Publications

This paper highlights the main issues covered in the text of the Optional Protocol. These include: definition and criminalization of the offence; jurisdiction, extradition and further matters of criminal procedure; prevention; protection of victims and their rehabilitation; and the importance of international cooperation in the fight against sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The paper then more closely examines the Concluding Observations of the Committee on States Parties’ reports. Comparing the content of the Protocol with the observations of the Committee enables the identification of gaps between what is required and what has been done. At the same time, such a comparison allows for a discussion of some successful attempts at compliance. The paper concludes that the Committee’s jurisprudence has indeed provided useful guidance to the complex issues of the Protocol and helped in filling some of the gaps it contains. Concurrently, however, it is found that many challenges remain with respect to the implementation of the Protocol’s provisions at national level.

Since its adoption in November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by states across all regions and today it is in force in all but two countries. The CRC is the first binding international human rights instrument incorporating in the same text social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights. To monitor progress achieved in the realization of children’s rights, the CRC has established an international expert body, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which also provides awareness and understanding of the principles and provisions of this treaty. The present publication contains the eight General Comments issued by the Committee, and the CD Rom accompanying this text includes all the Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee in relation to State Parties presented between 1993 and 2006. The CD-Rom also includes the status of ratification of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols, as well as the text of the reservations and/or declarations made by European States and Asian Republics at the moment of signature and ratification of those legal instruments.

Desde su adopción en Noviembre de 1989, la Convención ha sido ratificada por Estados a través de todas las regiones y en la actualidad es aplicable en todos los países, a excepción de dos. La CDN es el primer instrumento internacional que crea obligaciones y responsabilidades para los Estados y que incorpora en un mismo texto derechos sociales, culturales, económicos, civiles y políticos. La CDN ha establecido un órgano internacional formado por expertos, el Comité de los Derechos del Niño, que tiene como finalidad vigilar y analizar el progreso que se ha alcanzado en la realización de los derechos de la infancia, así como también sensiblizar y proveer conocimiento sobre los principios y provisiones de la CDN. La presente publicación contiene las siete Observaciones Generales emitidas por el Comité, y en el CD-Rom que acompaña este texto se incluyen todas las Conclusiones Generales adoptadas por el Comité referentes a los informes presentados por los Estados Europeos y Repúblicas Asiáticas entre los años de 1993 y 2005. El CD-Rom, a su vez, incluye el estado de ratificación de la Convención y de sus Protocolos Facultativos, así como también el texto de las reservas y/o declaraciones introducidas por los Estados Europeos y las Repúblicas Asiáticas al momento de firmar y ratificar tales instrumentos internacionales.

Since its adoption in November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by states across regions and today it is in force in all but two. The CRC is the first binding international human rights instrument incorporating in the same text social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights. The Committee on the Rights of the Child exists to monitor progress achieved in the realization of children’s rights. The present publication contains the seven General Comments issued by the Committee, and the CD Rom accompanying this text includes all the Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee in relation to State Parties reports presented by European Countries and the Asian Republics between 1993 and 2005. The CD-Rom also includes the status of ratification of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols, as well as the text of the reservations and/or declarations made by European States and Asian Republics at the moment of signature and ratification of those legal instruments.