UN Child Rights Committee to Review Uganda Over Child Rights Record in Geneva

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Uganda will come under scrutiny before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in September as the independent UN expert body reviews the country’s implementation of international obligations to protect and promote children’s rights.

The review will take place during the Committee’s upcoming session from 1 to 28 September 2026 in Geneva, where Uganda is among eight countries whose child-rights records will be examined.

Uganda’s public dialogue with the Committee is scheduled for 7 September from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Geneva time, followed by a second session on 8 September from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The discussions will be held in Room 12 at the Palais des Nations.

The review is part of the regular monitoring process under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty that requires States Parties to protect children and uphold their rights.

Uganda, together with the other countries under review, is expected to engage a panel of 18 independent international experts on how it is implementing the Convention, its Optional Protocols and previous recommendations issued by the Committee.

The Committee has already received Uganda’s country report as well as submissions from non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders. These materials will inform the questions and discussions during the public dialogue.

The Geneva review provides an international platform for examining the progress Uganda has made in fulfilling its obligations towards children, while also identifying areas where further action may be required.

Issues affecting children can span a wide range of areas, including access to education and healthcare, protection from violence and exploitation, birth registration, juvenile justice, family care and other measures aimed at ensuring that children can grow up in safe and supportive environments.

For Uganda, the September dialogue will provide an opportunity for the government delegation to explain measures taken to advance children's rights and respond to concerns or recommendations raised by the Committee.

The process also allows civil society organisations and other stakeholders to bring children's rights concerns to international attention through submissions to the Committee.

Uganda's review comes alongside examinations of Lesotho, Timor-Leste, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Slovenia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan during the same session.

The public dialogue on Uganda will be open to accredited journalists and will also be broadcast live through UN Web TV, allowing audiences outside Geneva to follow the proceedings.

The Committee's review is not a court proceeding, but forms part of the UN treaty-monitoring system through which countries are regularly assessed on their implementation of international human-rights commitments.

For Uganda, the outcome of the September review is expected to provide further recommendations on measures that can strengthen the protection and fulfilment of children's rights in the country.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will continue its wider session throughout September, with the eight countries appearing before the independent experts according to the published schedule. Among the African countries under review during the session are Lesotho, Tanzania and Burkina Faso, alongside Uganda.