ACERWC Establishes Working Groups under its Special Mechanisms

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC/the Committee) has established three Working Groups during its 35th Ordinary Session, which took place virtually from 31 August to 08 September 2020. The Committee established these Working Groups pursuant to Article 38(1) of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Rule 58 of its revised Rules of Procedure, which mandate the Committee to establish its own rules of procedures and establish special mechanisms such as Working Groups.

Accordingly, the following Working Groups have been established through resolutions:
i. Working Group on Children’s Rights and Business;
ii. Working Group on Children’s Rights and Climate Change; and
iii. Working-Group-on-Implementation-of-decisions-and-recommendations-on-the-rights-and-welfare-of-children
iv.Working Group on children with disabilities

The working Groups were established taking in to account the challenges in the specific areas and the need to take systematic approach by the Committee to address these challenges sustainably. They are anchored on the principles and norms of the African Children’s Charter and the aspirations of Agenda 2040. Two of the Working Groups (Working Group on Children’s Rights and Business and Working Group on Children’s Rights and Climate Change) will include external experts in their membership in addition to the Members of the Committee. Their work will be guided by the Charter, the Working Documents of the ACERWC and the Standard of Operating Procedures for Working Groups adopted by the Committee during the 35th Session.

The Standard-of-Operating-Procedures-for-the-Working-Groups  and the resolutions for the Working Groups