State opts-in
The Simplified Reporting Procedure (SRP) is an optional mechanism offered to States parties in reporting to the UN treaty bodies.
CRC Committee Decision 18 (February 2023): From 1 January 2024 onwards, the SRP will become the standard reporting procedure for periodic reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and for initial reports under the Optional Protocols, with opt-out option for States parties.
The CRC Committee has started to implement the SRP as of 2016, to follow the recommendations that UN member States made in the UN General Assembly resolution 68/268 adopted in April 2014. This resolution encourages treaty bodies to offer the SRP to States, and likewise encourages States to consider using such the SRP if offered to them, for strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system.
The goals are: “to facilitate the preparation of States’ reports and the interactive dialogue on the implementation of their treaty obligations” and to ensure “efficiency and effectiveness in the work of the treaty bodies, in particular regarding the backlog of reports”.
For more information and for identifying the States that will be invited, please look at the Treaty Bodies’ calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions about the SRP
1. How is the SRP simplifying the reporting process?
The SRP is meant to be a fast procedure, as States that are reviewed under the SRP are fast tracked and their session (dialogue between the Committee and the State) should be scheduled first after the submission of the State report.
As explained by OHCHR, “the simplified reporting procedure streamlines and enhances the State party review by rendering it more focused and effective, as both the constructive dialogue and concluding observations focus on areas that the treaty body concerned sees as priority areas for consideration in a given State party at a given point in time”. The assumption behind this is that States will be more guided in their follow-up responsibilities by receiving less and more specific issues to work on
| Standard cycle | SRP | |
| Length of the cycle |
For the State: 18 months between the State report and the Cobs
For CSOs: 9 months between the submission of alternative report and the Cobs |
For the State: 7-8 months between the State report and the Cobs
For CSOs; 22 months between the inputs to the LOIPR and the Cobs |
| First submission received by the CRC Committee | State report | Written inputs to the LOIPR |
| Average timeframe between the State report and NGOs report | 9 months | 2,5 months |
| Timeframe between the pre-session with CSOs and the session with the State | 6 months | 3 months |
| Submissions |
For the State: 1. State report and common core document 2. Written replies
For CSOs: 1. Alternative reports 2. Additional information |
For the State: 1. State report to respond to the Committee’s list of issues and common core document
For CSOs: 1. Written inputs to the LOIPR 2. Written inputs to the State report |
| Outcome documents by the CRC Committee |
1. List of Issues 2. Concluding observations |
1. List of Issues Prior to Reporting 2. Concluding observations |
| Focus of the review | Broad scope | The resolution 68/268 calls upon treaty bodies to “limit on the number of questions in the list of issues and focus on areas seen as priority issues”. The review of the country situation is supposed to be more focused and less comprehensive than is currently the case. |
2. How is the CRC Committee implementing the SRP?
The Committee has taken a progressive approach and invited more and more States at the end of every session. The SRP is now offered to all States, expect for initial reviews.
3. Where can I see if my State has been invited and my State reply?
Invitation to State parties includes a deadline to answer. The date of invitation, deadline for acceptance and date accepted are public information available on the CRC Committee SRP calendar.