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| 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
Press releases
on May meetings for the September Special Session on Children
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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.
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To arrange media interviews with participants and for
more information on the Forum, please contact:
For further information, please contact:
Rana Flowers, UNICEF
Policy & Planning, New York,
tel (212) 824-6751
Alfred Ironside,
UNICEF Media, New York,
tel. (212) 326-7261
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***
Monday, 4 June 2001: Sierra
Leone releases 150 more child soldiers
Saturday, 26 May 2001: In Angola children released,
but worry persists
Friday, 25 May 2001: Hundreds of child soldiers
freed in Sierra Leone
Thursday, 19 April 2001: UNICEF renews aid
for children in Sierra Leone
Tuesday, 27 February 2001: Carol Bellamy on
the airlift of child soldiers in Sudan
Tuesday, 27 February 2001: 2,500 demobilized
child soldiers out of Sudan
Tuesday, 20 February 2001: UNICEF finds 163
Congolese child soldiers in Uganda
Wednesday, 14 February 2001: UNICEF assesses
Congolese child soldiers in Uganda
Friday, 9 February 2001: UNICEF applauds
agreement with Uganda on child soldiers
Wednesday, 31 January 2001: Carol Bellamy
addresses the Panel on the Optional Protocol
Wednesday, 26 July 2000: Security council debates
issue of children in war
Friday, 14 July 2000: Call for immediate release
of 21 abducted children
Wednesday, 13 September 2000: Bellamy in Winnipeg
on war-effected children
Wednesday, 13 September 2000: Graca Michel
calls for and end to impunity against war crimes
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