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United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a major international human rights treaty that sets out the specific rights of children. The UNCRC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and Ireland ratified it in 1992. The Convention is the most rapidly ratified human rights treaty in history (196 countries have become State Parties to the Convention as of June 2021). The UNCRC has four key principles:
• all the rights guaranteed by the Convention must be available to all children without discrimination of any kind (Article 2);
• the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children (Article 3);
• every child has the right to life, survival and development (Article 6); and
• the child’s views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her (Article 12).
The articles of the UNCRC are wide-ranging and cover a number of areas including health, housing, social security, education, leisure and play, child protection and welfare, criminal justice, international protection as well as access to information and participation in decision-making. Ireland is required to submit regular state reports on measures it has taken to progress the implementation of rights under the Convention. Subsequently the State delegation has to appear before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for an oral examination.
In February 2022, Ireland submitted its Fifth and Sixth State Report under the Convention to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. The State Report responds to a List of Issues provided by the UN Committee to Ireland in November 2020. The UN Committee has scheduled the oral examination hearing for January 2023.
To prepare the State Report, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth held a series of consultations with children and young people; the general public; and civil society stakeholders. A review of past consultations with children and young people as part of the UNCRC reporting process was also completed. The consultations were an important part of the reporting process and you can read the reports from the consultations below.
You can view the launch of the report on the consultation with children and young people below or on DCEDIY’s YouTube channel.
Ireland’s Fifth and Sixth State Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (February 2022)
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What We Think - Consultation with Children and Young People on Children's Rights UNCRC, UNCRPD and UPR
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Literature review of past consultations with children and young people as part of the UNCRC reporting process
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Report of Public Consultation on Ireland’s Combined Fifth and Sixth Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
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