Child Can File Complaint Against Violation of Rights: Bill Approved

The Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly discussed the draft law to ratify the optional protocol regarding the procedure for submitting communications under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Deputy Minister of Justice Kristinne Grigoryan stated that the protocol was adopted during the 66th session of the UN General Assembly on December 19, 2011. The protocol has been signed by 52 states and ratified by 46. Armenia signed the protocol on September 26, 2019.

The Deputy Minister noted that the protocol aims to strengthen and complement national and regional mechanisms that allow children to file complaints against violations of their rights. According to Grigoryan, the protocol will enable the Committee on the Rights of the Child to carry out a number of functions aimed at reinforcing and complementing such national mechanisms, as well as expanding the implementation of the Convention and its optional protocols, including the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography and the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.

According to the Deputy Minister, by ratifying the protocol, Armenia will assume the obligation to give proper consideration to the Committee's views and recommendations regarding complaints from individuals under its jurisdiction. The committee approved the draft, which will be discussed in the plenary session of the National Assembly.