C ommittee on the Rights of the Child Fifty- sixth session

Geneva, 17 January – 4 February 2011

Provisional agenda and annotations

Note by the Secretary-General*

1.The fifty-sixth session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 17 January to 4 February 2011. The first meeting of the session will be convened on Monday 17 January at 10 a.m.

2.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-sixth session. Annotations to the provisional agenda are also attached.

3.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.

4.The attention of States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 4 which lists the reports that will be before the Committee at its fifty-sixth session.

5.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 7 to 11 February 2011.

Provisional agenda

1.Adoption of the agenda.

2. Organizational matters.

3.Submission of reports by States parties.

4.Consideration of reports of States parties.

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

6.Methods of work of the Committee.

7.Days of general discussion.

8.General comments.

9.Future meetings.

10.Other matters.

Annotations to the provisional agenda

1.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.

2.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.

3. Submission of reports by States parties

Reports received

In addition to the reports which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its fifty-sixth session (see the timetable for consideration of reports under item 4 below), and reports included in the provisional agenda for the fifty-fifth session (CRC/C/55/1), 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

Luxembourg2010CRC/C/LUX/3-4

Monaco2005CRC/C/MCO/2-3

China2009CRC/C/CHN/3-4

Kuwait1998CRC/C/KWT/2

Kyrgyzstan2010CRC/C/KGZ/3-4

Gambia2002CRC/C/GMB/2-3

Indonesia2007CRC/C/IDN/3-4

Germany2009CRC/C/DEU/3-4

Cook Islands1999CRC/C/COK/1

Congo 2010CRC/C/COG/2-4

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict

State party Due in Symbol

Paraguay2004CRC/C/OPAC/PRY/1

Russian Federation2010CRC/C/OPAC/RUS/1

China2010CRC/C/OPAC/CHN/1

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

State party Due in Symbol

Paraguay2005CRC/C/OPSC/PRY/1

Republic of Moldova2009CRC/C/OPSC/MDA/1

Overdue reports

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/56/2). 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.

4.Consideration of reports of States parties

A tentative timetable for consideration of reports at the fifty-sixth 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	State party
Tuesday, 1 8 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m.	4 4	Afghanistan CRC Afghanistan (continued)
Wednesday, 1 9 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m.	4 4	New Zealand CR C New Zealand (continued)
Thursday, 20 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m.	4 4	Singapore CRC Singapore CRC (continued)
Monday, 24 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m .	4 4	Denmark CRC Denmark CRC (continued)
Tuesday, 25 January	10 a.m . 3 p.m .	4 4	Belarus CRC , OPSC and OPAC Belarus (continued )
Wednesday, 26 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m.	4 4	Belarus (continued) Closed meeting
Thursday , 2 7 January	10 a.m. 3 p.m .	4 4	Lao People’s Democratic Republic CRC Lao People’s Democratic Republic (continued)
Friday, 28 January	10 a.m . 3 p.m .	4 4	Ukraine CRC and OPAC Ukraine (continued)
Monday, 31 January	10 a.m . 3 p.m .	4 4	Mexico OPSC and OPSC Mexico (continued)

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. Representatives should be able to answer questions put to them by the Committee and make statements on reports already submitted by their States, and may also submit further information.

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-sixth 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.

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

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.

6. Methods of work of the Committee

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.

7.Days of general discussion

The Committee decided at its fifty-fifth session that the theme of the day of general discussion to be held i n 201 1 would be “ Children of prisoners ” .

8.General comments

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 article 3, the principle of the best interests of the child, on article 19, related to protection from all forms of violence, exploitation and abuse and on the joint general comment with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women on harmful practices.

9.Future meetings

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

10.Other matters

Under this item, members will discuss such other matters relating to the work of the Committee as may be necessary, includingelements required for an optional protocol to establish a communications procedure under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.