The UN Human Rights Council adopts the new Optional Protocol to the CRC

Geneva, 25 June 2011 - After two years of discussions and negotiations at the international level, the final draft Optional Protocol establishing a communications procedure for children's rights violations has been adopted by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Thirteen additional States co-sponsored the resolution, including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Japan, Jordan, Senegal and Zambia, making it a total of 49 States from all regions (see the original 36 co-sponsors in the resolution adopted).

The final text will now be transmitted to the UN General Assembly (GA) to be discussed by its Third Committee this Autumn and endorsed and adopted by the GA in December 2011.

This will be the third Optional Protocol to the CRC. If the GA adopts it, ratification of the new instrument would be open from January 2012.

• Read the orally revised resolution adopted by the HRC
• Read the NGO Group's press release in English, in French, in Spanish and in Arabic
• Read the final Report of the second session of the OEWG on an optional protocol to the CRC (including the final draft OP in an annex) in English and the final draft OP in French, in Russian, in Spanish, in Chinese and in Arabic.