Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child was created in 1989. The UK ratified the Convention in 1991
Compliance with the treaty is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Read more about the Committee.
The UK’s obligations were last monitored in 2016. The UK’s last Review took place in 2023. Concluding observations for the UK State from the CRC were published in June 2023.
The reporting process
- The state prepares and submits its report, in consultation with civil society
- Civil society organisations and national human rights institutions may submit ‘shadow reports’ with their own evidence
- The Committee presents its ‘List of Issues’ to the State Party, highlighting any problems with implementation of the Convention
- The state party presents a response to the List of Issues
- The Committee and state party meet, and have constructive dialogue about the issues
- The Committee issues its concluding observations, including their recommendations for improvement
- The state party implements the recommendations, sometimes submitting follow-up reports. Civil society organisations may also submit follow-up reports to the Committee
Guide for NGO submissions to the CRC
The Committee welcomes international, regional, national and local organisations to submit written reports on how the Convention is being implemented in a country.
Information may be submitted by individual NGOs or coalitions of NGOs, as well as by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Ombudspersons.
Joint submissions are encouraged, as are submissions by children.
All reports should be submitted electronically, in WORD format only, through the Child Rights Connect website.
Submissions from children’s own organisations can use other communication formats and, when in writing do not have a word limit.
Organisations should clearly indicate whether their report is confidential or if they wish the Committee to make it public.
Reports that are submitted for publication on OHCHR’s website should not contain names, personal details, photos or any other information that might identify an individual child.
NGOs who submit reports to the Committee may also request to participate in the pre-sessional working group; a confidential, interactive meeting between the Committee and United Nations bodies and specialised agencies, NGOs, NHRIs and children.
Requests should be submitted through the Child Rights Connect website, when submitting the report or at least two months prior to the beginning of the pre-sessional working group concerned.
Based on the submissions and requests received, the Committee will issue a written invitation to selected organisations to participate in the pre-sessional working group.
Useful guides and links
UK State Party reports and Concluding Observations:
- UK state party report (November 2022) to the UNCRC, addressing the List of Issues Prior to Reporting
- UN Concluding Observations (June 2024) to the UK State on UNCRC recommendations
- Child friendly UN Concluding Observations (November 2024) to the UK State on UNCRC recommendations
- UK state party report (March 2015) to the UNCRC
- UK reply (April 2016) to the List of Issues
Civil society guides and submissions
- The State of Children’s Rights in Scotland (2023): Together’s submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, in preparation for its 2023 review of the UK
- The Reporting Cycle of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: A guide for NGOs and NHRIs
- Children’s Rights in Scotland (2020): Civil society report to inform the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s List of Issues Prior to Reporting
- Report of the UK Children’s Commissioners (2020)
