Which states have signed and ratified the Convention?
Summary of results
Of the countries that participated in the survey, 25 countries had ratified the Convention, nine countries had signed but not ratified it, and neither Kosovo nor Switzerland had either signed or ratified it.
The Optional Protocol had been ratified by 20 countries and signed, but not ratified, by a further six countries. And, Switzerland and Kosovo aside, only eight countries out of the 36 had not signed the Optional Protocol.
The state has ratified the UN Convention. The “R” and “S” indicate that the state has, respectively, also ratified or signed the Optional Protocol.
The state has signed the UN Convention, but has not yet ratified it. The “S” indicates that the state has also signed the Optional Protocol.
The state has not signed the UN Convention.
 Albania (ALB) |
UN Convention signed |
 Argentina (ARG) |
 UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Australia (AUS) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Austria (AUT) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Belgium – Federal State Walloon (BEL) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Bulgaria (BUL) |
 UN Convention and Optional Protocol signed |
 Canada (CAN) |
UN Convention ratified |
 Croatia (CRO) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Czech Republic (CZE) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Denmark (DNK) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Estonia (EST) |
 UN Convention signed and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Finland (FIN) |
UN Convention signed and Optional Protocol ratified |
 France (FRA) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Germany (DEU) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Hungary (HUN) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Ireland (IRL) |
UN Convention signed |
 Israel (ISR) |
UN Convention signed |
 Italy (ITA) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Kosovo (RKS) |
Not signed |
 Macedonia (MKD) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol signed |
 Mexico (MEX) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Montenegro (MNE) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Netherlands (NED) |
UN Convention signed |
 Portugal (POR) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Romania (ROU) |
 UN Convention ratified and Optional Protocol signed |
 Serbia (SRB) |
UN Convention ratified |
 Slovakia (SVK) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Slovenia (SLO) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 South Africa (RSA) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Spain (ESP) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 Sweden (SWE) |
UN Convention ratified and Optional Protocol signed |
 Switzerland (SUI) |
Not signed |
 Turkey (TUR) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 United Kingdom (UK) |
UN Convention and Optional Protocol ratified |
 United States – California (US CA) |
UN Convention signed |
| United States – New York (US NY state) |
UN Convention signed |
