COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (OPIC) - Signing ceremony

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (OPIC) was opened for signature on 28 February 2012 in Geneva.

20 States signed the Optional Protocol.

Introductory remarks:

1. The Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Kyung-wha Kang
2. The President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre
3. The Chairperson-Rapporteur of the former Open-ended Working Group of the Human Rights Council on an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to provide a communications procedure, Mr. Drahoslav Štefánek
4. The Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Mr. Jean Zermatten, through a video message
5. The Director of the NGO Group for CRC, Ms. Lisa Myers

The introductory remarks were followed by as short video prepared by Japanese children who had worked on an project related to OPIC.

List of Ministers and Ambassadors who signed the Optional Protocol:

1. The Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Her Excellency Ms. Iveta Radièová
2. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, His Excellency Mr. Karl Erjavec
3. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica, His Excellency Mr. Enrique Castillo Barrantes
4. The Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, His Excellency Mr. Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas
5. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia, His Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremiæ
6. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, His Excellency Mr. Luis Almagro
7. The Chief Minister of State of the Human Rights Office of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Her Excellency Ms. Maria do Rosário Nunes
8. The Minister of Justice of Chile, His Excellency Mr. Teodoro Ribera Neumann
9. The Minister for Family, Elder People, Women and Youth of Germany, Her Excellency Ms. Kristina Schröder
10. Le Ministre de la Justice et des Libertés du Royaume du Maroc, Son Excellence Monsieur Mustafa Ramid
11. The State Secretary for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integrations of Montenegro, His Excellency Mr. Nebojša Kaluderoviæ
12. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain, His Excellency Mr. Gonzalo de Benito Secades
13. The Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations Office at Geneva, His Excellency Mr. Christian Strohal
14. Le Représentant Permanent de la Belgique auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Son Excellence Monsieur François Roux
15. The Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations Office at Geneva, His Excellency Mr. Hannu Himanen
16. The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Her Excellency Ms. Laura Mirachian
17. Le Représentant Permanent du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Son Excellence Monsieur Jean Feyder
18. The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Her Excellency Ms. Iruthisham Adam
19. Le Représentant Permanent du Mali auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Son Excellence Monsieur Sidiki Lamine Sow
20. The Minister Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Ms. Luz Betty Caballero de Clulow

Link to photos of the ceremony: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=51848516@N02&q=protocol%20child