CNDH ADVOCATES IN GENEVA FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN IN DECISION MAKING

 The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) participated in the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva (27 February to 24 March 2017). On Monday 6 March 2017, the Moroccan national human rights institution shared insights at the annual debate on children’s rights and advocated for greater participation of children in decision making.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on the Protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was the focus of the annual debate on children’s rights this year.

We welcomed the report of the High Commissioner that can help lead to more action and more protection for children’s rights in the implementation of the SDGs, said the Council in its oral statement.

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are also concerned with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2015, they gathered in Mérida (Mexico) and agreed on a declaration on the role of NHRIs in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Mérida Declaration).

In implementation of this declaration, the CNDH has included many 2030 agenda related aspects in its action, the statement said; promoting, for example, a transparent, participatory and inclusive national process to monitor the implementation of children’s rights, mainly through collaboration with NGOs, consultations with children, and the parliament, etc.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an opportunity to institutionalize the participation of all children in decision making, the CNDH said.

The CNDH also highlighted the importance of the “integrated public policy for child protection”, adopted by the Moroccan government in 2015, aiming “to guarantee an effective and long-lasting protection to every child”.

The Council strongly advocated for a redress mechanism that children can easily access when their rights are violated, stating that the Council can and is ready to play this role. 

The CNDH also stressed the need to effectively involve children in policy and decision making and budget related aspects and provide for that in laws and regulations.

Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

“As States embark on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, human rights should serve as the compass to guide effective delivery, in which the most marginalized children and those at greatest risk of being left behind are reached”, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recommended in its a report on the Protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“(…) under the international law, the protection of children’s rights must take precedence in respect of all aspects of national planning, implementation and the monitoring and review process for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, the report stated.

The report recommended “transparency and quality disaggregated data to reflect the situation of all children, particularly those who are too often uncounted, yet also at greatest risk of being left behind.”

SDGs… for people and prosperity

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the world leaders in September 2015 in a historic United Nations summit. It entered into force in January 2016. Considered as “a plan of action for people and prosperity”, the 2030 Agenda aims to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom, eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions including extreme poverty, combat inequalities, and fight climate change, while ensuring that no one is left aside.

Integrated and indivisible, the SDGs balance economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.