Work in Progress: Twenty-five Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” The General Measures of Implementation Across the Globe

Abstract

Since its adoption twenty-five years ago, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has guided many actors and institutions around the world in relation to children. Yet, what influence has it had upon legislation, policies and programs, and what progress has occurred for children? An important measure of its impact is the status of the General Measures of the Implementation of the CRC, which the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has identified as a foundational requirement of the framework of action. Focusing on law reform, budgeting, monitoring, and independent human rights institutions, this paper describes the state ofthese general measures with examples in different countries around the world to confirm the CRC's significance in governance and public policy. It is submitted that the CRC has been influential in public policy and that there is much more room for progress guided by the CRC. The paper concludes with recommendations for CRC states parties.