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CSO Reporting to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the

Child (ACERWC)

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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State Party Reporting in ACERWC’s WorkArt 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.

ACERWC

State Reporting

Communications ProcedureInvestigations

Procedure

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Benefits of ReportingProvides a framework for monitoring by the ACERWCProvides a forum for dialogue between ACERWC, State Parties and CSOs to mutually discuss the realization of children’s rightsProvides an avenue for identifying problems/challenges, design solutions and measure efficacy of solutionsProvides a tool for CSOs to measure progress by State Parties

e@foleyReporting Process

State Party submits Report

ACERWC Appoints

Rapporteur for Report

CSO Submits Alternative

Report

ACERWC holds Pre-

Session with CSOs

ACERWC engages with

State Party

ACERWC gives

Concluding Observations

Initial Report (2yrs after ratification)

Periodic Report (Every 3 yrs after IR)

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Content of State Party ReportState Party Report will contain information on:

Legislative, judicial or administrative measuresInstitutional measures for monitoring nationallyChallenges encountered in implementationGoals, 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)

e@foleyCivil Society Report

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 CSOsAlthough 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

e@foleyWhy CSO Report?

Two African proverbs:‘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 informationCSO Reports can provide vital analysis of implementation, as many State Party Report often provide information on existence of measuresCSO Reports diversify information base for ACERWC to enhance its monitoring mandateThe 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

e@foleyCSO Reporting Process

Rese

arch

and

Dra

fting

Better to have a national collaborative approach. This gives the Report credibility, concise information and validity of consensusObtain a copy of State Party ReportConduct research to verify information in State Party Report and collect data for CSO ReportTip: Involve the media. They will help disseminate information on the Reporting ProcessInvolve children and document their participation and views

Repo

rt a

nd S

ubm

issio

n

Address all 9 thematic clusters required by ACERWCPrepare a concise, analytical report, identifying gaps in implementation and providing relevant solutions and recommendationsValidate 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 SessionPrepare to attend ACERWC Pre-Session and Session to consider State Party Report

Cons

ider

ation

of R

epor

tACERWC appoints a Rapporteur to study Reports (State Party & CSO)ACERWC appoints Pre-Session Working Group to further study Reports, identify issues for considerationACERWC 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 ReportACERWC holds public session to engage with State Party on its Report

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Post-Reporting Process

Committee considers State Party Report and issues its Concluding ObservationsConcluding Observations would include recommendations to the State Party for improving implementation of the ACRWCCSOs 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 dueCSOs advocate for State Party to submit next due Report on timeCSOs begin process of preparing alternative ReportCSOs go through the Reporting process with ACERWC

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Conclusion

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 ’