Article 12, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – Supplementary Information
from Sarah Finlay-Robinson
In 2009 The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child wrote a General Comment on Article 12 out of concern for the degree to which the UNCROC was being implemented. They had specific concerns about the barriers to its practice and the diversity of young people who were still being marginalised or excluded from participation in decision making. They also had concerns around the quality of participation practice. This general commentary provides a legal analysis of Article 12 and considerations for practice.
There are 9 basic conditions for quality practice of enabling young people’s voices to be heard in decision-making described by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) in the General comment No. 12 (2009): The right of the child to be heard,
- Transparent and informative
- Voluntary
- Respectful
- Relevant
- Child-friendly
- Inclusive
- Supported by training for adults
- Safe and sensitive to risk
- Accountable.
Reference
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 12 (2009): The right of the child to be heard, 20 July 2009, CRC/C/GC/12,
Retrieved from: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/AdvanceVersions/CRC-C-GC-12.pdf
