兒少人權監督平台

來源 PDF: 84_20240217120222_8858634.pdf

關於買賣兒童、兒童賣淫和兒童色情問題之兒童權利公約任擇議

定書

本議定書締約國，

考慮到為了進一步實現兒童權利公約之宗旨並執行其各項規定，特別是第1條、

第11條、第21條、第32條、第33條、第34條、第35條及第36條，應擴大締約國

為確實保護兒童免遭買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情之害而採取之各項措施；

又考慮到兒童權利公約體認兒童有權受到保護，不受經濟剝削，不從事可能有

危害性、妨礙其教育、或有害兒童健康、身體、心理、精神、道德或社會發展

之任何工作；

嚴重關切以買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情為目的而進行之國際兒童販運猖獗

且日益嚴重；

深切關注特別容易侵害兒童之性旅遊仍然持續存在與擴散，直接助長了買賣兒

童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情；

體認到包括女童在內一些特別脆弱之群體較易遭受性剝削，又性剝削之受害人

以女童居多；

關注到網路與其他持續發展之技術所提供之兒童色情愈來愈多，並回顧一九九

九年於維也納召開打擊網路兒童色情國際會議，特別是其結論要求世界各地將

兒童色情之製作、散布、出口、傳送、進口、意圖持有及廣告依刑事法規論處，

並強調各國政府與網路業界建立更密切合作及夥伴關係之重要性；

認為應採行整體性之方法來消除造成買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情之因素，

包括發展不足、貧困、經濟失衡、社會經濟結構不公平、家庭功能不彰、缺乏

教育、城鄉遷徙、性別歧視、不負責任之成人性行為、有害之傳統習俗、武裝

衝突及販運兒童；

又認為需要努力提高公眾意識，以減少消費者對買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色

情之需求，此外必須加強各行動者之全球合作以及在國家層級改善執法行動之

重要性；

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注意到海牙公約關於保護兒童之國際法律文書各項規定，其中包括保護兒童及

國境間收養方面合作、海牙公約關於國際兒童誘拐民事問題、海牙公約關於父

母保護兒童責任與措施在管轄權、準據法、裁判承認、執行及合作，以及國際

勞工組織關於最惡劣形式兒童勞動公約；

在兒童權利公約獲得極大支持之鼓舞下，足見各方決心致力於促進及保護兒童

權利；

認識到執行防止買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情行動方案與一九九六年八月二

十七日至三十一日在斯德哥爾摩舉行之反兒童商業性剝削世界大會宣言與行動

綱領之規定，以及有關國際組織之其他有關決定及建議之重要性；

適當考慮到每一民族之傳統與文化價值對兒童保護及和諧發展之重要性；

茲協議如下：

第1條

締約國應根據本議定書之規定，禁止買賣兒童、兒童賣淫及兒童色情。

第2條 就本議定書之目的而言：

(a)買賣兒童係指任何人或群體將兒童轉交予另一人或群體以換取報酬或其他

對價之行為或交易；

(b)兒童賣淫係指在性活動中利用兒童以換取報酬或其他對價；

(c)兒童色情係指以任何方式呈現兒童進行真實或技術合成之露骨性活動或主

要為性目的而裸露與兒童性相關之部位。

第3條

1.各締約國至少應確保本國刑事法規對下列行為及活動作出充分規定，不論該

等罪行是在國內或跨國所實行，也不論是以個人或組織之方式實行：

(a)就第2條所定義之買賣兒童係指：

(i)為下述目的以任何手段期約、交付、或收受兒童：

a.對兒童進行性剝削；

b.為圖利而移轉兒童器官；

c.使兒童從事強迫勞動；

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 (ii)仲介以違反現行國際收養之法律文書方式不當誘使取得同意收養兒童；

