violations; conducting public inquiries into large-scale abuses, mediating in conflict situations and undertaking legislative reviews to ensure compliance with the Convention. Where necessary, States should broaden the legislative mandate of national human rights institutions to accommodate children’s rights and business. When States develop national strategies and plans of action for implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols thereto, they should include explicit reference to the measures required to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in the actions and operations of business enterprises. States should also ensure that they monitor progress in implementation of the Conventionin the activities and operations of business. This can be achieved both internally through the use of child rights impact assessments and evaluations, as well as through collaboration with other bodies such as parliamentary committees, civil society organizations, professional associations and national human rights institutions. Monitoring should include asking children directly for their views on the impact of business on their rights. Different mechanisms for consultation can be used, such as youth councils and parliaments, social media, school councils and associations of children. 3.Child-rights impact assessments Ensuring that the best interests of the child are a primary consideration in business-related legislation and policy development and delivery at all levels of government demands continuous child-rights impact assessments. These can predict the impact of any proposed business-related policy, legislation, regulations, budget or other administrative decisions which affect children and the enjoyment of their rights and should complement ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the impact of laws, policies and programmes on children’s rights. Different methodologies and practices may be developed when undertaking child-rights impact assessments. At a minimum they must use the framework of the Conventionand the Optional Protocols thereto, as well as relevant concluding observations and general comments issued by the Committee. When States conduct broader impact assessments of business-related policy, legislation or administrative practices, they should ensure that these assessments are underpinned by the general principles of the Convention and the Optional Protocols theretoand have special regard for the differentiated impact on children of the measures under consideration. Child-rights impact assessments can be used to consider the impact on all children affected by the activities of a particular business or sector but can also include assessment of the differential impact of measures on certain categories of children. The assessment of the impact itself may be based upon input from children, civil society and experts, as well as from relevant government departments, academic research and experiences documented in the country or elsewhere. The analysis should result in recommendations for amendments, alternatives and improvements and be publicly available. To ensure an impartial and independent process, the State may consider appointing an external actor to lead the assessment process. This can have significant advantages, but the State, as the party ultimately responsible for the result, must ensure that the actor undertaking the assessment is competent, honest and impartial. E.Collaborative and awareness-raising measures While it is the State that takes on obligations under the Convention, the task of implementation needs to engage all sectors of society, including business, civil society and children themselves. The Committee recommends that States adopt and implement a comprehensive strategy to inform and educate all children, parents and caregivers that business has a responsibility to respect children’s rights wherever they operate, including through child-friendly and age-appropriate communications, for example through the provision of education about financial awareness. Education, training and awareness-raising about the Conventionshould also be targeted at business enterprises to emphasize the status of the child as a holder of human rights, encourage active respect for all of the Convention’s provisions and challenge and eradicate discriminatory attitudes towards all children and especially those in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations. In this context, the media should be encouraged to provide children with information about their rights in relation to business and raise awareness among businesses of their responsibility to respect children’s rights. The Committee highlights that national human rights institutions can be involved in raising awareness of the Convention’s provisions amongst business enterprises, for instance by developing good practice guidance and policies for businesses and disseminating them. Civil society has a critical role in the independent promotion and protection of children’s rights in the context of business operations. This includes monitoring and holding business accountable; supporting children to have access to justice and remedies; contributing to child-rights impact assessments; and raising awareness amongst businesses of their responsibility to respect children’s rights. States should ensure conditions for an active and vigilant civil society, including effective collaboration with and support to independent civil society organizations, child and youth-led organizations, academia, chambers of commerce and industry, trade unions, consumer associations and professional institutions. States should refrain from interfering with these and other independent organizations and facilitate their involvement in public policy and programmes relating to children’s rights and business. VII.Dissemination The Committee recommends that States widely disseminate thepresent general comment with parliament and across government, including within ministries, departments and municipal/local-level bodies working on business issues and those responsible for trade and investment abroad, such as development assistance agencies and overseas missions. The presentgeneral comment should be distributed to business enterprises, including those operating transnationally, as well as to small and medium-sized enterprises and actors in the informal sector. It should also be distributed and made known to professionals working for and with children, including judges, lawyers and legal aid providers, teachers, guardians, social workers, officials of public or private welfare institutions, as well as to all children and civil society. This will require translating it into relevant languages, making accessible and child-friendly versions available, holding workshops and seminars to discuss its implications and how best to implement it, and incorporating it into the training of all relevant professionals.