NGOs contribution to the UNCRC GC N° 27 on access to justice
By joining forces with Child Helpline International, ECPAT International, International Social Service, Tzuby’s Kids, and World Without Orphans Europe, Eurochild contributed to the Committee on the Rights of the Child General Comment N° 27 on Access to Justice. Our collaboration focused on initiatives at the EU level, with the aim to inspire change at the international level.
UN General Comments (GC)
All UN Treaty Bodies develop General Comments- or General Recommendations - that act as authoritative guides for interpreting the specific treaties they oversee by providing detailed guidance on specific treaty provisions and broader recommendations, such as what information States should include in their reports to the Treaty Bodies when monitored by the Committee. GC support State parties in fulfilling their treaty obligations and serve as useful tools for human rights advocates to monitor compliance and promote the effective implementation of the treaties.
The process of developing and adopting GC typically involves three stages: consultation, drafting, and adoption. During the drafting phase, Treaty Bodies often seek to incorporate expert input from various stakeholders, including NGOs.
GC N° 27 on children’s rights to access to justice and effective remedies
The Committee on the Rights of the Child, the body of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its States parties, is drafting GC N° 27. The aim of this GC is to highlight the role access to justice plays in combating inequalities and challenging discriminatory practices. The GC aims to provide authoritative guidance to States Parties, urging them to undertake legislative, administrative, and other actions to ensure children's right to access justice and effective remedies for the full realisation of all their rights.
Recent legislative changes at the EU level as good practices to inspire further action
In our contribution, we mentioned recent EU legislative changes as models for global action. These include the revised Anti-Trafficking Directive, strengthening the rights of child victims of trafficking across Europe, the recent amendments to the Victims’ Rights Directive and the European Child Guarantee, playing a key role in addressing root causes of trafficking and abuse.
Our recommendations at a glance
In our joint contribution, we call for:
Solid legal and policy frameworks
- Wider adoption and effective implementation of the OPIC
- Robust national frameworks addressing the vulnerabilities of children at risk
- Stronger collaboration
Preventing child trafficking
- National strategies to prevent child trafficking
- Targeted prevention measures addressing groups at risk
- The incorporation of child protection considerations into environmental policies
Safeguards for children at risk and victims of trafficking
- Safe, accessible and confidential reporting mechanisms for children
- Tailored recovery pathways for victims
- Independent bodies to monitor child trafficking cases
- Training for professionals
- Comprehensive approaches to the links between online and in-person abuse
- Ensuring family and community-based care for children
- Adequate support to Child Helplines
- Meaningful engagement of children and civil society organisations
- Funding for research on the root causes
- Stronger safeguards to prevent the disappearance of children
- Specific strategies for the identification and recovery of child victims
- Disaggregated data collection mechanisms
Eurochild’s work is rooted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which outlines the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of every child. Eurochild is pleased to contribute to GC No. 27 and to offer input in support of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in providing guidance to the Member States on access to justice.
By sharing practices from the EU level, we aim to inform and inspire action at the UN level, fostering meaningful progress in protecting vulnerable children both in Europe and globally. We are committed to ensuring that every child has the right to justice and the opportunity for a safer, brighter future. We look forward to the adoption of the GC and its potential impact on children's rights worldwide.
To read the full joint contribution with recommendations, please click here.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Francesca Pisanu, Eurochild EU Advocacy Officer.