Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of
 All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(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 on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 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 Optional 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. 


ENTRY INTO FORCE

The Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 December 2000. 


HOW TO BECOME A PARTY 

        The Optional Protocol is open for signature, indefinitely, by any State that has signed, ratified or acceded to the Convention Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and to ratification and accession by any State that has ratified or acceded to the Convention.


OPTIONAL AND/OR MANDATORY DECLARATIONS 

        At the time of signature, ratification or accession a State may declare that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women provided for in Articles 8 and 9. 


RESERVATIONS 

Reservations are not permitted.


WITHDRAWAL/DENUNCIATION 

        Denunciation of the Optional Protocol is possible at any time and it takes effect six months after the receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General. 


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