Committee on the Rights of the Child

Rules of procedure *

Contents

Rule Page

Part one General rules

I.Sessions

1.Meetings of the Committee5

2.Regular sessions5

3.Special sessions5

4.Place of sessions5

5.Notification of opening date of sessions5

II.Agenda

6.Provisional agenda for regular sessions6

7.Provisional agenda for special sessions6

8.Adoption of the agenda6

9.Revision of the agenda6

10.Transmission of the provisional agenda and basic documents6

III.Members of the Committee

11.Members6

12.Independence and impartiality7

13.Term of office7

14.Beginning of term of office7

15.Filling of casual vacancies7

16.Solemn declaration7

IV.Bureau

17.Officers8

18.Meetings and accountability of the Bureau8

19.Eligibility8

20.Term of office8

21.Elections8

22.Method of elections9

23.Conduct of elections when only one elective place is to be filled9

24.Conduct of elections when two or more elective places are to be filled9

25.Position of the Chair in relation to the Committee9

26.Acting Chair10

27.The Committee working in two chambers10

28.Replacement of officers10

V.Secretariat

29.Duties of the Secretary-General10

30.Statements10

31.Servicing of meetings10

32.Keeping the members informed11

33.Financial implications of proposals11

VI.Languages

34.Official and working languages11

35.Interpretation from an official language11

36.Interpretation from an unofficial language11

37.Languages of records11

38.Languages of decisions and official documents11

VII.Public and private meetings

39.Public and private meetings12

40.Issue of communiqués concerning private meetings12

41.Participation in meetings12

VIII.Records

42.Correction of summary records12

43.Distribution of summary records12

IX.Distribution of reports and other official documents of the Committee

44.Distribution of official documents13

X.Conduct of business

45.Quorum13

46.Powers of the Chair13

47.Points of order14

48.Time limitation14

49.List of speakers14

50.Suspension or adjournment of meetings14

51.Adjournment of debate14

52.Closure of debate14

53.Order of motions15

54.Submission of proposals15

55.Decisions on competence15

56.Withdrawal of motions15

57.Reconsideration of proposals15

XI.Voting

58.Voting rights15

59.Adoption of decisions16

60.Equally divided votes16

61.Method of voting16

62.Roll-call votes16

63.Conduct during voting and explanation of votes16

64.Division of proposals16

65.Order of voting on amendments16

66.Order of voting on proposals17

XII.Subsidiary bodies

67.Establishment of subsidiary bodies17

XIII.Reports of the Committee

68.Reports to the General Assembly17

69.Other reports17

Part two Functions of the Committee

XIV.Reports and information under articles 44 and 45 of the Convention

70.Submission of reports by States parties18

71.Non-submission of reports18

72.Attendance by States parties at the examination of reports18

73.Request for additional reports or information18

74.Request for other reports or advice19

75.Suggestions and general recommendations on a State party’s report19

76.Other general recommendations19

77.General comments on the Convention19

78.Transmission of States parties’ reports that contain a request or indicate a need for technical advice or assistance19

XV.General discussion

79.General discussion20

XVI.Requests for studies

80.Studies20

Part three Interpretation and amendments

XVII.Interpretation and amendments

81.Headings20

82.Amendments20

Part oneGeneral rules

I.Sessions

Rule 1Meetings of the Committee

The Committee on the Rights of the Child shall hold meetings as may be required for the effective performance of its functions in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Rule 2Regular sessions

1.The Committee shall normally hold three regular sessions annually.

2.Regular sessions of the Committee shall be convened at dates decided by the Committee in consultation with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, taking into account the calendar of conferences as approved by the General Assembly.

Rule 3Special sessions

1.Special sessions of the Committee shall be convened by decision of the Committee. When the Committee is not in session, the Chair may convene special sessions of the Committee in consultation with the other officers of the Committee. The Chair of the Committee shall also convene special sessions:

(a)At the request of a majority of the members of the Committee;

(b)At the request of a State party to the Convention.

2.Special sessions shall be convened as soon as possible at a date fixed by the Chair, in consultation with the Secretary-General and with the other officers of the Committee, taking into account the calendar of conferences as approved by the General Assembly.

Rule 4Place of sessions

Sessions of the Committee shall normally be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva. Another place for a session may be designated by the Committee in consultation with the Secretary-General, taking into account the relevant rules of the United Nations on the subject.

Rule 5Notification of opening date of sessions

The Secretary-General shall notify the members of the Committee of the date and place of the first meeting of each session. The notification shall be sent, in the case of regular sessions, at least six weeks in advance, and in the case of a special session, at least three weeks in advance of the first meeting.

II.Agenda

Rule 6Provisional agenda for regular sessions

The provisional agenda for each regular session shall be prepared by the Secretary‑General in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Convention, and shall include:

(a)Any item decided upon by the Committee at a previous session;

(b)Any item proposed by the Chair of the Committee;

(c)Any item proposed by a member of the Committee;

(d)Any item proposed by a State party to the Convention;

(e)Any item proposed by the Secretary-General relating to his functions under the Convention or these rules.

Rule 7Provisional agenda for special sessions

The provisional agenda for a special session of the Committee shall consist of only those items that were proposed for its consideration at the special session.

Rule 8Adoption of the agenda

The first item on the provisional agenda for any session shall be the adoption of the agenda, except for the election of the officers when required under rule 17 of these rules.

Rule 9Revision of the agenda

During a regular session, the Committee may revise the agenda and may, as appropriate, add, defer or delete items. Only urgent or important items may be added to the agenda.

Rule 10Transmission of the provisional agenda and basic documents

The provisional agenda and basic documents relating to items appearing thereon shall be transmitted to the members of the Committee by the Secretary-General as early as possible, and whenever possible simultaneously with the notification of the opening of a session under rule 5.

III.Members of the Committee

Rule 11Members

Members of the Committee shall be the 18 independent experts elected in accordance with article 43 of the Convention.

Rule 12Independence and impartiality

Members of the Committee shall exercise their functions in an independent and impartial manner in accordance with the guidelines on the independence and impartiality of members of the human rights treaty bodies (the Addis Ababa guidelines) (A/67/222, annexI), which form an integral part of these rules of procedure.

Rule 13Term of office

The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of four years. They shall be eligible for re-election if renominated.

Rule 14Beginning of term of office

The members of the Committee elected at the first election shall begin their term of office on 1 March 1991. In the case of members elected at subsequent elections, their term of office shall begin on the day following the date of expiry of the term of office of the members whom they replace.

Rule 15Filling of casual vacancies

1.If a member of the Committee dies or resigns or declares that for any other reason he or she can no longer perform his or her Committee duties, the Chair of the Committee shall notify the Secretary-General who shall then declare the seat of that member to be vacant.

2.If, in the unanimous opinion of the other members, a member of the Committee has ceased to carry out his or her functions for any reason other than absence of a temporary nature, the Chair of the Committee shall notify the Secretary-General, who shall then declare the seat of that member to be vacant.

3.Pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this rule, the Secretary-General shall request the State party that had nominated that member to appoint another expert from among its nationals within two months to serve for the remainder of his or her predecessor’s term.

4.The name and the curriculum vitae of the expert so appointed shall be transmitted by the Secretary-General to the Committee for approval by secret ballot. Upon approval of the expert by the Committee, the Secretary-General shall notify the States parties to the Convention of the name of the member of the Committee filling a casual vacancy.

5.Except in the case of a vacancy arising from a member’s death or proven disability, the Secretary-General and the Committee shall act in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 of this rule only after receiving from the member concerned written notification of his or her decision to cease to function as a member of the Committee.

Rule 16Solemn declaration

Upon assuming his or her duties, each member of the Committee shall make the following solemn declaration in open Committee:

“I solemnly declare that I will perform my duties and exercise my powers as a member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child honourably, faithfully and conscientiously and observe the principles of independence and impartiality of the human rights treaty bodies adopted by the Committee.”

IV.Bureau

Rule 17Officers

1.The Committee shall elect from among its members a Chair and four Vice-Chairs, who shall together constitute the Bureau of the Committee. One of the Vice-Chairs shall serve as Rapporteur according to the decision of the Bureau.

2.In electing its officers, the Committee shall give due consideration to equitable geographic representation, appropriate gender balance and representation of the three working languages of the Committee.

3.The Committee should, to the extent possible, also ensure geographic rotation of the Chair.

Rule 18Meetings and accountability of the Bureau

The Bureau shall meet regularly during sessions and be accountable to the Committee for the performance of its functions. It shall regularly inform the Committee about matters under consideration and about its decisions on such matters.

Rule 19Eligibility

1.Subject to rule 17 (2) and (3) and rule 20, every member of the Committee shall be eligible for election to any position in the Bureau.

2.No officer of the Committee may hold office if he or she ceases to be a member of the Committee.

Rule 20Term of office

1.The officers of the Bureau shall be elected for a term of two years and shall be eligible for re-election to the same or any other office in the Bureau once only. However, no officer who has served as Chair shall be eligible for re-election to that office.

2.Apart from in exceptional circumstances, no officer who has served twice as an officer of the Bureau shall be eligible for re-election.

Rule 21Elections

1.Elections shall take place during a formal meeting of the Committee, at the opening of the May/June session, every two years (odd years), in a closed meeting.

2.The most senior member of the Committee, in terms of length of service, shall preside over the election of the Chair in plenary. Where there are two or more members with the same length of service, the most senior member in terms of age shall preside over the election. The elected Chair shall preside over the elections of the other members of the Bureau in plenary.

3.The quorum for elections is two thirds of the members. Should there not be a quorum, the election is postponed to a later date, announced to all members during the same session. During this next meeting, a simple majority constitutes the quorum to elect officers of the Committee.

4.In case of postponement of the elections for whatever reason, the outgoing Chair, if available, will conduct the Committee; if not, one of the outgoing Vice-Chairs, after consultation among themselves, will act as Chair in his or her place.

5.At the close of the elections meeting, the Committee issues a communiqué, through the Secretary-General, for the use of States, non-governmental organizations, the United Nations agencies, the information media and the general public.

Rule 22Method of elections

1.The Committee shall vote by secret ballot.

2.The presiding Chair will draw a list of candidates.

3.The officers are elected by the simple majority of the votes expressed. Each member of the Committee shall have one vote.

Rule 23Conduct of elections when only one elective place is to be filled

1.When only one officer is to be elected and no candidate in the first ballot obtains the majority required, a second ballot shall be taken, which shall be restricted to the two candidates who obtained the greatest number of votes.

2.If the second ballot is inconclusive, a third ballot shall be taken in which votes may be cast for any eligible candidate. If the third ballot is inconclusive, the next ballot shall be restricted to the two candidates who obtained the greatest number of votes in the third ballot and so on, with unrestricted and restricted ballots alternating until a member is elected.

Rule 24Conduct of elections when two or more elective places are to be filled

1.When two or more elective places are to be filled at one time under the same conditions, those candidates obtaining the majority required in the first ballot shall be elected.

2.If the number of candidates obtaining such a majority is less than the number of persons or members to be elected, there shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining places. The voting then shall be restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes in the previous ballot and to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled, provided that, after the third inconclusive ballot, votes may be cast for any eligible candidates.

3.If three such unrestricted ballots are inconclusive, the next three ballots shall be restricted to the candidates who obtain the greatest number of votes in the third of the unrestricted ballots and to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled. The following three ballots shall be unrestricted, and so on, until all the places have been filled.

Rule 25Position of the Chair in relation to the Committee

1.The Chair shall perform the functions conferred upon him or her by the Convention, these rules of procedure and the Addis Ababa guidelines.

2.In exercising his or her functions, the Chair shall remain under the authority of the Committee.

Rule 26Acting Chair

1.If the Chair is unable to be present at a meeting or any part thereof, he or she shall designate one of the Vice-Chairs to act in his or her place. In the absence of such a designation, one of the Vice-Chairs, after consultation among themselves, shall act as Chair in his or her place.

2. Any officer serving as Acting Chair shall have the same powers and duties as the Chair.

Rule 27The Committee working in two chambers

1.When the Committee is working in two chambers, the Chair acts as Chair of one of the chambers, and one of the four Vice-Chairs acts as Chair of the other chamber.

2.The Chair, in consultation with the Bureau, will designate the Vice-Chair who will chair the second chamber.

Rule 28Replacement of officers

If any of the officers of the Committee ceases, or declares his or her inability, to continue serving as an officer of the Committee, a new officer shall be elected for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor, respecting the rules of elections.

V.Secretariat

Rule 29Duties of the Secretary-General

1.The secretariat of the Committee and of such subsidiary bodies as may be established by the Committee under rule 67 shall be provided by the Secretary-General.

2.The Secretary-General shall provide the Committee with the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of its functions under the Convention.

Rule 30Statements

The Secretary-General or his representative shall be present at all sessions of the Committee. Subject to rule 46, the Secretary-General or his representative may make oral or written statements at meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies.

Rule 31Servicing of meetings

The Secretary-General shall be responsible for all the necessary arrangements for meetings of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies.

Rule 32Keeping the members informed

The Secretary-General shall be responsible for keeping the members of the Committee informed of any questions that may be brought before it for consideration or of any other developments that may be of relevance to the Committee.

Rule 33Financial implications of proposals

Before any proposal that involves expenditures is approved by the Committee or by its subsidiary bodies, the Secretary-General shall prepare and circulate to its members, as early as possible, an estimate of the cost involved in the proposal. It shall be the duty of the Chair to draw the attention of the members to this estimate and to invite discussion on it when the proposal is considered by the Committee or by a subsidiary body.

VI.Languages

Rule 34Official and working languages

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be the official languages and English, French and Spanish the working languages of the Committee.

Rule 35Interpretation from an official language

Statements made in any of the official languages shall be interpreted into the other official languages.

Rule 36Interpretation from an unofficial language

Any person addressing the Committee and using a language other than one of the official languages shall provide for interpretation into and from one of the working languages. Interpretation into the other official languages by interpreters of the secretariat shall be based upon the interpretation given in the first working language.

Rule 37Languages of records

Concerning the language of the summary records, rule 42 will apply.

Rule 38Languages of decisions and official documents

All decisions of the Committee shall be made available in the official languages. All official documents of the Committee shall be issued in the working languages and any of them may be issued in the other official languages upon decision of the Committee.

VII.Public and private meetings

Rule 39Public and private meetings

The meetings of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies shall be held in public, unless the Committee decides otherwise.

Rule 40Issue of communiqués concerning private meetings

At the close of each private meeting, the Committee or its subsidiary bodies may issue a communiqué, through the Secretary-General, for the use of the information media and the general public.

Rule 41Participation in meetings

1.In conformity with article 45 (a) of the Convention, representatives of the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other United Nations organs shall be entitled to be represented at the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the Convention as fall within the scope of their mandate. Representatives of the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other United Nations organs may participate in private meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies, when invited by the Committee to do so.

2.Representatives of other competent bodies concerned that are not included among those in paragraph 1 of this rule may participate in public or private meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies, when invited by the Committee to do so.

VIII.Records

Rule 42Correction of summary records

1.As a general rule, public sessions will be recorded and transmitted online. In the event of a technical impossibility or at the express request of a member of the Committee or any other participants in the meetings, written summary records will be issued. Concerning private meetings, only minutes of the decisions shall be kept, unless a member of the Committee or any other participants in the meeting explicitly request a summary record.

2. If summary records are taken, they will be written in the working languages. All participants in the meetings may, within three working days of the receipt of such records, submit corrections to the secretariat in the languages in which the records have been issued. Corrections to the records of the meetings shall be consolidated in a single corrigendum to be issued at the end of the session concerned. Any disagreement concerning such corrections shall be decided upon by the Chair of the Committee or, in the case of continued disagreement, by decision of the Committee.

Rule 43Distribution of summary records

1.The recordings of public meetings shall be accessible to the public, both during the session and afterwards. In the case that written summary records are taken, they shall be available for general distribution.

2.The summary records of private meetings shall be distributed to the members of the Committee and to other participants in the meetings. They may be made available to others upon decision of the Committee at such time and under such conditions as the Committee may decide.

IX.Distribution of reports and other official documents of the Committee

Rule 44Distribution of official documents

1.Without prejudice to the provisions of rule 43 and subject to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this rule, reports, decisions and all other official documents of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies shall be documents for general distribution, unless the Committee decides otherwise.

2.Reports and information furnished to the Committee by the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund or other United Nations organs and competent bodies pursuant to article 45 (a) of the Convention and to rule 74 shall be distributed by the secretariat to all members of the Committee and, if so decided by the Committee, to members of its subsidiary bodies, States parties concerned and other participants at the meetings. Such reports and information shall normally be made available to the Committee in the language in which they have been submitted, unless otherwise decided by the Committee or the Chair.

3.Reports and additional information submitted by States parties pursuant to article 44 of the Convention and to rules 70 and 73 shall be documents for general distribution.

X.Conduct of business

Rule 45Quorum

Twelve members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Rule 46Powers of the Chair

l.In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon the Chair by the Convention, elsewhere by these rules and by the Addis Ababa guidelines, the Chair shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Committee, direct the discussion, ensure observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions.

2.The Chair, subject to these rules, shall have control of the proceedings of the Committee and over the maintenance of order at its meetings.

3.In the course of the discussion of an item, the Chair may propose to the Committee a limitation on the time to be allowed to speakers and on the number of times each person may speak on any question, and the closure of the list of speakers.

4.The Chair shall rule on points of order.

5.The Chair may also propose adjournment or closure of the debate or adjournment or suspension of a meeting. Debate shall be confined to the question before the Committee, and the Chair may call a speaker to order if his or her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

Rule 47Points of order

During the discussion of any matter, a member may, at any time, raise a point of order. The point of order shall immediately be decided upon by the Chair in accordance with these rules of procedure. Any appeal against the ruling of the Chair shall immediately be put to the vote, and the ruling of the Chair shall stand unless it is overruled by a majority of the members present. A member raising a point of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.

Rule 48Time limitation

The Committee may limit the time allowed to each speaker on any question. When debate is limited and a speaker exceeds his or her allotted time, the Chair shall call him or her to order without delay.

Rule 49List of speakers

During the course of a debate, the Chair may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Committee, declare the list closed. The Chair may, however, accord the right of reply to any speaker if a speech delivered after he or she has declared the list closed makes this desirable. When the debate on an item is concluded because there are no other speakers, the Chair shall declare the debate closed. Such a closure shall have the same effect as closure by consent of the Committee.

Rule 50Suspension or adjournment of meetings

During the discussion of any matter, a member may move for the suspension or adjournment of the meeting. No discussion on such motions shall be permitted, and they shall immediately be put to the vote.

Rule 51Adjournment of debate

During the discussion of any matter, a member may move for the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. In addition to the person who proposed the motion, one member may speak in favour and one against the motion, after which the motion shall immediately be put to the vote.

Rule 52Closure of debate

A member may, at any time, move for the closure of the debate on the item under discussion, whether or not any other member or representative had signified his or her wish to speak. Permission to speak on the closure of the debate shall be accorded only to two members opposing the closure, after which the motion shall immediately be put to the vote.

Rule 53Order of motions

Subject to rule 47, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the meeting:

(a)To suspend the meeting;

(b)To adjourn the meeting;

(c)To adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;

(d)To close the debate on the item under discussion.

Rule 54Submission of proposals

Unless otherwise decided by the Committee, substantive proposals, amendments and motions submitted by the members shall be introduced in writing and handed to the secretariat and their consideration shall, if so requested by any member, be deferred until the next meeting on a following day.

Rule 55Decisions on competence

Subject to rule 53, any motion by a member calling for a decision on the competence of the Committee to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall immediately be put to the vote before a vote is taken on the proposal in question.

Rule 56Withdrawal of motions

A motion may be withdrawn by the member who proposed it at any time before voting upon it has commenced, provided that the motion has not been amended. A motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any member.

Rule 57Reconsideration of proposals

When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered at the same session unless the Committee, by a two-thirds majority of its members present, so decides. Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded to only two members in favour of and two members in opposition to the motion, after which it shall immediately be put to the vote.

XI.Voting

Rule 58Voting rights

Each member of the Committee shall have one vote.

Rule 59Adoption of decisions

Except as otherwise provided in the Convention and elsewhere in these rules, decisions of the Committee shall be made by a majority of the members present.

Rule 60Equally divided votes

If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected.

Rule 61Method of voting

Unless otherwise decided by the Committee, and subject to rules 15 and 22, the Committee shall vote by a show of hands. Any member may request a roll-call, which shall be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the members of the Committee, beginning with the member whose name is drawn by lot by the Chair.

Rule 62Roll-call votes

The vote of each member participating in any roll-call shall be inserted in the record.

Rule 63Conduct during voting and explanation of votes

After the voting has commenced, there shall be no interruption of the voting except on a point of order by a member in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. Brief statements by members consisting solely of explanations of their votes may be permitted by the Chair before the voting has commenced or after the voting has been completed.

Rule 64Division of proposals

Parts of a proposal shall be voted upon separately if a member requests that the proposal be divided. Those parts of the proposal that have been approved shall then be put to the vote as a whole. If all of the operative parts of the proposal have been rejected, the proposal shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

Rule 65Order of voting on amendments

1.When an amendment to a proposal is moved, the amendment shall be voted upon first. When two or more amendments to a proposal are moved, the Committee shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed therefrom and so on, until all amendments have been put to the vote. If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon.

2.A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal.

Rule 66Order of voting on proposals

1.If two or more proposals relate to the same question, the Committee shall, unless it decides otherwise, vote upon the proposals in the order in which they have been submitted.

2.The Committee may, after each vote on a proposal, decide whether to vote upon the next proposal.

3.Any motions requiring that no decision be taken on the substance of such proposals shall, however, be considered as previous questions and shall be put to the vote before those proposals.

XII.Subsidiary bodies

Rule 67Establishment of subsidiary bodies

1.The Committee may, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and subject to the provisions of rule 33 whenever applicable, set up such subcommittees and other ad hoc subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary and define their composition and mandates.

2.Each subsidiary body shall elect its own officers and may adopt its own rules of procedure. Failing the adoption of such rules, the present rules of procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis.

XIII.Reports of the Committee

Rule 68Reports to the General Assembly

The Committee shall submit to the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, every two years reports on its activities under the Convention and may submit such other reports as it considers appropriate.

Rule 69Other reports

The Committee, or its subsidiary bodies, may issue for general distribution other reports on its activities. The Committee may also issue reports for general distribution in order to highlight specific problems in the field of the rights of the child.

Part twoFunctions of the Committee

XIV.Reports and information under articles 44 and 45 of the Convention

Rule 70Submission of reports by States parties

1.States parties shall submit reports, through the Secretary-General, pursuant to article 44 of the Convention.

2.States parties shall submit such reports within two years after the entry into force of the Convention for the State party concerned and thereafter they shall submit subsequent reports every five years and such additional reports or information in the intervening period as the Committee may request.

3.The Committee, through the Secretary-General, shall indicate to the States parties the form and contents of reports or information to be supplied to the Committee, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of this rule.

Rule 71Non-submission of reports

1.At each session, the Secretary-General shall notify the Committee of all cases of non‑submission of reports or additional information under article 44 of the Convention and rule 70 of these rules. In such cases, the Committee shall transmit to the State party concerned, through the Secretary-General, a reminder concerning the submission of the report or additional information and undertake any other efforts in a spirit of dialogue between the State concerned and the Committee.

2.If, even after the reminder and other efforts referred to in paragraph 1 of this rule, the State party does not submit the required report or additional information, the Committee shall consider the situation as it deems necessary and shall include a reference to this effect in its report to the General Assembly.

Rule 72Attendance by States parties at the examination of reports

The Committee, through the Secretary-General, shall notify the States parties, as early as possible, of the opening date, duration and place of the session at which their respective reports will be examined. Representatives of the States parties shall be invited to attend the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined. The Committee may also inform a State party from which it decides to seek additional information that the State party may authorize its representative to be present at a specified meeting; the representative should be able to answer questions that may be put to him or her by the Committee and make statements on reports already submitted by his or her State, and may also submit further information from his or her State.

Rule 73Request for additional reports or information

If, in the opinion of the Committee, a report submitted by a State party pursuant to article 44 of the Convention does not contain sufficient information, the Committee may request that State to furnish an additional report or additional information, indicating the time limit within which the additional report or information should be supplied.

Rule 74Request for other reports or advice

1.The Committee may invite the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other United Nations organs, pursuant to article 45 (a) of the Convention, to submit to it reports on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities.

2.The Committee may invite the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other competent bodies, as it may consider appropriate, to provide it with expert advice, pursuant to article 45 (a) of the Convention, on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within their respective mandates.

3.The Committee may indicate, as appropriate, the time limit within which such reports or advice should be supplied to the Committee.

Rule 75Suggestions and general recommendations on a State party’s report

1.After its consideration of each report of a State party, together with such reports, information or advice, if any, received pursuant to articles 44 and 45 (a) of the Convention, the Committee may make such suggestions and general recommendations on the implementation on of the Convention by the reporting State as it may consider appropriate.

2.The Committee shall transmit, through the Secretary-General, suggestions and general recommendations it has decided upon to the State party concerned for its comments. The Committee may, where necessary, indicate the time limit within which such comments from States parties are to be received.

3.The Committee shall include in its reports to the General Assembly suggestions and general recommendations together with comments, if any, received from States parties.

Rule 76Other general recommendations

1.The Committee may make other general recommendations based on information received pursuant to articles 44 and 45 of the Convention.

2.The Committee shall include such other general recommendations in its reports to the General Assembly together with comments, if any, received from States parties.

Rule 77General comments on the Convention

1.The Committee may prepare general comments based on the articles and provisions of the Convention with a view to promoting its further implementation and assisting States parties in fulfilling their reporting obligations.

2.The Committee shall include such general comments in its reports to the General Assembly.

Rule 78Transmission of States parties’ reports that contain a request or indicate a need for technical advice or assistance

1.The Committee shall transmit, as it may consider appropriate, to the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other competent bodies reports and information received from States parties that contain a request or indicate a need for technical advice or assistance.

2.The reports and information received from States parties in accordance with paragraph 1 of this rule shall be transmitted along with observations and suggestions, if any, of the Committee on these requests or indications.

XV.General discussion

Rule 79General discussion

In order to enhance a deeper understanding of the content and implications of the Convention, the Committee may devote one or more meetings of its regular sessions to a general discussion on one specific article of the Convention or related subject.

XVI.Requests for studies

Rule 80Studies

1.As provided in article 45 (c) of the Convention, the Committee may recommend to the General Assembly to request the Secretary-General to undertake on its behalf studies on specific issues relating to the rights of the child.

2.The Committee may also invite the submission of studies from other bodies on topics of relevance to the Committee.

Part threeInterpretation and amendments

XVII.Interpretation and amendments

Rule 81Headings

For the purpose of the interpretation of these rules, the headings, which were inserted for reference purposes only, shall be disregarded.

Rule 82Amendments

These rules of procedure and the Addis Ababa guidelines may be amended by a decision of the Committee, without prejudice to the relevant provisions of the Convention.