(b)為進行第2條所定之兒童賣淫活動，期約、取得、媒介或提供兒童；

(c)為上述目的製作、經銷、散布、進口、出口、期約、出售或持有第2條所

定之兒童色情。

2.在不違反締約國本國法律規定之情況下，前開行為之未遂犯、共謀或共犯亦

適用相同之法律規定。

3.各締約國應考量罪行嚴重程度，科處適當刑罰。

4.在不違反本國法律規定之情況下，各締約國應於適當情形下採取措施確立法

人對本條第1項所定罪行之責任。在不違反締約國法律原則下，得將法人之責

任定為刑事、民事或行政責任。

5.締約國應採取一切適當之法律及行政措施，以確保所有涉入兒童收養行為之

人應符合現行國際法律文書。

第4條

1.各締約國應採取必要之措施，就在其領域內或在其為註冊國之船艦或航空器

上犯第3條第1項之罪行建立管轄權。

2.各締約國於下列情況下得採取必要措施，就第3條第1項所定罪行建立管轄

權：

(a)犯罪嫌疑人為該國國民或在該國領域內有慣常居所之人；

(b)被害人為該國國民。

3.締約國基於罪行係其本國人民所為而不予引渡之理由，拒絕引渡於其境內之

犯罪嫌疑人時，各締約國應採取必要措施就前開罪行建立管轄權。

4.本議定書不排除根據內國法所得行使之任何刑事管轄權。

第5條

1.第3條第1項所定罪行應視為包含於締約國間現存及嗣後所締結之所有引渡條

約中，依據該等條約之規定，作為可引渡之罪行。

2.以訂有條約為引渡條件之締約國，於收到未與其締結引渡條約之另一締約國

提出之引渡請求時，得考慮將本議定書視為就該等罪行進行引渡之法律依據。

惟引渡應符合被請求國法律所規定之條件。

3.不以訂有條約作為引渡條件之締約國應將該等罪行視為該國間可進行引渡之

罪行，但須符合被請求國法律所規定之條件。

4.為了在締約國間進行引渡之目的，該等罪行不僅應被視為在罪行發生地所實

施之罪行，亦應被視為根據第4條確立其管轄權之國家境內所實施的罪行。

5.就第3條第1項所定罪行提出引渡請求時，如被請求之締約國基於犯罪人之國

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 籍而不予引渡或不願引渡時，則該國應採取適當措施將案件送交其主管當局

進行起訴。

第6條

1.就第3條第1項之罪行進行調查、提起刑事訴訟或引渡時，締約國應相互給予

最大程度之協助，包括協助取得其所掌握之必要證據。

2.締約國應根據彼此間現存之任何司法互助條約或其他協議，履行本條第1項之

義務。在無此類條約或協議之情況下，締約國應根據其國內法提供互助。

第7條 締約國應在本國法律規定下：

(a)於適當情況下，採取扣押與沒收措施：

(i)用以實施或便利進行本議定書所定罪行之物品、資產與其他工具;

(ii)犯罪所得；

(b)執行另一締約國扣押或沒收第(a)款物品或犯罪所得之請求；

(c)採取暫時或確定的措施關閉實施該等罪行的場所。

第8條

1.締約國在刑事司法程序之各階段，應採取適當措施保護受本議定書禁止行為

所迫害兒童之權益，特別是以下事項：

(a)承認被害兒童之脆弱處境，並調整程序以照顧其特殊需求，包括作為證人

之特殊需求；

(b)告知被害兒童其程序中之權利、角色與範圍、時程、進度以及對其案件之

處理；

(c)於符合本國法律之程序規定下，允許被害兒童就對其個人利益有影響者於

程序中表達意見、需求及關切並予以考量；

(d)於整個法律程序提供被害兒童適當之支持服務；

(e)適當保護被害兒童之隱私及身分，並根據本國法律採取措施，避免不當散

布可能導致揭露被害兒童身分之資訊；

(f)在適當情況下提供被害兒童、家人與兒童方證人之安全，使其不受恐嚇及

報復；

(g)在處理案件與執行對被害兒童提供賠償之命令或判決時，應避免不必要之

延誤。

2.締約國應確保刑事調查之開啟不應因被害人實際年齡不明而受阻礙，包括以

查明被害人年齡為目的之調查。

3.締約國應確保本議定書所列犯罪被害兒童所受之刑事司法系統之待遇，應以

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 兒童最佳利益為優先考量。

4.締約國應採取措施，對於與本議定書禁止罪行之被害人工作者，確保適當之

培訓，特別是法律及心理培訓。

5.締約國在適當情況下應採取措施，以保護涉入該等罪行被害人之防制與(或)

