The Special Mechanisms

The special mechanisms of the Committee are meant to bring efficiency in dispensing its mandate to promote and protect children’s rights in Africa. These special mechanisms are established through Article 38(1) of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Rule 57 of the Rules of Procedures of the Committee. Article 38(1) authorizes the Committee to establish its own Rules of Procedures. Accordingly, the Committee has adopted its Rules of Procedures which provides details about its structures, mandate, and functions. Rule 57 (1) of the Rules of Procedures provides that the Committee may assign specific tasks or mandates to either an individual member or group of members concerning the preparation of its periods of sessions or the execution of special programs, studies and projects. More specifically, Rule 57 (3) provides that the Committee may create special mechanisms, outside the membership of the Committee, with mandates that are linked to the fulfillment of its functions of promotion and protection of children’s rights and in accordance with the thematic areas deemed of special interest for achieving this purpose. On the basis of the above-mentioned legal grounds, the Committee established Special Mechanism in the form of Thematic Rapporteurs, Country Rapporteurs and Working Groups through Resolutions. The Resolutions outline the definition of the conferred mandate, functions, scope, and the description of the activities to be carried out by the respective special mechanism.