The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is meeting in Geneva 16 January - 3 February to review children’s rights in the following countries: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Estonia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Serbia, Georgia and Malawi.

The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts, monitors how States that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are complying with their obligations. The Committee also reviews how States are implementing two optional protocols to the Convention – one on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OPSC) and one on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC).

States that are party to the Convention must submit regular written reports to the Committee. During the meetings in Geneva, Committee members hold question and answer sessions with the respective government delegations. The Committee bases its evaluation on the State party’s report and written replies, the delegation’s replies and also on information from other UN bodies and NGOs.

The sessions will be held on the following dates at Palais Wilson in Geneva:

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (CRC,16-17 Jan), Antigua and Barbuda (CRC,16-17 Jan), Barbados (CRC,17-18 Jan), Estonia (CRC, OPAC 17-18 Jan), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (CRC, OPSC 18-19 Jan), Central African Republic (20 Jan), Serbia (24 Jan), Georgia (25 Jan), Malawi (CRC, OPAC, OPSC 30-31 Jan).

The sessions will be webcast here: http://webtv.un.org/live. The morning sessions run from 10:00-13:00 and the afternoon sessions from 15:00-18:00.

More information is available here.

The CRC will publish its findings, known as concluding observations, here on 8 February 2017.

You can access this media advisory here.