Minister Foley welcomes Government approval to ratify UN protocol strengthening protections for children
- From: Department of Children, Disability and Equality
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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has welcomed Government approval to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Protocol is aimed at protecting child victims of the sale of children, the exploitation of children in prostitution, and child sexual abuse material.
Several laws have been implemented to ensure Ireland was in a position to ratify the Protocol. These laws address offences relating to sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking as well as strengthening protections for children, and supporting child victims.
The laws passed to ensure Ireland could comply with the Protocol include the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, the Children First Act 2015, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017; and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024.
Welcoming the Government decision, Minister Foley said:
” Children have the right to be protected from exploitation, abuse and harm. Government approval to ratify the Second Optional Protocol represents another important milestone in Ireland’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ratification demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that children’s rights are protected, respected and promoted and will further strengthen Ireland’s contribution to international efforts in this regard. “
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, said:
“Ireland’s ratification of this important Protocol represents a key milestone in our global commitment to protect and advance children’s rights.
As we prepare to take our seat on the UN Human Rights Council in 2027 for a three-year term, this is an important signal of our ongoing and steadfast commitment to the UN’s human rights frameworks.”
The ratification of the Protocol will mean that individual children or their representatives can submit a communication to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child if they consider that any of their rights guaranteed by the Second Optional Protocol have been violated. This is facilitated by the Third Optional Protocol on a communications procedure, which Ireland has already ratified.