保護重建之個人及(或)組織之安全與健全。

6.本條規定不應解釋為妨礙或違反被告享有公平與公正審判之權利。

第9條

1.締約國為防止本議定書所定罪行，應採取或強化、執行與宣導法律、行政措

施、社會政策及方案；就特別容易遭受該等罪行傷害兒童之保護，尤應重

視。

2.締約國對於包括兒童在內之大眾，應透過各種適當之方法，提供資訊、教育

與培訓，以提升其對本議定書所定罪行之預防措施及有害後果之認識。在履

行本條義務時，締約國應就該等資訊與教育及培訓方案，包括國際層面，鼓

勵社區參與，特別是兒童及被害兒童。

3.締約國應採取一切可行之措施，其目標為確保提供該等罪行之被害人一切適

當之協助，包括使其全面重返社會以及身心完全康復。

4.締約國應確保本議定書所定罪行之所有被害兒童，於不受歧視之情況下，均

有足夠之程序管道對應負法律責任者尋求損害賠償。

5.締約國應採取適當之措施，以有效禁止製作與散布本議定書所定罪行之廣告

物。

第10條

1.締約國應採取一切必要之措施，加強國際合作，作出多邊、區域及雙邊協

議，以防制、偵測、調查、起訴與懲治涉及買賣兒童、兒童賣淫、兒童色情

及兒童性旅遊之應負責任者。締約國亦應促進本國政府機關間、本國與國際

非政府組織及國際組織之國際合作與協調。

2.締約國應促進國際合作，協助被害兒童身心康復、重返社會及返鄉。

3.締約國應促進國際合作之強化，以提出貧困與發展不足等造成兒童易受買賣

兒童、兒童賣淫、兒童色情及兒童性旅遊所害之成因。

4.具備採取行動地位之締約國，應透過現有之多邊、區域、雙邊或其他方案提

供財政、技術或其他協助。

第11條

本議定書之任何規定，不應影響下列規定中，更有利於實現兒童權利之任何規

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定：

(a)締約國之法律；或

(b)對締約國有效之國際法。

第12條

1.各締約國應於本議定書對該締約國生效後之二年內，向兒童權利委員會提交

一份報告，提供其為執行本議定書規定而採取之各項措施的詳盡資料。

2.在提交前項報告後，各締約國應於其根據公約第44條向兒童權利委員會遞交

之報告中，提供與執行本議定書有關之任何資料。僅簽訂本議定書之其他締

約國應每五年遞交一份報告。

3.兒童權利委員會得要求締約國進一步提供與執行本議定書有關之資料。

第13條

1.本議定書開放供公約任何締約國或已簽署公約之任何國家簽署。

2.本議定書須經批准並開放供任何國家加入。批准書或加入書應存放於聯合國

秘書長。

第14條

1.本議定書於第十份批准書或加入書存放後三個月生效。

2.對於在本議定書生效後批准或加入之國家，議定書在其存放批准書或加入書

之次日起一個月後生效。

第15條

1.各締約國得隨時以書面通知聯合國秘書長，以退出本議定書，秘書長應立即

通知公約其他締約國及所有已簽署公約之國家。退約應於秘書長收到通知之

次日起一年後生效。

2.前項退約並不解除締約國依本議定書對退約生效日期前發生之任何行為所承

擔之義務。退約並無礙於委員會繼續審議在退約生效日期前業已開始審議之

任何事項。

第16條

1.各締約國均得提出修正案，提交給聯合國秘書長。秘書長應立即將提案通知

締約國，並請其表明是否贊成召開締約國會議進行審議及表決。如果在此類

通知發出之後四個月內，至少有三分之一締約國贊成召開前開會議，秘書長

應在聯合國主辦下召開會議。經出席會議並參加表決之締約國過半數通過之

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 任何修正案應提交聯合國大會同意。

2.根據本條第1項通過之修正案如獲大會同意並為締約國三分之二多數接受，即

行生效。

3.修正案生效後，即對接受該項修正案之締約國具有約束力，其他締約國仍受

本議定書各項條款及其已接受之任何原修正案之約束。

第17條

1.本議定書之阿拉伯文、中文、英文、法文、俄文及西班牙文文本，同一作

準，應存放聯合國檔案庫。

2.聯合國秘書長應將本議定書經證明無誤之副本分送公約所有締約國及已簽署

公約之所有國家。

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來源 PDF: 84_20240217120239_5760899.pdf

