Subgroup on the child's right to health

This group works to ensure that the child's right to health is consistently and coherently represented in the UN and state party reporting processes linked to the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

Aims

• to encourage coherent country coverage of the child’s right to health in all NGO alternative reports to the CRC Committee;
• to assist national and regional NGOs in using the CRC Committee’s Concluding Observations as a tool for advocacy, implementation and the formulation of national plans of action;
• to promote coherent coverage of the child’s right to health in resolutions of the CHR, its Sub-Commission, treaty bodies and other relevant organs of the UN and specialised agencies;
• to engage and encourage pro-active exchanges with members of the Subgroup, WHO and UNICEF staff, the UN Special Rapporteur on Health, interested CRC Committee members and other relevant experts.

Background

Formed in 2003, the subgroup draws particularly on articles 3, 6, 23, 24 and 25, as well as 32, 33 and 34 of the CRC. It also reposes on the CRC General Comments on (i) Adolescent Health and Development and (ii) HIV/AIDS, as well as on the General Comment on Health developed by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Finally, it centres on the 2000 Millenium Develpoment Goals and the 2002 A world fit for children (UNGASS-2002) which highlight health issues, particularly where children are concerned. Other key recent developments that influence the work of the Subgroup include:

• the adoption by the World Health Assembly of two key tools: the Global Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Development (see the Annex to this document) and the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding (2002);
• the 2001 nomination of a Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Mr. Paul Hunt, who has worked to prioritise the right to health of children and adolescents;
• the clear direction taken by WHO in the past few years to integrate a human rights perspective into its policies and programmes.

2005 Work Plan

The 2005 Work Plan of the sub group is available here [word format]
The 2004 Work Plan is also available here [word format]

Documents

• Panel discussion on child rights and privatisation (Not available yet)
• CRC Reports IBFAN (Sept 2003, Jan 2004, May 2004, Sept 2004, January 2005, May 2005, September 2005)
• EACH Charter
• Annual Report (2003)
• Annual Report (2004)
• IAW health resolution (Not available yet)

Links