CRC/C/GC/19
realities of children, especially those in vulnerable situations, and do not harm children or
prevent their rights from being realized.
71.
The Committee recognizes the fact that macroeconomic and fiscal legislation,
policies and programmes can have an indirect impact on children, their guardians and
caregivers who may, for example, be affected by labour legislation or public debt
management. States parties should conduct child rights impact assessments of all legislation,
policies and programmes, including those of a macroeconomic and fiscal nature, in order to
ensure that they do not undermine the realization of children’s rights.
72.
Legislation, policies and programmes relevant to children should be part of decisionmaking and operations of international development cooperation and States parties’
memberships of international organizations. A State engaged with international
development or finance cooperation should take all measures necessary to ensure that such
cooperation is carried out in accordance with the Convention and its Optional Protocols.
73.
The Committee emphasizes the importance of States parties making cost estimates
of proposed legislation, policies and programmes that affect children, in order to ascertain
the level of financial resources needed and to enable budget planners and the relevant
decision makers in the executive and the legislature to make informed decisions on the
resources needed for their implementation.
3.
Mobilizing resources
74.
The Committee recognizes the importance of States’ legislation, policies and
systems in relation to revenue mobilization and borrowing to sustain available resources for
the rights of the child. States parties should take concrete sustainable measures to mobilize
domestic resources at the national and subnational levels, such as through taxes and non-tax
revenues.
75.
States parties shall seek international cooperation if the available resources to realize
the rights of children are insufficient. Such cooperation shall take the Convention and its
Optional Protocols into account both on the part of the recipient and the donor States. The
Committee underlines the fact that international and regional cooperation for the realization
of children’s rights can include mobilization of resources to targeted programmes, as well
as measures relating to taxation, combating tax evasion, debt management, transparency
and other issues.
76.
The mobilization of resources for public spending on child rights should itself be
conducted in a manner that adheres to the budget principles set out in section IV. A lack of
transparency in resource mobilization systems can lead to inefficiencies, mismanagement of
public finances and corruption. This in turn can lead to insufficient resources being
available to spend on the rights of the child. The different tax regimes that do not take into
account the ability of families to pay can lead to an inequity in resource mobilization. This
can place disproportionate revenue burdens on people with already scarce financial
resources, some of whom will be caring for children.
77.
States parties should mobilize the full extent of their available resources in a way
that is consistent with their obligations of implementation, by:
(a)
Conducting child rights impact assessments of legislation and policies
pertaining to resource mobilization;
(b)
Reviewing and ensuring that policies and formulas for the division of
revenue, both vertical (between different levels of the State) and horizontal (between units
at the same level), support and enhance equality among children in different geographical
regions;
GE.16-12638
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