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on

the sale of children,

child prostitution and child pornography

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly

resolution A/RES/54/263 of 25 May 2000

entered into force on 18 January 2002

The States Parties to the present Protocol,

Considering that, in order further to achieve the purposes of the Convention

on the Rights of the Child and the implementation of its provisions,

especially articles 1, 11, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, it would be appropriate

to extend the measures that States Parties should undertake in order to

guarantee the protection of the child from the sale of children, child

prostitution and child pornography,

Considering also that the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes

the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from

performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the

child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental,

spiritual, moral or social development,

Gravely concerned at the significant and increasing international traffic in

children for the purpose of the sale of children, child prostitution and child

pornography,

Deeply concerned at the widespread and continuing practice of sex tourism,

to which children are especially vulnerable, as it directly promotes the sale

of children, child prostitution and child pornography,

Recognizing that a number of particularly vulnerable groups, including girl

children, are at greater risk of sexual exploitation and that girl children are

disproportionately represented among the sexually exploited,

Concerned about the growing availability of child pornography on the

Internet and other evolving technologies, and recalling the International

Conference on Combating Child Pornography on the Internet, held in Vienna

in 1999, in particular its conclusion calling for the worldwide criminalization

of the production, distribution, exportation, transmission, importation,

intentional possession and advertising of child pornography, and stressing

the importance of closer cooperation and partnership between Governments

and the Internet industry,

Believing that the elimination of the sale of children, child prostitution and

child pornography will be facilitated by adopting a holistic approach,

addressing the contributing factors, including underdevelopment, poverty,

economic disparities, inequitable socio-economic structure, dysfunctioning

families, lack of education, urban-rural migration, gender discrimination,

irresponsible adult sexual behaviour, harmful traditional practices, armed

conflicts and trafficking in children,

Believing also that efforts to raise public awareness are needed to reduce

consumer demand for the sale of children, child prostitution and child

pornography, and believing further in the importance of strengthening

global partnership among all actors and of improving law enforcement at the

national level,

Noting the provisions of international legal instruments relevant to the

protection of children, including the Hague Convention on Protection of

Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, the Hague

Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Hague

Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and

Cooperation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the

Protection of Children, and International Labour Organization Convention No.

182 on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst

Forms of Child Labour,

Encouraged by the overwhelming support for the Convention on the Rights

of the Child, demonstrating the widespread commitment that exists for the

promotion and protection of the rights of the child,

Recognizing the importance of the implementation of the provisions of the

Programme of Action for the Prevention of the Sale of Children, Child

Prostitution and Child Pornography and the Declaration and Agenda for

Action adopted at the World Congress against Commercial Sexual

Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm from 27 to 31 August 1996, and

the other relevant decisions and recommendations of pertinent international

bodies,

Taking due account of the importance of the traditions and cultural values of

each people for the protection and harmonious development of the child,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

States Parties shall prohibit the sale of children, child prostitution and child

pornography as provided for by the present Protocol.

Article 2

For the purposes of the present Protocol:

(a) Sale of children means any act or transaction whereby a child is

transferred by any person or group of persons to another for remuneration

or any other consideration;

(b) Child prostitution means the use of a child in sexual activities for

remuneration or any other form of consideration;

(c) Child pornography means any representation, by whatever means, of a

child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any

representation of the sexual parts of a child for primarily sexual purposes.

Article 3

1. Each State Party shall ensure that, as a minimum, the following acts and

activities are fully covered under its criminal or penal law, whether such

offences are committed domestically or transnationally or on an individual or

organized basis:

(a) In the context of sale of children as defined in article 2:

(i) Offering, delivering or accepting, by whatever means, a child for the

purpose of:

a. Sexual exploitation of the child;

b. Transfer of organs of the child for profit;

c. Engagement of the child in forced labour;

(ii) Improperly inducing consent, as an intermediary, for the adoption of a

child in violation of applicable international legal instruments on adoption;

(b) Offering, obtaining, procuring or providing a child for child prostitution,

as defined in article 2;

(c) Producing, distributing, disseminating, importing, exporting, offering,

selling or possessing for the above purposes child pornography as defined in

article 2.

2. Subject to the provisions of the national law of a State Party, the same

shall apply to an attempt to commit any of the said acts and to complicity or

participation in any of the said acts.

3. Each State Party shall make such offences punishable by appropriate

penalties that take into account their grave nature.

4. Subject to the provisions of its national law, each State Party shall take

measures, where appropriate, to establish the liability of legal persons for

offences established in paragraph 1 of the present article. Subject to the

legal principles of the State Party, such liability of legal persons may be

criminal, civil or administrative.

5. States Parties shall take all appropriate legal and administrative

measures to ensure that all persons involved in the adoption of a child act in

conformity with applicable international legal instruments.

Article 4

1. Each State Party shall take such measures as may be necessary to

establish its jurisdiction over the offences referred to in article 3, paragraph

1, when the offences are commited in its territory or on board a ship or

aircraft registered in that State.

2. Each State Party may take such measures as may be necessary to

establish its jurisdiction over the offences referred to in article 3, paragraph

1, in the following cases:

(a) When the alleged offender is a national of that State or a person who has

his habitual residence in its territory;

(b) When the victim is a national of that State.

