For children's rights to have meaning, it is not enough for States to accept - or ratify - the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). They must put these rights into practice.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child has set out seven main ways this can be achieved:

Reform laws: all national legislation must comply with the CRC.

Set up independent national human rights institutions that monitor and protect children's rights.

Develop a national strategy to guarantee children's rights.

Make sure there is systematic coordination between all levels of government and the private sector.

Allocate sufficient resources to guarantee children's rights and make sure children are protected from the effects of any potential economic downturn.

Make sure everyone knows about the CRC through education, training and awareness raising.

Work with civil society to fulfill children's rights.

These steps are set out in full in the Committee's general comment no.5 on 'General Measures of Implementation'.

Other relevant provisions of the CRC include article four - "States must do all they can to implement children's rights within their means and seek international assistance if need be."

Article 44 requires States to report to the Committee on measures they are taking to make children's rights a reality.

Source: Crin