UN committee to review India's child rights policies

India's child rights policies will come under review at a crucial meeting of UN experts who will also assess the country's progress in this area.
The UN Committee on Rights of Child will meet to review the progress made under the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its two Optional Protocols in India.
India would present its combined third to fourth periodic report under the Convention on June 2 and 3.
It would also present its initial reports under the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The UN will also consider if its concluding observations in February 2004 have been implemented.
India will be represented at the meeting by a delegation led by Shankar Agarwal, Secretary of the Woman and Child Development Ministry. The large delegation would be comprised of representatives from Ministries of Woman and Child Development, Labour, Health, Human Resource Development and External Affairs.

In its recommendations in 2004, the Committee called for the application of article 2 of the Convention by India on the right to non-discrimination.
It had asked the government to use political, religious and community leaders to change the mindset in families towards girls.

The CRC had also recommended India to take necessary measures, including imposing sanctions to end the practice of selective abortions and female infanticide.