1.   Not only does this erode our credibility on international human rights issues, it makes the United States ineligible to join the proposed optional protocol.

2.   After four years of negotiations, the Commission on the Status of Women approved the optional protocol in March and sent it to the General Assembly for final approval.

3.   An optional protocol is a treaty in its own right and is open to signature, accession or ratification by parties to the main treaty.

4.   Australia was working with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights working group on a draft optional protocol.

5.   Human rights treaties, such as this convention, are often followed by an optional protocol which may either bring in new procedures or address an essential issue.

6.   Many nations have already ratified an optional protocol to the Convention of the Rights of the Child on Children in Armed Conflict barring child soldiers.

7.   One optional protocol explicitly prohibits child prostitution, child pornography and the sale of children.

8.   One objection is from governments that want a provision for reservations to articles in the optional protocol.

9.   The head of the WHO anti-smoking campaign, Derek Yach, said it was possible that a ban on sports sponsorship might be in such an optional protocol.

10.   The optional protocol will, therefore, serve as an enforcement mechanism.