Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict

The Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict is a protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by General Assembly of the United Nations on 25 May 2000 (resolution A/RES/54/263). Its full name is the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and it came into force on 12 February 2002.

The protocol requires of ratifying governments to ensure that children under 18 years are not recruited compulsorily into their armed forces. It also calls on ratifying governments to do everything feasible to ensure that members of their armed forces who are under 18 years of age do not take part in hostilities.