavia (13-14 August 1992 and 30 November-1 December 1992), in Rwanda (24-25 May 1994), in East Timor (23-27 September 1999), and grave and massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel (17-19 October 2000). One of the most important tasks entrusted to the Commission has been the elaboration of human rights standards. In 1948 it concluded work on the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since then it has developed standards relating, inter alia, to the right to development, civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, the elimination of racial discrimination, torture, the rights of the child and the rights of human rights defenders. Human Rights standards have little value if they are not implemented. Consequently, the Commission devotes much of its time to examining issues of implementation. Some of its work is particularly sensitive, generating extensive debate and often disagreement. Its network of mechanisms - experts, representatives and rapporteurs - plays an important role in reporting to the Commission annually. Information received from Governments, non-governmental organisations and individuals is used in the preparation of these reports.

The main themes addressed by the Commission are: the right to self-determination; racism; the right to development; the question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine; the question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world; economic, social and cultural rights; civil and political rights, including the questions of torture and detention, disappearances and summary executions, freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary, impunity and religious intolerance; the human rights of women, children, migrant workers, minorities and displaced persons; indigenous issues; the promotion and protection of human rights, including the work of the Sub-Commission, treaty bodies and national institutions; and advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights.

Further reading

The website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Links includes details of sessions, mechanisms, rules of procedure, documents, membership, bureau and news room, [ html ]

^ top of page

How to get involved?

Accredited NGOs can participate directly in the Commission on Human Rights by making written statements, sent in advance to its secretariat, and oral statements addressing the Commission under the relevant items of its agenda. Yet, most NGO work consists of preparatory work, advocacy, information and substantive input prior and in parallel to the sessions, through direct contacts with member States, organisation of thematic panels, production of alternative information and follow-up of negotiations at the international and national levels. In that process, NGOs operate both individually and as organised groups.

Individuals, groups/coalitions and NGOs that are not directly connected to international human rights work can also be involved. The UN Commission's resolution on the rights of the child can be used as a tool for advocating improvements in the lives of children. NGOs can approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant government departments regarding domestic issues highlighted in the omnibus resolution on the rights of the child, or under other resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights, in order to monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by the government. NGOs and others can also lobby their government to push for issues important to them - either globally or in a specific country -during the Commission. In a few countries shortly before the start of the Commission, human rights NGOs meet with their governments to discuss various items of the Commission agenda.

The resolution also serves as a valuable tool for informing the authorities and the wider public of commitments made at the international level and for making potential links with local and national developments. For instance, the UN study on Violence against Children mandated by the 58th session of the Commission on Human Rights is an opportunity for all to work on this issue at home and integrate the results back into the international study and its follow-up. For more information, visit the subgroup on violence [html format].

Persons, groups/coalitions and NGOs can convey their concerns and suggestions to NGOs present at the Commission by contacting the NGO Subgroup on the Commission on Human Rights [html format]. In order to enhance the co-operation and efficiency of child rights NGOs at the Commission on Human Rights, this group was created to co-ordinate and prepare this work throughout the year. In addition, a Children's Human Rights Caucus is held by the Subgroup to ensure coordinated action on children's rights through daily meetings and permanent up-dates during the Commission. NGOs are very welcome to join these daily meetings. The caucus welcomes proposals and suggestions for presentations, child-related issues activities, events and campaigns to be developed. The exact dates and place of the Caucus during this year's Commission will be posted soon. There is also an email account for interested members and the wider child rights community to be informed about significant developments in the Commission. To join visit the CRIN website.

^ top of page

Contacts & links

For more information on the Commission on Human Rights, contact:

The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, OHCHR – UNOG,
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 917 9000; Fax: +41 22 917 9016
Website: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/

For more information about the subgroup for the Commission on Human Rights, contact:

Julia Ekstedt , Convenor
Save the Children Sweden
Email: julia.ekstedt@rb.se

Visit: Subgroup on the Commission on Human Rights

^ top of page