Call for Papers - 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

In preparation for the 2 day workshop - October 8-9, 2009 - celebrating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the CRC, a call for written contributions has been made. Details are as follows:

NGOs and children are invited to submit written contributions on the 9 themes of the workshops, namely:

Dignity
1. Defining the obligation to prevent violations
2. Discrimination against childhood
3. Children: Rights-holders versus commodity

Development
1. States parties’ obligations: Realizing economic, social and cultural Rights
2. Evolving capacities as an enabling principle in practice
3. Are child’s rights a luxury in times of economic crisis?

Dialogue
1. A new democratic dynamic: the systematic inclusion of children in policy-making
2. Children’s voices in the family: overcoming resistance
3. Child-led organizations experience: listened to and taken seriously?

For more information on the 9 themes, please consult the concept note (available on http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/20th/outlineCRC20th.doc). Please send submissions to the Office of the High Commissioner before 17 August 2009. The Committee requests that written contributions be limited to a maximum of seven pages. Although documents may be submitted in English, French or Spanish, they will not be translated into the other languages. Written contributions should be sent electronically to CRC20Anniversary@ohchr.org. Please note that only written contributions received in electronic form (preferably Word or PDF) will be circulated. Additional information will be available shortly at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/20thAnnivCRC.htm.

Registration
For organizational purposes and due to limited space, all participants are asked to fill out a registration form, which can be downloaded from the OHCHR website

Please send it back to the Secretariat by e-mail (CRC20Anniversary@ohchr.org) before 15 August 2009. Due to limited space, please note that organizations are strongly encouraged to limit participation in this event to a maximum of two representatives. Please do not make any travel arrangements until you have received a final confirmation by email. Once you receive the confirmation, we recommend that you book your accommodation as soon as possible, as there is a big telecom meeting in Geneva during that week.

As this is a public meeting, there is neither a registration fee, nor does the Committee send out individual invitations. The United Nations is not able to provide assistance with visa, travel or accommodation arrangements. Participants are responsible for all expenses and arrangements related to their participation in the event.

The event will take place in Geneva on Thursday, 8 and Friday, 9 October 2009, in the Centre International de Conférences de Genève (CICG) (rue de Varembé 17, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland).