COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDFifty-first session Geneva, 25 May-12 June 2009

provisional agenda and annotations

Note by the Secretary-General

The fifty-first session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 25 May to 12 June 2009. The first meeting of the session will be convened on Monday 25 May at 10 a.m.

In accordance with rule 6 of the provisional rules of procedure and in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, the Secretary-General has prepared the attached provisional agenda for the fifty-first session. Annotations to the provisional agenda are also attached.

Pursuant to rule 32 of the provisional rules of procedure, the meetings of the Committee shall be held in public, unless otherwise decided by the Committee.

The attention of the States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 6 which lists the reports that will be before the Committee at its fifty-first session.

A pre-sessional working group, established in accordance with rule 63 of the provisional rules of procedure, met at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2 to 6 February 2009.

GE.09-41537Provisional agenda

1. Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee.

2. Election of officers.

3.Adoption of the agenda

4. Organizational matters.

5.Submission of reports by States parties.

6.Consideration of reports of States parties.

7.Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies.

8.Methods of work of the Committee.

9. Days of general discussion.

10.General comments.

11.Future meetings.

12.Other matters.

Annotations

Item 1. Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee

In accordance with rule 15 of the provisional rules of procedure, the newly elected members of the Committee will make the following solemn declaration in open meeting:

“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, impartially and conscientiously.”

Item 2. Election of officers

In accordance with article 43, paragraph 9, of the Convention and rule 16 of the rules of procedure, the Committee shall elect from among its members officers of the Committee for a term of two years.

Item 3. Adoption of the agenda

Under rule 8 of the provisional rules of procedure, the first item on the provisional agenda shall be the adoption of the agenda, except for the election of officers, as and when required under rule 16. In accordance with rule 9 of the provisional rules of procedure, 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

Item 4. Organizational matters

Under this item, the Committee may wish to consider its programme of work for the session, as well as any other matter concerning the modalities of discharging its functions under the Convention.

Item 5. Submission of reports by States parties

Reports received

10.In addition to the reports which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its fifty-first session (see the timetable for consideration of reports under item 6 below), and reports included in the provisional agenda for the fiftieth session, document CRC/C/50/1, the Secretary-General has received the following reports under the Convention and its Optional Protocols.

Convention on the Rights of the Child

State party Due in Symbol

Bahrain1999CRC/C/BHR/3

Cambodia1999CRC/C/KHM/2

Cuba1998CRC/C/CUB/2

Egypt,third and fourth2002CRC/C/EGY/4

Iceland2008CRC/C/ISL/4

Italy2008CRC/C/ITA/4

Panama 2008CRC/C/PAN/3-4

Singapore2007CRC/C/SGP/3

Syrian Arab Republic2009CRC/C/SYR/4

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvementof children in armed conflict

State party Due in Symbol

Democratic Republic of the Congo 2004 CRC/C/OPAC/COD/1

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children,child prostitution and child pornography

State party Due in Symbol

Canada 2007 CRC/C/OPSC/CAN/1

Sweden2009CRC/C/OPSC/SWE/1

Togo2006CRC/C/OPSC/TGO/1

Overdue reports

11.Under rule 67 of the provisional rules of procedure, the Secretary-General is required to notify the Committee at each session of all cases of non-submission of reports. The full list of initial and periodic reports due under the Convention and the initial and periodic reports due under the Optional Protocols can be found in the document on the status of submission of reports (CRC/C/51/2). This document also indicates exceptional measures granted by the Committee to States parties that are encountering problems in complying with the strict time frame for submission of reports established by the Convention in article 44, paragraph 1, or the consideration of whose reports has been delayed.

Item 6. Consideration of reports of States parties

12.A tentative timetable for consideration of reports at the fifty-first session, prepared by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chairperson and subject to approval by the Committee, is given below.

Tentative timetable for consideration of reports of States parties

Date	Time	Agenda item	Report
Tuesday 26 May 2009	10 a.m.	6	France
	3 p.m.	6	France (cont’d.)
Wednesday 27 May 2009	10 a.m.	6	Sweden
	3 p.m.	6	Sweden (cont’d.)
Thursday 28 May 2009	10 a.m.	6	Mauritania
	3 p.m.	6	Mauritania (cont’d)
Friday 29 May 2009	10 a.m.	6	Slovenia OPAC and OPSC
	3.p.m.	6	Slovenia OPAC and OPSC (cont’d)
Wednesday 3 June 2009	10 a.m.	6	Bangladesh
	3 p.m.	6	Bangladesh (cont’d.)
Thursday 4 June 2009	10 a.m.	6	Niger
	3 p.m.	6	Niger (cont’d)
Friday 5 June 2009	10 a.m.	6	Romania
	3 p.m.	6	Romania (cont’d)
Tuesday 9 June 2009	10 a.m.	6	Oman OPAC and OPSC
	3 p.m.	6	Oman OPAC and OPSC (cont’d.)

13.In accordance with rule 68 of the provisional rules of procedure, representatives of the States parties shall be invited to attend the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined. Such representatives should be able to answer questions put to them by the Committee and make statements on reports already submitted by their State, and may also submit further information.

14.In accordance with rule 68 of the Committee’s provisional rules of procedure, the Secretary-General has notified the States parties concerned of the opening date, duration and place of the fifty-first session of the Committee, at which their respective reports will be examined, and has invited them to send representatives to attend these meetings of the Committee.

Item 7.Cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specializedagencies and other competent bodies

15.Under this item, the Committee will pursue its discussion on how existing cooperation with various relevant bodies could be further strengthened to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

Item 8. Methods of work of the Committee

16.Under this item, the Committee will pursue its discussion concerning the organization of its future work, as well as the procedure to be followed in the consideration of reports by States parties and their follow-up, including where necessary areas identified for technical assistance. In particular, the Committee will also discuss practicalities of working in two chambers, as well as discuss its treaty specific reporting guidelines.

Item 9. Days of general discussion

17.The Committee decided at its fiftie th session that a commemorat ion of the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child would be held during its fifty-third pre-sessional working group in October 2009 , in lieu of its annual day of general discussion.

Item 10. General comments

18.Under this item, the Committee will pursue the elaboration of general comments based on the various principles and provisions of the Convention, and specifically on two drafts, one on article 12 of the Convention, child participation, and one on article 3, the best interests of the child.

Item 11. Future meetings

19.Under this item, the Committee will be informed of any developments relating to the schedule of its future meetings.

Item 12. Other matters

20.Under this item, members will discuss such other matters relating to the work of the Committee as may be necessary.

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