2936th Meeting, 100th Session, Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Good afternoon. I hereby open the 2936th meeting of the 100th Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Before moving to the more formal parts agenda of this closed session, I will make some general closing remarks. As we conclude the Jubilee 100th Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, This moment invites reflection on our shared achievements, but also sober consideration of the challenges that lie ahead. This session has reaffirmed the enduring authority of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the essential role of this Committee in translating its principles into concrete guidance, accountability, and change. For 35 years, the Committee has served as a cornerstone of the international child rights protection system, shaping legal frameworks, influencing policy choices, and ensuring that children are recognized and treated as rights holders in law and in practice. At the same time, this session has taken place against the backdrop of global— profound global uncertainty. The erosion of children's rights across regions, the persistence of armed conflicts causing killing, injuring, and traumatizing of children, as well as their displacement, losing of families, and many other sorrows. All forms of violence against children online and offline, including sexual exploitation and abuse, widening inequalities and discrimination of those most vulnerable, poverty, environmental crisis, and rapidly evolving digital risks, including those in the context of artificial intelligence, underscore the continued and growing need for the Committee's work. Yet paradoxically, the very mechanism designed to protect children's rights are increasingly constrained. The ongoing liquidity crisis within the United Nations system is no longer an abstract concern, unfortunately. It has had tangible and troubling consequences for this Committee, including cancelled sessions and pre-sessional working groups, uncertainty affecting the work of the Committee members, and the Secretariat, and limitations on our ability to engage consistently with State Parties, civil society, and children. Each disruption weakens the protective framework of the Convention, delays urgently needed reforms, and diminishes the visibility and accessibility of children's rights at a time when they are most under threat. If left unaddressed, these constraints risk undermining the effectiveness, independence, and continuity of the Committee's work. The cost of inaction will not be measured in institutional terms alone, but in missed opportunities to prevent harm, to advance justice, and to improve the lives of millions of children continues to be upheld today and in the years to come. As of January 13th, 2026, the closing date of the 100th session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, there are 196 State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, So there is still one State that has not ratified. 173 State Parties to the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, 178 State Parties to the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and 53 State Parties to Optional Protocol There have been no new ratifications or accessions since the beginning of this session. The Committee on the Rights of the Child held its 100th session in Geneva from January 12th to 13th, 2026. The Committee held 13 meetings. An account of the Committee's deliberations at its 100th session will be contained in the relevant summary records. However, the Committee regrets the cancellation of the pre-session working group expected to be held during the week following the end of the session because of the UN liquidity situation. 17 members of the Committee were able to attend this session, which was held in Geneva in person. At its 2907th meeting, held on January 12, 2026, the Committee adopted its Programme of Work and received an update from OHCHR on the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its 3 Optional Protocols. The Committee reviewed the following 7 State Parties in person during this session: Colombia, 6th and 7th periodic reports under the Convention. Ethiopia, 6th and 7th periodic reports under the Convention. Ghana, 6th and 7th periodic reports under the Convention. Malaysia, 2nd and 4th periodic reports under the Convention. Maldives, 6th and 7th periodic reports under the Convention. Pakistan's 6th and 7th periodic reports under the Convention and initial report under the Optional Protocol on Sale of Children, Child Pornography, and Child Prostitution. Spain's 7th periodic report under the Convention under the simplified reporting procedure. This brings the total number of reports considering— considered during this session to 8. If there are no further comments, we hereby formally adopt the concluding observations for the above-mentioned State Parties. The concluding observations will be available on the OHCHR website on Thursday, 5th of February, 2026. Referring to work under the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure. The committee adopted decisions on 19 individual communications received under the Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure, OPIC, against Chile, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Finland, and Switzerland on issues of non-refoulement, age determination of unaccompanied migrant children, family reunification, and enforcement of decisions to ensure contact with parents. The Committee found violations in 7 cases. It declared 3 cases inadmissible, and it discontinued 9 cases. Finally, the Committee adopted its report on follow-up to individual communications, where it assessed The compliance by State Parties with the Committee's decision. The Committee decided to close the follow-up dialogue in 4 cases, including 2 cases against Denmark with an A assessment, full compliance, and 2 cases against Finland with an A assessment, full compliance, and a B assessment, partial compliance, respectively. Thank you to the Working Group on Communications and its coordinator. The Committee also discussed inquiries under Article 13 of the Optional Protocol. We are currently dealing with 4 inquiries. Thanks to the case rapporteurs and the members of the Working Group. Thanks to the Working Group on Inquiries and its coordinator. On working methods. Under this item, the Committee discussed issues related to its methods of work and continued its discussion on follow-up to the treaty body strengthening process in the context of the United Nations liquidity crisis. Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, and other competent bodies. Thank you. With regards to cooperation with the United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, and other relevant bodies, we would like to thank our many partners, including United Nations agencies, NGOs, national human rights institutions, and of course children and young people, for all their valuable support for the work of the Committee. About the general comments The Committee continued its work on the next General Comment, No. 27, Children's Rights to Access to Justice and to an Effective Remedy. Regarding the other activities of the Committee, I'd like to draw your attention to the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in the context of artificial intelligence. Together with the International Telecommunications Union and UNICEF, and in cooperation with 11 other UN entities, the Committee co-led the development of the Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence and the Rights of the Child. This was a truly inclusive, year-long, multi-stakeholder process involving governments, civil society, academia, technology companies, and critically, children themselves from all 5 UN regions. Launched recently on the 19th of January in Geneva, where many of State Parties attended, the Joint Statement represents the first international document dedicated specifically to children's rights in the context of AI. It establishes a unified global position and a shared normative framework, setting out 11 key areas to guide how AI should be designed, developed, and deployed in line with the Convention. We now look forward to its effective implementation. And internally, the Committee is also taking Committee is also taking steps to strengthen its own functioning. We are actively working on improving our Rules of Procedure, including with a view to greater harmonization with other treaty bodies. This reflects our commitment to effectiveness, transparency, and consistency so that we can better serve State Parties and, most importantly, children. The next session. The Committee was expected to hold its 101st session in May 2026. However, the session is currently pending confirmation because of the UN liquidity situation. I hereby adopt the report on the 100th session. And of course, I would like to thank OHCHR, The CRC team, the Secretariat, Allegra, Christine, Firuza, José, Nina, and Simone. Special thanks to dear James. Special thanks to dear Andrea. Colleagues from the Petitions Section, the Secretary for Petitions, Anna, Teodora, Caspar, Carolina, Elena, and Marie. Intern Fiona, conference officers, in particular Yasin, precision writers, media officers, sound operators, online moderators, ITU tech— IT technical support, in particular Mikhail and Adrian, and our valued interpreters. Most importantly, I would like from my heart to thank my dear colleagues of the CRC. Your outstanding expertise, everyday hard work, enthusiasm, and great dedication to children of the world inspires me. I'd like to acknowledge how much you are suffering from uncertainty due to liquidity crisis, How much of your personal and working time you sacrifice for this work for children, and how much dedicated you are. I'd like to thank each and every of you for doing it for children of the world. I formally close the 100th Jubilee Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Thank you.