CRC COMPLAINTS MECHANISM: Germany becomes third State to ratify

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Summary: Germany ratifies the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on a complaints mechanism for violations of children’s rights.

[28 February 2013] - 

The German ambassador to the Permanent Mission to the UN announced the country's ratification of the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, at a special event to mark the first anniversary of the signing of the Protocol.

Marta Santos Pais, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence againt Children, called for the rapid entry into force of the Protocol in her address for the event “Making Children’s Voices a Reality: Mobilizing States toward Ratification of the Third Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”. 

Ms. Santos Pais also commended the announcement and highlighted the strong political support expressed to the third Optional Protocol since the signing ceremony held one year ago, but she recalled that ratification is not the end of the journey, but the first step in a long process.

You can read the German ambassador's full statement here.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a complaints mechanism for violations of children’s rights was adopted on 19 December 2011 by the General Assembly. Germany has become the third State to ratify this instrument, after Thailand and Gabon. The Representatives of Bolivia and Spain have also announced that their respective countries will ratify this treaty in the very near future.

The new Optional Protocol will allow children and their representatives to bring complaints to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the treaty body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the CRC. The creation of this new instrument illustrates the recognition that children, just like adults, should have equal access to international human rights bodies and the international system of accountability for rights violations.

CRIN will provide more information on this positive development as it becomes available.


FURTHER INFORMATION:

pdf: http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/story/2013-02-28_840

Country: 
Germany
Issues: 
Child participation
Attachment Link: 
http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/story/2013-02-28_840
Tags: 
Reporting to and monitoring the CRC
Link : 

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