A/HRC/7/58
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and the obligation of States to undertake measures to the maximum extent of their available
resources; and national and regional activities of OHCHR, including a national training
workshop on reporting under the Covenant (Georgia, July 2007) and a regional workshop on the
justiciability of economic, social and cultural rights (Chile, December 2007).
B. Committee on the Rights of the Child
13. The Committee on the Rights of the Child continued to address the issue of enjoyment of
economic, social and cultural rights of all children in the course of its work. When considering
the reports of States parties, and notably in its concluding observations, the Committee was
particularly attentive to the sectors of children population encountering difficulties in the
enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights owing to various forms of discrimination.
When considering reports submitted pursuant to the optional protocols to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, the Committee also stressed that these children were at a heightened risk of
becoming victims of the offences covered by the protocols, in particular sale, child prostitution,
child pornography and recruitment into armed forces or armed groups.
14. The annual general day of discussion of the Committee, held on 21 September 2007,
during its forty-sixth session, was devoted to article 4 of the Convention and to the obligation of
States to undertake measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where
needed, in the framework of international cooperation, to ensure implementation of economic,
social and cultural rights. During preparation of the discussion, and during the discussion day
itself, the Committee benefited from the contributions of a broad range of actors, including
members of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, experts from other
United Nations programmes and funds, the World Bank and civil society actors.
15. The set of recommendations adopted at the day of discussion2 highlight the importance of
allocating resources for the implementation of children’s economic, social and cultural rights,
including legislating for appropriate allocations, ensuring the visibility of those resources and the
participation of children in the process. The primary obligation of States was highlighted, as was
the importance of ensuring that economic growth was not pursued to the detriment of social
sector expenditure. The role of international cooperation and the obligations of both donor and
developing countries were also discussed. The Committee will continue to give due attention to
the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights of children, and will dedicate its next
general day of discussion to the issue of education in emergency situations.
16. The Committee was also involved in subregional workshops on the follow-up to its
concluding observations, the last of which was hosted by the Government of Burkina Faso from
6 to 8 November in Ouagadougou. Experts from the region joined with other participants from
eight francophone countries of the Economic Community of West African States to discuss
challenges and good practices in promoting the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights
2
The recommendations are available on the OHCHR website at the address www2.ohchr.org/
english/bodies/crc/discussion.htm.
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