Tiny Vandewiele is a Lawyer-Linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

• List of Abbreviations; Author Biography; Text of the Optional Protocol; Chapter One Introduction; Chapter Two Comparison with Related International Instruments; 1. Universal Instruments; 1.1 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions; 1.2 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child; 1.3 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; 1.4 1999 ILO Convention No 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour; 1.5 United Nations Resolutions and Recommendations; 2. Regional Instruments; 2.1 Binding Regional Instruments: the African Child Charter; 2.2 Other Regional Initiatives; Chapter Three Scope of the Optional Protocol Preamble; 1. Article 1: Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.1 Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.2 Members of their Armed Forces Younger than 18 Years; 1.3 Obligation of Means Resting on States Parties; 2. Article 2: Compulsory recruitment; 2.1 Compulsory Recruitment into their Armed Forces; 2.2 Persons Who Have Not Attained the Age of 18 Years; 2.3 Obligation of Result Resting on States Parties;3. Article 3: Voluntary Recruitment; 3.1 Article 3(1): Higher Minimum Age; 3.2 Article 3(2): Binding Declaration; 3.3 Article 3(3): Minimum Safeguards; 3.4 Article 3(4): Strengthening of Declaration; 3.5 Article 3(5): Military Schools; 4. Article 4: Armed Groups; 4.1 Article 4(1): Recruitment or Use in Hostilities; 4.2 Article 4(2): Prevention; 4.3 Article 4(3): Legal Status of the Parties 5. Article 5: Safeguard Clause; 6. Article 6: Implementation, Dissemination, emobilisation and Recovery; 6.1 Article 6(1): Implementation and Enforcement; 6.2 Article 6(2): Dissemination; 6.3 Article 6(3): Demobilisation and Recovery; 7. Article 7: International Cooperation; 7.1 Article 7(1): Cooperation in the Implementation of the Protocol; 7.2 Article 7(2): Programmes or Fund; 8. Article 8: Reporting; 8.1 Article 8(1): Initial Reports; 8.2 Article 8(2): Periodic Reporting; 8.3 Article 8(3): Request for Further Information;9. Article 9: Signature, Ratification/Accession; 10. Article 10: Entry into Force; 11. Article 11: Denunciation; 12. Article 12: Amendments; 13. Article 13: Authentic Versions, Deposit, Transmission of Copies.

Tiny Vandewiele is a Lawyer-Linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

• List of Abbreviations; Author Biography; Text of the Optional Protocol; Chapter One Introduction; Chapter Two Comparison with Related International Instruments; 1. Universal Instruments; 1.1 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions; 1.2 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child; 1.3 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; 1.4 1999 ILO Convention No 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour; 1.5 United Nations Resolutions and Recommendations; 2. Regional Instruments; 2.1 Binding Regional Instruments: the African Child Charter; 2.2 Other Regional Initiatives; Chapter Three Scope of the Optional Protocol Preamble; 1. Article 1: Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.1 Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.2 Members of their Armed Forces Younger than 18 Years; 1.3 Obligation of Means Resting on States Parties; 2. Article 2: Compulsory recruitment; 2.1 Compulsory Recruitment into their Armed Forces; 2.2 Persons Who Have Not Attained the Age of 18 Years; 2.3 Obligation of Result Resting on States Parties;3. Article 3: Voluntary Recruitment; 3.1 Article 3(1): Higher Minimum Age; 3.2 Article 3(2): Binding Declaration; 3.3 Article 3(3): Minimum Safeguards; 3.4 Article 3(4): Strengthening of Declaration; 3.5 Article 3(5): Military Schools; 4. Article 4: Armed Groups; 4.1 Article 4(1): Recruitment or Use in Hostilities; 4.2 Article 4(2): Prevention; 4.3 Article 4(3): Legal Status of the Parties 5. Article 5: Safeguard Clause; 6. Article 6: Implementation, Dissemination, emobilisation and Recovery; 6.1 Article 6(1): Implementation and Enforcement; 6.2 Article 6(2): Dissemination; 6.3 Article 6(3): Demobilisation and Recovery; 7. Article 7: International Cooperation; 7.1 Article 7(1): Cooperation in the Implementation of the Protocol; 7.2 Article 7(2): Programmes or Fund; 8. Article 8: Reporting; 8.1 Article 8(1): Initial Reports; 8.2 Article 8(2): Periodic Reporting; 8.3 Article 8(3): Request for Further Information;9. Article 9: Signature, Ratification/Accession; 10. Article 10: Entry into Force; 11. Article 11: Denunciation; 12. Article 12: Amendments; 13. Article 13: Authentic Versions, Deposit, Transmission of Copies.

Tiny Vandewiele is a Lawyer-Linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

• List of Abbreviations; Author Biography; Text of the Optional Protocol; Chapter One Introduction; Chapter Two Comparison with Related International Instruments; 1. Universal Instruments; 1.1 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions; 1.2 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child; 1.3 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; 1.4 1999 ILO Convention No 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour; 1.5 United Nations Resolutions and Recommendations; 2. Regional Instruments; 2.1 Binding Regional Instruments: the African Child Charter; 2.2 Other Regional Initiatives; Chapter Three Scope of the Optional Protocol Preamble; 1. Article 1: Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.1 Direct Participation in Hostilities; 1.2 Members of their Armed Forces Younger than 18 Years; 1.3 Obligation of Means Resting on States Parties; 2. Article 2: Compulsory recruitment; 2.1 Compulsory Recruitment into their Armed Forces; 2.2 Persons Who Have Not Attained the Age of 18 Years; 2.3 Obligation of Result Resting on States Parties;3. Article 3: Voluntary Recruitment; 3.1 Article 3(1): Higher Minimum Age; 3.2 Article 3(2): Binding Declaration; 3.3 Article 3(3): Minimum Safeguards; 3.4 Article 3(4): Strengthening of Declaration; 3.5 Article 3(5): Military Schools; 4. Article 4: Armed Groups; 4.1 Article 4(1): Recruitment or Use in Hostilities; 4.2 Article 4(2): Prevention; 4.3 Article 4(3): Legal Status of the Parties 5. Article 5: Safeguard Clause; 6. Article 6: Implementation, Dissemination, emobilisation and Recovery; 6.1 Article 6(1): Implementation and Enforcement; 6.2 Article 6(2): Dissemination; 6.3 Article 6(3): Demobilisation and Recovery; 7. Article 7: International Cooperation; 7.1 Article 7(1): Cooperation in the Implementation of the Protocol; 7.2 Article 7(2): Programmes or Fund; 8. Article 8: Reporting; 8.1 Article 8(1): Initial Reports; 8.2 Article 8(2): Periodic Reporting; 8.3 Article 8(3): Request for Further Information;9. Article 9: Signature, Ratification/Accession; 10. Article 10: Entry into Force; 11. Article 11: Denunciation; 12. Article 12: Amendments; 13. Article 13: Authentic Versions, Deposit, Transmission of Copies.