The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure, has  entered into force following its ratification by the required 10 countries Albania, Bolivia, Gabon, Germany, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Slovakia, Costa Rica). It  allows children to complain directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child about alleged violations of their rights.

The new Protocol enables children and their representatives to submit complaints to the Committee on the Rights of the Child about specific violations of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as under its other two Optional Protocols (on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution). But children can only complain if their government has ratified the Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure, and if they have exhausted all legal avenues in their own country.

To learn more about how to submit a complaint, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/TBPetitions/Pages/IndividualCommunications.aspx#OPIC

To learn more about the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx

Child-friendly publication on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Complaints Procedure:
http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/cropped_images/RaisingUnderstanding_OCPC.pdf

For more information and media requests, please contact

Liz Throssell  OHCHR Media Officer – +41 (0) 22 917 9434/ ethrossell@ohchr.org

Miguel Caldeira, OSRSG on VAC – +1 212 824 6763  mcaldeira@unicef.org