The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) congratulated the Peruvian State for ratifying the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which ensures children’s participation in the protection of their own rights.
This mechanism allows girls, boys and adolescents to complain directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child about alleged violations of their rights, but children can only complain if they have exhausted all legal avenues in their own country.
UNICEF representative in Peru Maria Luisa Fornara highlighted this protocol is a useful tool that guarantees children’s participation in the protection of their rights, and reinforces their right to be heard and access to justice.
The 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).
According to Fornara, this is the first time a mechanism of this type is established to allow children act for themselves without adult representation. However, children can only complain if their government has ratified the Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure.
The UNICEF official said she is confident the State will complete the necessary procedures before the protocol can enter into force.
About 20 UN member countries have ratified this protocol so far, including Bolivia, Chile, Coasta Rica, El Salvador and Uruguay.
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Published: 10/23/2015