3. Each State Party shall also take such measures as may be necessary to

establish its jurisdiction over the aforementioned offences when the alleged

offender is present in its territory and it does not extradite him or her to

another State Party on the ground that the offence has been committed by

one of its nationals.

4. The present Protocol does not exclude any criminal jurisdiction exercised

in accordance with internal law.

Article 5

1. The offences referred to in article 3, paragraph 1, shall be deemed to be

included as extraditable offences in any extradition treaty existing between

States Parties and shall be included as extraditable offences in every

extradition treaty subsequently concluded between them, in accordance

with the conditions set forth in such treaties.

2. If a State Party that makes extradition conditional on the existence of a

treaty receives a request for extradition from another State Party with which

it has no extradition treaty, it may consider the present Protocol to be a legal

basis for extradition in respect of such offences. Extradition shall be subject

to the conditions provided by the law of the requested State.

3. States Parties that do not make extradition conditional on the existence of

a treaty shall recognize such offences as extraditable offences between

themselves subject to the conditions provided by the law of the requested

State.

4. Such offences shall be treated, for the purpose of extradition between

States Parties, as if they had been committed not only in the place in which

they occurred but also in the territories of the States required to establish

their jurisdiction in accordance with article 4.

5. If an extradition request is made with respect to an offence described in

article 3, paragraph 1, and the requested State Party does not or will not

extradite on the basis of the nationality of the offender, that State shall take

suitable measures to submit the case to its competent authorities for the

purpose of prosecution.

Article 6

1. States Parties shall afford one another the greatest measure of assistance

in connection with investigations or criminal or extradition proceedings

brought in respect of the offences set forth in article 3, paragraph 1,

including assistance in obtaining evidence at their disposal necessary for the

proceedings.

2. States Parties shall carry out their obligations under paragraph 1 of the

present article in conformity with any treaties or other arrangements on

mutual legal assistance that may exist between them. In the absence of

such treaties or arrangements, States Parties shall afford one another

assistance in accordance with their domestic law.

Article 7

States Parties shall, subject to the provisions of their national law:

(a) Take measures to provide for the seizure and confiscation, as

appropriate, of:

(i) Goods, such as materials, assets and other instrumentalities used to

commit or facilitate offences under the present protocol;

(ii) Proceeds derived from such offences;

(b) Execute requests from another State Party for seizure or confiscation of

goods or proceeds referred to in subparagraph (a);

(c) Take measures aimed at closing, on a temporary or definitive basis,

premises used to commit such offences.

Article 8

1. States Parties shall adopt appropriate measures to protect the rights and

interests of child victims of the practices prohibited under the present

Protocol at all stages of the criminal justice process, in particular by:

(a) Recognizing the vulnerability of child victims and adapting procedures to

recognize their special needs, including their special needs as witnesses;

(b) Informing child victims of their rights, their role and the scope, timing

and progress of the proceedings and of the disposition of their cases;

(c) Allowing the views, needs and concerns of child victims to be presented

and considered in proceedings where their personal interests are affected, in

a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law;

(d) Providing appropriate support services to child victims throughout the

legal process;

(e) Protecting, as appropriate, the privacy and identity of child victims and

taking measures in accordance with national law to avoid the inappropriate

dissemination of information that could lead to the identification of child

victims;

(f) Providing, in appropriate cases, for the safety of child victims, as well as

that of their families and witnesses on their behalf, from intimidation and

retaliation;

(g) Avoiding unnecessary delay in the disposition of cases and the execution

of orders or decrees granting compensation to child victims.

2. States Parties shall ensure that uncertainty as to the actual age of the

victim shall not prevent the initiation of criminal investigations, including

investigations aimed at establishing the age of the victim.

3. States Parties shall ensure that, in the treatment by the criminal justice

system of children who are victims of the offences described in the present

Protocol, the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration.

4. States Parties shall take measures to ensure appropriate training, in

particular legal and psychological training, for the persons who work with

victims of the offences prohibited under the present Protocol.

5. States Parties shall, in appropriate cases, adopt measures in order to

protect the safety and integrity of those persons and/or organizations

involved in the prevention and/or protection and rehabilitation of victims of

such offences.

6. Nothing in the present article shall be construed to be prejudicial to or

inconsistent with the rights of the accused to a fair and impartial trial.

