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 childrens 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)

Thematic working groups

Children without parental care Communications procedure for the CRC Human Rights Council Indigenous children Sexual exploitation of children Violence against children

Executive Committee
(7-10 members)

Secretariat
(5 staff)

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 Committees meetings

Practical tools to advocate and monitor child rights

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

Website: www.childrightsnet.org

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 Committees 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

Committees 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 Committees 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!