CRC/GC/2003/5
page 16
understand the implications of the Convention, and above all its confirmation of the equal status
of children as subjects of rights, it is most unlikely that the rights set out in the Convention will
be realized for many children.
67.
The Committee proposes that States should develop a comprehensive strategy for
disseminating knowledge of the Convention throughout society. This should include
information on those bodies - governmental and independent - involved in implementation and
monitoring and on how to contact them. At the most basic level, the text of the Convention
needs to be made widely available in all languages (and the Committee commends the collection
of official and unofficial translations of the Convention made by OHCHR. There needs to be a
strategy for dissemination of the Convention among illiterate people. UNICEF and NGOs in
many States have developed child-friendly versions of the Convention for children of various
ages - a process the Committee welcomes and encourages; these should also inform children of
sources of help and advice.
68.
Children need to acquire knowledge of their rights and the Committee places special
emphasis on incorporating learning about the Convention and human rights in general into the
school curriculum at all stages. The Committee’s general comment No. 1 (2001) entitled “The
aims of education” (art. 29, para. 1), should be read in conjunction with this. Article 29,
paragraph 1, requires that the education of the child shall be directed to “… the development of
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms … ”. The general comment underlines:
“Human rights education should provide information on the content of human rights treaties.
But children should also learn about human rights by seeing human rights standards
implemented in practice whether at home, in school or within the community. Human rights
education should be a comprehensive, lifelong process and start with the reflection of human
rights values in the daily life and experiences of children.”19
69.
Similarly, learning about the Convention needs to be integrated into the initial and
in-service training of all those working with and for children (see paragraph 53 above). The
Committee reminds States parties of the recommendations it made following its meeting on
general measures of implementation held to commemorate the tenth anniversary of adoption of
the Convention, in which it recalled that “dissemination and awareness-raising about the rights
of the child are most effective when conceived as a process of social change, of interaction and
dialogue rather than lecturing. Raising awareness should involve all sectors of society,
including children and young people. Children, including adolescents, have the right to
participate in raising awareness about their rights to the maximum extent of their evolving
capacities”.20
“The Committee recommends that all efforts to provide training on the rights of
the child be practical, systematic and integrated into regular professional training in order
to maximize its impact and sustainability. Human rights training should use participatory
methods, and equip professionals with skills and attitudes that enable them to interact
with children and young people in a manner that respects their rights, dignity and
self-respect.”21
70.
The media can play a crucial role in the dissemination of the Convention and knowledge
and understanding of it and the Committee encourages their voluntary engagement in the
process, which may be stimulated by governments and by NGOs.22