Article 9

1. States Parties shall adopt or strengthen, implement and disseminate laws,

administrative measures, social policies and programmes to prevent the

offences referred to in the present Protocol. Particular attention shall be

given to protect children who are especially vulnerable to such practices.

2. States Parties shall promote awareness in the public at large, including

children, through information by all appropriate means, education and

training, about the preventive measures and harmful effects of the offences

referred to in the present Protocol. In fulfilling their obligations under this

article, States Parties shall encourage the participation of the community

and, in particular, children and child victims, in such information and

education and training programmes, including at the international level.

3. States Parties shall take all feasible measures with the aim of ensuring all

appropriate assistance to victims of such offences, including their full social

reintegration and their full physical and psychological recovery.

4. States Parties shall ensure that all child victims of the offences described

in the present Protocol have access to adequate procedures to seek, without

discrimination, compensation for damages from those legally responsible.

5. States Parties shall take appropriate measures aimed at effectively

prohibiting the production and dissemination of material advertising the

offences described in the present Protocol.

Article 10

1. States Parties shall take all necessary steps to strengthen international

cooperation by multilateral, regional and bilateral arrangements for the

prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and punishment of those

responsible for acts involving the sale of children, child prostitution, child

pornography and child sex tourism. States Parties shall also promote

international cooperation and coordination between their authorities,

national and international non-governmental organizations and

international organizations.

2. States Parties shall promote international cooperation to assist child

victims in their physical and psychological recovery, social reintegration and

repatriation.

3. States Parties shall promote the strengthening of international

cooperation in order to address the root causes, such as poverty and

underdevelopment, contributing to the vulnerability of children to the sale of

children, child prostitution, child pornography and child sex tourism.

4. States Parties in a position to do so shall provide financial, technical or

other assistance through existing multilateral, regional, bilateral or other

programmes.

Article 11

Nothing in the present Protocol shall affect any provisions that are more

conducive to the realization of the rights of the child and that may be

contained in:

(a) The law of a State Party;

(b) International law in force for that State.

Article 12

1. Each State Party shall, within two years following the entry into force of

the present Protocol for that State Party, submit a report to the Committee

on the Rights of the Child providing comprehensive information on the

measures it has taken to implement the provisions of the Protocol.

2. Following the submission of the comprehensive report, each State Party

shall include in the reports they submit to the Committee on the Rights of

the Child, in accordance with article 44 of the Convention, any further

information with respect to the implementation of the present Protocol.

Other States Parties to the Protocol shall submit a report every five years.

3. The Committee on the Rights of the Child may request from States Parties

further information relevant to the implementation of the present Protocol.

Article 13

1. The present Protocol is open for signature by any State that is a party to

the Convention or has signed it.

2. The present Protocol is subject to ratification and is open to accession by

any State that is a party to the Convention or has signed it. Instruments of

ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary- General of

the United Nations.

Article 14

1. The present Protocol shall enter into force three months after the deposit

of the tenth instrument of ratification or accession.

2. For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its

entry into force, the Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date

of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession.

Article 15

1. Any State Party may denounce the present Protocol at any time by written

notification to the Secretary- General of the United Nations, who shall

thereafter inform the other States Parties to the Convention and all States

that have signed the Convention. The denunciation shall take effect one year

after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General.

2. Such a denunciation shall not have the effect of releasing the State Party

from its obligations under the present Protocol in regard to any offence that

occurs prior to the date on which the denunciation becomes effective. Nor

shall such a denunciation prejudice in any way the continued consideration

of any matter that is already under consideration by the Committee on the

Rights of the Child prior to the date on which the denunciation becomes

effective.

Article 16

1. Any State Party may propose an amendment and file it with the

Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General shall

thereupon communicate the proposed amendment to States Parties with a

request that they indicate whether they favour a conference of States

Parties for the purpose of considering and voting upon the proposals. In the

event that, within four months from the date of such communication, at

least one third of the States Parties favour such a conference, the

Secretary-General shall convene the conference under the auspices of the

United Nations. Any amendment adopted by a majority of States Parties

present and voting at the conference shall be submitted to the General

Assembly of the United Nations for approval.

2. An amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present

article shall enter into force when it has been approved by the General

Assembly and accepted by a two-thirds majority of States Parties.

3. When an amendment enters into force, it shall be binding on those States

Parties that have accepted it, other States Parties still being bound by the

provisions of the present Protocol and any earlier amendments they have

accepted.

Article 17

1. The present Protocol, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French,

Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the

archives of the United Nations.

2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit certified

copies of the present Protocol to all States Parties to the Convention and all

States that have signed the Convention.