New York, 6 October 1999
Objectives
The objective of the Optional Protocol is to allow individuals or groups of
individuals who have exhausted national remedies to petition the Committee
directly about alleged violations of the Convention by their Governments. The
Optional Protocol also permits the Committee to conduct inquiries into grave or
systematic violations of the Convention in countries that are parties to the
Convention and to the Optional Protocol.
Key Provisions
States parties to the Optional Protocol undertake to make the Convention and the
Protocol widely known and to facilitate access to information about the views
and recommendations of the Committee. They are also required to take all
appropriate measures to ensure that individuals under their jurisdiction are not
subjected to ill-treatment or intimidation when they take advantage of the
Protocol's procedure or provide information associated with these procedures.
States which ratify or accede to the Optional Protocol may not enter
reservations to its terms, but they are able to opt-out of the inquiry
procedure.