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9th CSO Forum on ACRWC – Dakar, Senegal (2 – 4 April 2014)
Edmund Amarkwei Foley
(Technical Advisor on Children, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection,
Republic of Ghana)
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Art 42(b) of ACRWC mandates
ACERWC to monitor implementation
and ensure protection of child rights
by State Parties to the Charter.
ACERWC
implementation
and
protection monitoring is done through
State Reporting, Communications and
Investigations.
ACERWC is assisted in its State
Reporting mandate by CSO Report
which
provide
alternative,
complementary
or
additional
information.
State
Reporting
ACERWC
Investigations
Procedure
Communications
Procedure
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Provides a framework for monitoring by the ACERWC
Provides a forum for dialogue between ACERWC, State Parties
and CSOs to mutually discuss the realization of children’s rights
Provides an avenue for identifying problems/challenges, design
solutions and measure efficacy of solutions
Provides a tool for CSOs to measure progress by State Parties
Initial Report (2yrs after ratification)
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State Party
submits
Report
Periodic Report (Every 3 yrs after IR)
ACERWC
gives
Concluding
Observations
ACERWC
Appoints
Rapporteur
for Report
ACERWC
engages with
State Party
CSO Submits
Alternative
Report
ACERWC
holds PreSession with
CSOs
State Party Report will contain information on:
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Legislative, judicial or administrative measures
Institutional measures for monitoring nationally
Challenges encountered in implementation
Goals, targets and plans for future implementation
State Report will then address the above information under 9 themes under ACRWC:
General measures of implementation (art 1)
Definition of a child (art 2)
General principles (arts 3 and 26, 4, 5, 7 and 12)
Civil rights and freedoms (arts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 16)
Family environment and family care (16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27)
Health and welfare (arts 5, 13, 14, 20 and 25)
Education, Leisure and cultural activities (arts 11 and 12)
Special protection measures (arts 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Responsibility of the child (art 31)
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Known variously as ‘shadow’, ‘complementary’, ‘alternative’,
supplementary, ‘NGO’, etc. Report (‘shadow’ Report is no longer
being encourage as it may sound negative)
Rule 69 of the ACERWC’s Rules of Procedure allows the ACERWC
to receive Reports from CSOs
Although ACERWC receives CSO Reports, it strongly encourages
State Parties to adopt a participatory approach towards
developing the State Party Report. CSOs should therefore actively
participate in the national process but also prepare to submit its
own CSO Report
Two African proverbs:
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‘He who cuts a path in the bush cannot tell how straight it goes, unless another guides him from
behind’
‘One head does not constitute a council’
State Party Report cannot and may not provide total, relevant and veritable
information required. CSO Report helps to fill these gaps in information
CSO Reports can provide vital analysis of implementation, as many State Party Report
often provide information on existence of measures
CSO Reports diversify information base for ACERWC to enhance its monitoring mandate
The process of CSO Report preparation builds consensus and strengthens national
collaborative efforts among CSOs
One of the most favoured approaches is joint reporting through a national coalition
process
CSO Report is a strategic advocacy document to engage the State Party and ACERWC
Conduct research to verify
information in State Party
Report and collect data for
CSO Report
Tip: Involve the media. They
will
help
disseminate
information
on
the
Reporting Process
Involve
children
and
document their participation
and views
Address all 9 thematic clusters
required by ACERWC
Prepare a concise, analytical
report, identifying gaps in
implementation and providing
relevant
solutions
and
recommendations
Validate the Report and obtain
consensus on its content (e.g.
validation workshop)
Submit Report to ACERWC
Secretariat (at least 12 copies,
translated if possible into
English or French) at least 3
months to the ACERWC Session
Prepare to attend ACERWC
Pre-Session and Session to
consider State Party Report
Consideration of Report
Obtain a copy of State Party
Report
Report and Submission
Research and Drafting
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Better to have a national
collaborative approach. This
gives the Report credibility,
concise information and
validity of consensus
ACERWC
appoints
a
Rapporteur to study Reports
(State Party & CSO)
ACERWC
appoints
PreSession Working Group to
further
study
Reports,
identify
issues
for
consideration
ACERWC holds Pre-Session.
A closed session with CSOs
and NGOs working in
concerned State Party and
have relevant information to
provide. This would include
CSOs preparing the CSO
Report
ACERWC holds public session
to engage with State Party
on its Report
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Committee considers State Party
Report and issues its Concluding
Observations
Concluding
Observations
would
include recommendations to the
State
Party
for
improving
implementation of the ACRWC
CSOs should disseminate the
Concluding Observations as widely
and as appropriately as possible
(child-friendly versions, translations,
social media, etc)
CSOs should monitor when the next
State Party Report is due
CSOs advocate for State Party to
submit next due Report on time
CSOs begin process of preparing
alternative Report
CSOs go through the Reporting
process with ACERWC
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Let’s share our experiences with CSO Reporting!
Shokran! Obrigado! Jerre-Jeff! Zikomo! Merçi beaucoup! Akpe kakaa! Ese!
Asante sana! Baie dankie! Thank you! (and all the other ways of saying …
‘I’m grateful for your attention ’