Type of Mechanism	Reporting and Monitoring
Scope of the Procedure	The Rights enumerated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Who Can Submit a Report	NGOs and coalitions of NGOs
Role of Advocates	NGOs or NGO coalitions can submit "shadow" or alternative reports to State party reports to the Committee.  NGOs may also submit materials to pre-sessional working groups of the Committee and can also participate in some dialog with the Committee itself regarding implementation of the Convention.
Available Remedies	No remedies for individual rights violations
How to Submit a Report	There is no single format for shadow reports, but the Committee recommends that the report be no more than 30 pages, be written in English, French or Spanish, include a summary or abstract in English and be submitted within a year of the State's periodic report.  It is also useful for the report to be organized according to the articles of the Convention, as a commentary on the State party report.  A shadow report should analyze a particular problem rather than merely describe it, highlighting key concerns,and should also include concrete recommendations.  The Committee's Guide for NGO Submissions on how NGOs can contribute to the reporting process is available on the UN website. More information on writing shadow reports, using shadow reports strategically and sample NGO reports can also be found in the Human Rights Investigation and Documentation section of this website.
Where to Send Communications	The Committee on the Rights of the Child 8-14 Avenue de la Paix CH 1211 Genève 10 Switzerland Tel: 00 41 22 917 9000 Fax: 00 41 22 917 9022 Email: ssyed@ohchr.org ; jmermet@ohchr.org Website: www.ohchr.org Main contact person: Paulo David (pdavid@ohchr.org)
How the Reporting Procedure Works	After ratifying the Convention, State parties are required to submit an initial report on compliance within two years.  States must then submit periodic reports every five years. The Committee meets three times a year to review the periodic reports.  The Committee suggests that NGOs to submit reports within a year of receiving the State report.  NGO submissions are most useful to the Committee at the time that a specific State is reporting.  NGOs should allow Committee members enough time to review the submission, ideally a few months before the session date.  Before the session, NGOs may participate in pre-sessional working groups and meet with members of the official government delegation, prior to the plenary session.  The plennnary sessions are open to the public, and NGOs may attend, but may only participate in the formal proceedings as observers.  NGOs have, however, been able to lobby Committee members successfully outside of the session. Once the Committee has reviewed the reports, it issues concluding observations which highlight both positive aspects of the implementation of the Convention and also recommendations for improvement.  The Committee suggests that NGOs use the concluding observations as tools for advocacy.
Advantages/ Disadvantages	NGOs have used shadow reports effectively to advocate for change.  Periodic State reporting has put pressure on national governments to amend legislation and policies to bring them into compliance with the Convention.  The Committee has strongly encouraged NGOs to participate in the reporting process and gives weight to NGO submissions. Individuals cannot submit information to the Committee.  There are no mechanisms to enforce Committee recommendations and conclusions on a State's noncompliance with the Convention.

 Last updated November 2008