I was very pleased that your government was among the first to sign the new Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. As you know, this new standard is a strong expression of the international consensus against the use of children as soldiers.
I am writing now to urge your government to ratify the Optional Protocol as part of its preparations for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002.
To date, 87 UN member states have signed the Optional Protocol. Ten countries have now ratified, which will bring the protocol into force early in 2002. However, many more ratifications are needed in order to ensure global recognition and implementation of the protocol.
Your government has taken a strong stand on the child soldiers issue at the international level. Early ratification of the Optional Protocol in the lead up to the UNGA Special Session would underscore your government's commitment to these principles and help to lay the foundation for a truly global ban on the use of children as soldiers.
We urge you to ratify the Optional Protocol as soon as possible, without reservations and setting at least 18 as the minimum age for all forms of military recruitment.
Yours sincerely
cc. Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Geneva
cc. Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York