United Nations
CRC/C/GC/15
Distr.: General
Convention on the Rights of the Child
17 April 2013
Original: English
Committee on the Rights of the Child
General comment No. 15 (2013) on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of health (art. 24)*
Contents
Paragraphs Page
I.Introduction1–63
II.Principles and premises for realizing children’s right to health7–224
A.The indivisibility and interdependence of children’s rights74
B.Right to non-discrimination8–114
C.The best interests of the child12–155
D.Right to life, survival and development and the determinants
of children’s health16–186
E.Right of the child to be heard197
F.Evolving capacities and the lifecourse of the child20–227
III.Normative content of article 2423–708
A.Article 24, paragraph 123–318
B.Article 24, paragraph 232–709
IV.Obligations and responsibilities71–8516
A.States parties’ obligations to respect, protect and fulfil71–7416
B.Responsibilities of non-States actors75–8517
V.International cooperation86–8918
VI.Framework for implementation and accountability90–12019
A.Promoting knowledge of children’s right to health (art. 42)9319
B.Legislative measures94–9519
C.Governance and coordination96–10320
D.Investing in children’s health104–10721
E.The action cycle108–11822
F.Remedies for violations of the right to health119–12024
VII.Dissemination12124
I.Introduction
The present general comment is based on the importance of approaching children’s health from a child-rights perspectivethat all
childrenhave the right to opportunities to survive, grow and develop, within the context of physical, emotional and social well-being,
to each child’s full potential. Throughout this general comment, “child” refers to an individual below the age of 18 years, in
accordance with article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter “the Convention’’). Despite the remarkable
achievements infulfilling children’s rights to health in recent years since the adoption of the Convention, significant challenges remain.