The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is underway, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
Organisations / Bodies / Institutions Archives: UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), N.B.F. v Spain, Communication 011/2017, Adoption of views, 27 September 2018
The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is underway, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), R.K. v Spain, Communication 027/2017, Adoption of views, 18 September 2019
The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is under way, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 24 (2019) on children’s rights in the child justice system
“This General comment replaces General comment No. 10 (2007) on children’s rights in juvenile justice. The scope of the comment is focused on children alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 12 (2009): The right of the child to be heard
Joint general comment No. 3 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) and No. 22 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the general principles regarding the human rights of children in the context of international migration
The Joint General Comment of the CMW and CRC addresses the human rights of all children, independently of their or their parents’ status, in the context of international migration. Fundamental principles like non-discrimination, the best interests of the child and the right to be heard need to be integrated by States Parties into migration-related frameworks, policies and practices.