Letting your children know about their rights

Children and young people have the same general human rights as adults and specific rights that recognize their unique needs. Children are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and are the subject of their rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights that must be realized for children to develop to their full potential. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international agreement that recognizes the fundamental human rights of children. It defines children as individuals under 18 and requires that States Parties take appropriate measures to protect them from discrimination and provide exceptional care and support. The Convention also mandates that children have access to essential services like education and healthcare and the freedom to develop their personalities, talents, and abilities to the fullest extent possible.

?

A child is any person under the age of 18

2. No discrimination

All children have all these rights, no matter who they are, where they live, what language they speak, what their religion is, what they think, what they look like, if they are a boy or girl, if they have a disability, if they are rich or poor, and no matter who their parents or families are or what their parents or families believe or do. No child should be mistreated for any reason.

?

3. Best interests of the child

When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children. All adults should do what is best for children. Governments should ensure children are protected and looked after by their parents or other people when needed. Governments should ensure that people and places responsible for looking after children are doing a good job.

?

4. Making rights real

Governments must do all they can to ensure that every child in their countries can enjoy all the rights in this Convention.

?

5. Family guidance as children develop

Governments should let families and communities guide their children so that, as they grow up, they learn to use their rights in the best way. The more children grow, the less guidance they will need.

?

6. Life survival and development

Every child has the right to be alive. Governments must ensure that children survive and develop in the best possible way.

?

7. Name and nationality

Children must be registered when born and given a name the government officially recognizes. Children must have a nationality (belong to a country). Children should know their parents whenever possible and be looked after by them.

?

8. Identity

Children have the right to their identity – an official record of who they are, including their name, nationality and family relations. No one should take this away from them, but if this happens, governments must help children quickly regain their identity.

?

9. Keeping families together

Children should not be separated from their parents unless they are not being adequately looked after – for example, if a parent hurts or does not take care of a child. Children whose parents don’t live together should stay in contact with both parents unless this might harm the child.

?

10. Contact with parents across countries

If a child lives in a different country than their parents, governments must let the child and parents travel to stay in contact and be together.

?

11. Protection from kidnapping

Governments must stop children from being taken out of the country when this is against the law – for example, being kidnapped by someone or held abroad by a parent when the other parent disagrees.

?

12. Respect for children's views

Children have the right to give their opinions freely on issues that affect them. Adults should listen and take children seriously.

?

13. Sharing thoughts freely

Children have the right to share what they learn freely, think and feel by talking, drawing, writing or in any other way unless it harms other people.

?

14. Freedom of thought and religion

Children can choose their thoughts, opinions and religion, but this should not stop others from enjoying their rights. Parents can guide children so that they learn to use this right properly as they grow up.

?

15. Setting up or joining groups

Children can join or set up groups or organizations and meet with others as long as this does not harm other people.

?

16. Protection of privacy

Every child has the right to privacy. The law must protect children’s privacy, family, home, communications and reputation (or good name) from any attack.

?

17. Access to information

Children have the right to get information from the Internet, radio, television, newspapers, books and other sources. Adults should make sure the information they are getting is safe. Governments should encourage the media to share information from various sources in languages that all children can understand.

?

18. Responsibility of parents

Parents are the prominent people responsible for bringing up a child. When the child has no parents, another adult will have this responsibility, and they are called a “guardian.” Parents and guardians should always consider what is best for that child. Governments should help them. When a child has both parents, they should be responsible for bringing up the child.

?

19. Protection from violence

Governments must protect children from violence, abuse and being neglected by anyone who looks after them.

?

20. Children without families

Every child whom their own family cannot look after has the right to be looked after properly by people who respect their religion, culture, language and other aspects of their life.

?

21. Children who are adopted

When children are adopted, the most important thing is to do what is best for them. If a child cannot be adequately looked after in their own country – for example, by living with another family – then they might be adopted in another country.

?

22. Refugee children

Children who move from their home country to another country as refugees (because it is not safe for them to stay there) should get help and protection and have the same rights as children born in that country.

?

23. Children with disabilities

Every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. Governments should remove all obstacles for children with disabilities to become independent and participate actively in the community.

?

24. Health, water, food, environment

Children have the right to the best health care possible, clean drinking water, healthy food and a clean and safe environment. All adults and children should know how to stay safe and healthy.

?

25. Review of a child's placement

Every child placed somewhere away from home - for their care, protection or health – should have their situation checked regularly to see if everything is going well and if this is still the best place for the child to be.

?

26. Social and economic help

Governments should provide money or other support to help children from low-income families.

?

27. Food, clothing, a safe home

Children have the right to food, clothing and a safe place to live to develop best. The government should help families and children who cannot afford this.

?

28. Access to education

Every child has the right to an education. Primary education should be free. Secondary and higher education should be available to every child. Children should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level possible. Discipline in schools should respect children’s rights and never use violence.

?

29. Aims of education

Children’s education should help them fully develop their personalities, talents and abilities. It should teach them to understand their rights and to respect other people’s rights, cultures and differences. It should help them to live peacefully and protect the environment.

?

30. Minority culture, language and religion

Children have the right to use their language, culture and religion - even if most people do not share these in the country where they live.

?

31. Rest, play, culture, arts

Every child has the right to rest, relax, play, and participate in cultural and creative activities.

?

32. Protection from harmful work

Children have the right to be protected from doing dangerous or bad work for their education, health or development. Children who work have the right to be safe and paid fairly.

?

33. Protection from harmful drugs

Governments must protect children from taking, making, carrying or selling harmful drugs.

?

34. Protection from sexual abuse

The government should protect children from sexual exploitation (being taken advantage of) and sexual abuse, including by people forcing children to have sex for money or making sexual pictures or films of them.

?

35. Prevention of sale and trafficking

Governments must make sure that children are not kidnapped, sold or taken to other countries or places to be exploited (taken advantage of).

?

36. Protection from exploitation

Children have the right to be protected from all other kinds of exploitation (being taken advantage of), even if these are not explicitly mentioned in this Convention.

?

37. Children in detention

Children who are accused of breaking the law should not be killed, tortured, oppressed, put in prison forever, or put in prison with adults. Prison should always be the last choice and only for the shortest possible time. Children in prison should have legal help and be able to stay in contact with their families.

?

38. Protection in war

Children have the right to be protected during war. No child under 15 can join the army or take part in war.

?

39. Recovery and reintegration

Children have the right to get help if they have been hurt, neglected, poorly treated or affected by war so they can get back their health and dignity.

??

40. Children who break the law

Children accused of breaking the law have the right to legal help and fair treatment. There should be many solutions to help these children become good members of their communities. Prison should only be the last choice.

?

41. Best law for children applies

If the laws of a country protect children’s rights better than this Convention, then those laws should be used.

?

42. Everyone must know children's rights

Governments should actively tell children and adults about this Convention so everyone knows about children’s rights.

?

43 to 54. How the Convention works

These articles explain how governments and other organizations ensure all children enjoy all their rights. Find out more online today