Home / Employment / Contact / Search / Français / Español   

Press Release

Statement Attributable to
Carol Bellamy Executive Director of UNICEF

On The Ratification of Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child

NEW YORK, 25 May 2001 - Today marks the first anniversary of a crucial step for the protection of children's rights: the adoption by the UN General Assembly of two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child - one addressing the protection of children affected by armed conflict and the other, the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Since their adoption, governments and non-governmental organisations, UN agencies and others have collaborated to raise awareness on the new standards, to promote their

ratification and implementation, and in doing so ensure that the growing and tragic victimization of hundreds of thousands of children who continue to be used to fight adult wars is reversed and their protection from all forms of exploitation ensured. And there has been some progress. A total of 79 countries have now signed the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict, and 4 have ratified it, while 72 have signed the Optional Protocol on the sale of children and 3 ratified it.

Although encouraging, this is clearly not enough.

Ten ratifications are required for the Optional Protocols to come into force and be binding on States. UNICEF, therefore, urges those governments which have already signed to move swiftly to ratify, bringing the protection of these standards to their children. Furthermore, States which have yet to sign or ratify are encouraged to do so. It would be a splendid signal of commitment to children if this were to be done prior to the UN Special Session for Children to be held in September in New York. As frequently stated, the ratification of the Optional Protocols should be a central element in every government's preparation for the Special Session - and we urge all those involved in the Global Movement for Children to make this a priority concern.

Every day that we delay, the toll of death and suffering of children from armed conflicts or sexual abuse and exploitation continues to grow. The Optional Protocols contain simple but powerful commitments regarding children under age 18. Among them:

• their active participation in hostilities is prohibited;
• strict limitations on their recruitment into armed forces and groups are imposed;
• and serious violations of their rights - such as sale, illegal adoption, child prostitution and pornography - are criminalised;

The UN Special Session on Children four months from now will focus world-wide attention on the plight of children. Broad ratification of these standards is an important precursor to launching an agenda for children into the next decade and beyond - an agenda which sees their protection from abuse and exploitation, from violence and conflict, as non-negotiable elements on which to build.

* * * * *

***

UNICEF urges demobilization/reintergration of child soldiers Tues. 29 Oct.
UNICEF negotiates with LTTE for recruited children Thurs.20 June
UNICEF calls for release of child soldiers by LRA Tues. 5 Mar
UNICEF hails new treaty banning child soldiers Tues. 12 Feb. 2002

2001

Ex-child soldier addresses Security Council Tues., 20 Nov
UN leaders hail new step banning children as soldiers Tues.20 Nov
Five months later, child soldiers go home to Sudan, Wed., 29 August
Ex-child soldiers begin new lives in Rwanda Mon, 20 August
Sri Lankan children still recruited for wars Friday, 20 July
Sierra Leone releases 150 more child soldiers Monday, 4 June
Côte d'Ivoire intercepts child soldiers from Burkina Faso June
In Angola children released, but worry persists Sat, 26 May
Hundreds of child soldiers freed in Sierra Leone Friday, 25 May 20
In Angola, a call for release of 60 abducted children Tues., 8 May
UNICEF renews aid for children in Sierra Leone Thurs , 19 April
Carol Bellamy on the airlift of child soldiers in Sudan Tues, 27 Feb
2,500 demobilized child soldiers out of Sudan Tuesday, 27 Feb
UNICEF finds 163 Congolese child soldiers in Uganda Tuesday, 20 Feb
UNICEF assesses Congolese child soldiers in Uganda Wed, 14 Feb
UNICEF applauds agreement with Uganda on child soldiers Fri, 9 Feb
Children in armed conflict to the Panel on Optional Protocol Wed., 31 Jan
Security council debates issue of children in war Wed, 26 July
Angola: Call for immediate release of 21 abducted children Fri, 14 July

2000

Sudan rebels give UNICEF a guarantee on child soldiers, Oct 24
Bellamy in Winnipeg on war-effected children Wed, 13 Sept
Graça Michel calls for an end to impunity against war crimes Wed., 13 Sept
UNICEF hails new Security Council decision on children and war Fri, 11 Aug
Bellamy to Security Council on protection of children in conflict Wed, 26 July
Hague Appeal for Peace: Children as catalysts for peace Wed., 12 May

1999

To the Humanitarian Issues Working Group: the catastrophe in Kosovo Tues. 6 Apr
To the Security Council: A peace and security agenda for children Fri., 12 Feb