Revised Guidelines for the Consideration of Communications SECTION I : ACCESS TO THE COMMITTEE 1) In accordance with article 44 of the African Children’s Charter and these Guidelines, the following persons may be entitled to submit communications to the Committee either on their own behalf or on behalf of third parties, alleging violations of one or more of the provisions of the African Children’s Charter: a. Any individual or group of natural or legal person including children ; b. Any State Party to the African Children’s Charter ; c. Any intergovernmental or non-governmental organisation legally recognised in either one or more of the Member States of the African Union, a State Party to the African Children’s Charter or the United Nations; d. Any specialised organ or agency of the African Union and United Nations. 2) A complainant submitting a communication may designate an attorney or other person to represent her/ him before the Committee in the communication itself or in a separate document. 3) A Communication may be presented on behalf of a child victim without her/his agreement on condition that the complainant is able to show that her/his action is taken in the supreme interest of the child. When possible, the child victim who is able to express her/his opinions shall be informed of the communication presented on her/his behalf. 4) (a) The Committee’s jurisdiction is determined by the child’s age at the time of the alleged violation. (b)When a communication has been initiated before the Committee but is not concluded before the child’s 18th birthday, the Committee retains the jurisdiction to continue to deal with the communication SECTION II : FORM AND CONTENT OF COMMUNICATIONS 1) General Principle The Committee shall consider a communication against a State Party alleging violations of the rights and welfare of the child enshrined in the African Children’s 3