A/HRC/19/64 Cairo Declaration on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Islamic Jurisprudence, November 2009 Under the patronage and in the presence of Her Excellency the First Lady of Egypt, Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, the Cairo Conference was held to commemorate the 20 th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which coincides with the 20 th anniversary of Egypt‘s National Council on Childhood and Motherhood, the national body mandated to coordinate and monitor the realization of the rights of the child in Egypt. The Conference was organized by the Ministry of State for Family and Population of Egypt and co-sponsored by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and UNICEF, with the valuable contribution of a wide range of partners who contributed to the success of the Conference. The representatives from most OIC Member States, as well as international organizations, national human rights institutions, NGOs and children from ten OIC countries participated in the Conference. Participants expressed their deep appreciation to the Ministry of State for Family and Population of Egypt for its excellent organization of the Conference. All participants highly appreciated the presence of Mrs. Mubarak for her visionary and exemplary leadership in the promotion of the rights of the child and the consideration of children as a priority in the political agenda. Participants appreciated as well the child rights based approach adopted by the NCCM and the progress achieved in the realization of the rights of the child. The Conference recognized that the 20th anniversary of the CRC provides an opportunity to acknowledge progress building upon two decades of experience, and to renew the commitment of OIC Member States to continue to strengthen action towards the effective implementation of the CRC and to address prevailing challenges related to the realization of the rights of the child, with special emphasis on the contribution of principles of Islamic Shariah in fostering the purposes and objectives of this Convention. The present Declaration reflects the deliberations during the Conference and identifies recommendations for action to enhance the full implementation of the Convention. Member States and civil society organizations from OIC countries (hereinafter participants) gathered in Cairo to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to renew their commitment to the rights of the child for all children without discrimination, including on the basis of gender, to be guided by the best interests of the child, to ensure children‘s survival and development and to involve children meaningfully in decision-making processes. Review of reservations Participants acknowledged that some OIC Member States formulated reservations upon ratification as a precautionary measure. They also noted that the national experience in the realization of the rights of the child by OIC member-states has enriched the process of implementation of the Convention and helped to advance it further. Participants stressed that the experience gained over the two decades of implementation of the Convention has shown the compatibility and convergence of the Convention with the principles of Islamic Shariah and the opportunity to review reservations and consider their withdrawal. Participants welcome the increasing trend to review and withdraw reservations to the CRC which reflects the dynamic nature of Islamic Shariah, and the enriching exchange of 41