Proof Copy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 Chapter 10 The Roles of Independent Children’s Rights Institutions in Implementing the CRC Brian Gran 1 Introduction What roles do independent children’s rights institutions (ICRIs) play in implementing the CRC? After discussing what an ICRI is and the different types of ICRIs, this chapter will examine their objectives, their formal powers, their independence, and the resources they use to reach their objectives. Those resources include the circumstances in which ICRIs work to implement the CRC. What is an ICRI? Before proceeding to an analysis of the roles of ICRIs in implementing the CRC, a discussion of what exactly ICRIs and the CRC are will be useful. The CRC is the chief international treaty on children’s and young people’s rights. Adopted in  DQG ZLWK QHDUO\ XQLYHUVDO UDWLｿFDWLRQ LW LV DPRQJ WKH PRVW ZLGHO\ UDWLｿHG and most accepted of all human rights treaties. An ICRI is a type of independent institution that concentrates on monitoring, promoting and protecting children’s rights (Borgen 1996, Davidson, Cohen and Girdner 1993, Flekkoy 1991, Lansdown 2001a, 2001b, Melton 1991, UNICEF ,QQRFHQWL 5HVHDUFK &HQWUH  $OWKRXJK WKH ｿUVW ,&5, ZDV VHW XS RYHU  years ago, since 2000 these institutions have been widely established, although in different shapes and sizes. However, with their increasing numbers, differences in their organisational features have become noticeable, resulting in debates over their HIｿFDF\ 7KH &5& &RPPLWWHH ZKLFK LV FKDUJHG ZLWK PRQLWRULQJ JRYHUQPHQWVｶ HIIRUWV DW LPSOHPHQWLQJ WKH &5& KDV VWURQJO\ LQﾀXHQFHG ZKDW PDNHV DQ ,&5, 1 The author thanks Jane Williams for her guidance and generous suggestions. He also thanks Robin Shura and Lynn Falletta for their assistance in gathering data for this project. The author is especially grateful to the ICRIs who have participated in his international study. Much of this chapter arises from an international project the author is directing on ICRIs. Data for this chapter are from interviews conducted with ICRIs during ENOC annual meetings, and from research on the four UK ICRIs, including interviews with those ICRIs, WKHLU VWDII 1*2 UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV DQG JRYHUQPHQW RIｿFLDOV Williams book 978-1-4094-0531-3.219 219 02/03/2011 15:55:30