Module 4: Child Rights in Governance

1. Key issues

2. Child rights in governance assessments

3. Strategies

4. Regional examples

Session map:

Definition of “governance” The exercise of economic, political and administrative

authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels

Governance reforms will not deliver sustainable results if they are not mindful of children Normative imperative Instrumental argument Empirical evidence

Key issues:

Promoting good governance is an integral part of development programming for many development partners Several adopted new strategies in the past few years

Rationale: Governance is at the heart of promoting human rights,

democracy and RoL Required for sustainable development Critical for aid effectiveness

Significant investments in governance

1. Child rights-sensitive governance assessment: Offers a strategic opportunity to feature child rights

concerns prominently and concretely in governance-related interventions and funding support.

2. Identify stakeholders: Key actors that are instrumental in helping

governments meet their goals under the CRC.3. Identify entry points:

Requires a comprehensive set of entry interlocking interventions

Mainstreaming CR in governance reforms

All development partners engage in governance assessments

Challenges: “Governance” - an umbrella concept Challenge agreeing on operational indicators and

establishing clear causal links Plethora of governance assessment tools currently used

Child-sensitive governance assessment

1. Political Governance/Voice and Accountability

2. Rule of Law/Legal and Judicial Systems

3. Control of Corruption

4. Government Effectiveness

5. Social Governance/Socio-economic indicators

6. Political Dialogue/Quality of Partnerships, including Participation and Civil Society and Governance

Key categories of child-sensitive governance assessment tool

Is there in existence a specialized juvenile justice system? Is there a system in place guaranteeing regular independent inspection of

places of detention of children? Has an independent oversight institution been established to examine how

legal institutions and practices affect children’s rights? Do they have sufficient budget and authority?, etc…

In addition, the following quantitative indicators should also be monitored as a way of determining the performance of the judicial system and the treatment accorded within it to children in conflict with the law: 

Number of children arrested during a 12 month period per 100,000 child population

Number of children in detention per 100,000 child population Time spent in detention by children prior to sentencing Number of child deaths in detention during a 12 month period, per 1,000

detained Percentage of children in detention not wholly separated from adults, etc…

Sample: Rule of Law

Strategic opportunity to feature child rights concerns more prominently

Support political dialogue between donors and partner countries

Inform Human Rights Country Strategies

Support governance projects

Inform the eligibility criteria for budget support (GGDC)

Use of CR assessment tool:

• In the field of INSTITUTION BUILDING

• In the field of SERVICE DELIVERY

• In the field of RULE OF LAW/PARLIAMENTS

• In the field of ANTI-CORRUPTION

Strategies to ensure governance reforms support CR:

1. Establishing structures and institutions in government that give priority attention to children: National coordination body Clear mechanisms for sectoral and vertical coordination

2. Strengthening capacities of government structures Functional Technical capacities

3. Institutionalizing children’s engagement in policy-making through:• Information sharing and CB• Establishing standards, structures, procedures and mechanisms• Allocating resources (time, money, people)• Mobilizing children and young people

4. Institutionalizing accountability mechanisms for children (child rights ombudspersons, national plans of action)

1. Institutional building:

Principles and standards:• Services are CHILD-CENTERED;• Services are all INCLUSIVE (including access, affordability,

cultural and diversity appropriateness and acceptability);• Services have built-in mechanisms for CHILD

PARTICIPATION;• Services have built-in mechanisms for ACCOUNTABILITY.

• Strategies:1. Supporting systems for birth registration.2. Promoting national data collection systems.

2. Service delivery:

1. Supporting legislative reform for child rights

2. Support to Parliaments

3. Justice for children:• Strengthening the system of justice for children;• Strengthening the capacity of those in contact with children in

conflict with the law;• Legal empowerment and access to justice.

3. Strategies in field of RoL:

1. Engaging children and youth in anti-corruption initiatives: Citizen’s score cards Taking part in public expenditure tracking Youth anti-corruption leagues

2. Improving the flow of information on key services to children and parents.

4. Strategies in field of anti-corruption:

Regional examples