The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts aims to protect children against recruitment and use in hostilities. The Protocol was adopted by the General Assembly on May 25, 2000 and came into force on February 12, 2002.
The optional protocol is a commitment that requires: – States take all possible measures in practice to ensure that members of their armed forces who have not reached the age of 18 do not directly participate in hostilities. – States ensure that persons under the age of 18 are not subject to mandatory recruitment into their armed forces. – States take all necessary measures to prevent such recruitment – including the adoption of a law prohibiting and criminalizing the recruitment of children under 18 for participation in hostilities. – States demobilize any person under the age of 18 who has been mandatory recruited or used in hostilities and provide physical and psychological rehabilitation services to help their social reintegration. – Distinct armed groups from a country’s armed forces should in no way recruit or use persons under the age of 18 in hostilities.
How many countries have signed or ratified the Protocol?
Currently, 166 countries have ratified the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflicts. There are 18 countries that have neither signed nor ratified the protocol, and 13 countries that have signed but have yet to ratify.
Global Campaign of the Secretary-General for Universal Ratification
On May 25, 2010, the UN Secretary-General launched the “Global Campaign for universal ratification and implementation of Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” In addition to the optional protocol concerning the use of children in armed conflicts, the campaign aimed to achieve universal ratification of the optional protocol concerning the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography.
Campaign “No Recruitment Under 18”
To support this campaign, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict launched the campaign “No Recruitment Under 18” to achieve universal ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts. This campaign concluded in 2012 and, combined with the awareness campaigns conducted through the Global Campaign, resulted in 21 new ratifications of the Optional Protocol.
Work continues towards achieving universal ratification. Has your country ratified the optional protocol? Click here to find out.
For any questions regarding the ratification process, please contact the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
