The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, today called on all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a commu
13/05/2012
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, today called on all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (OPCP).
The OPCP, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 19 December 2011 and opened for signature on 28 February 2012, introduces a system of individual complaints for children, enabling children and their representatives to submit complaints about violations of their rights directly to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
"This landmark instrument marks a new era in child rights protection. For the first time in history, children will have direct access to an international human rights treaty body to seek justice when their rights are violated," said SRSG Santos Pais.
The SRSG urged governments to take the necessary steps to ensure the widest possible ratification of the Protocol, which will allow children to hold States accountable for violations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols.