The Convention on the Rights of the Child
Click here to read the full text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Preamble
Article
1: Definition of a Child
Article 2:
Non-Discrimination
Article 3:
Best Interests of the Child
Article 4:
Implementing these Rights
Article 5:
Parents and Children
Article 6:
Survival and Development
Article 7:
Name and Nationality
Article 8:
Identity
Article 9:
Separation from Parents
Article 10:
Family Contact
Article 11:
Illegal Transfer
Article 12:
A Child’s Option
Article 13:
Freedom to Express
Article 14:
Freedom to Think and Believe
Article 15:
Freedom to Join and Assemble
Article 16:
Privacy
Article 17:
Access to Information
Article 18:
Parent’s Responsibility
Article 19:
Protection from Abuse, Neglect and Violence
Article 20:
Protection for Children without Families
Article 21: Adoption
Article 22:
Refugee Children
Article 23: Disabled
Children
Article 24:
Health and Health Services
Article 25:
Regular Evaluation and Placement
Article 26:
Social Security and Assistance
Article 27:
Standard of Living
Article 28:
Education
Article 29:
Goals of Education
Article 30:
Children of Minorities of Indigenous People
Article 31:
Leisure, Recreation and Cultural Activities
Article 32:
Child Labor
Article 33:
Drug Abuse
Article 34:
Sexual Exploitation
Article 35:
Sale, Trafficking and Abduction
Article 36:
Other Forms of Exploitation
Article 37:
Torture and Deprivation of Liberty
Article 38:
Armed Conflicts
Article 39:
Rehabilitative Care
Article 40:
Administration of Juvenile Justice
Article 41:
Respect for the Highest Standards
Articles 42-54:
Publicizing and Implementing the CRC
Preamble:
The preamble recalls the basic principles of the United Nations
and specific provisions of certain relevant human rights treaties and
proclamations. It reaffirms the fact that children, because of their vulnerability,
need special care and protection, and it also places special emphasis
on the primary care and protective responsibility of the family. It also
reaffirms the need for legal and other protection of the child before
and after birth, the importance of respect for the cultural values of
the child’s community, and the vital role of international cooperation
in securing children’s rights.
Article 1: Definition of a Child: A child is anyone under the age of 18, unless a country’s law sets a younger age limit.
Article 2: Non-Discrimination: The Convention applies to all children, no matter what their cultural, religious, or ethnic background. The Government is responsible for protecting children from any discrimination.
Article 3: Best Interests of the Child: Anyone taking care of a child should have his or her best interests in mind. If parents or other guardians cannot care for a child, the government should provide care for him or her.
Article 4: Implementing these Rights: It is the responsibility of the Government to make sure that all children have all of the rights in this Convention.
Article 5: Parents and Children: The government should respect the rights of families to raise their children as they grow up.
Article 6: Survival and Development: Every child has the right to live. Governments should make sure that children survive and grow up healthy.
Article 7: Name and Nationality: All children have the right to have a name and a nationality when they are born. When possible, children have the right to know and be raised by their parents.
Article 8: Identity: The Government should respect a child’s rights to a name, nationality, and family.
Article 9: Separation from Parents: Children have a right to live with their parents, unless it is not in the children’s best interest. Children whose parents have separated have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might hurt the child.
Article 10: Family Contact: If families live in different countries, they should be allowed to move between these countries so that parents and children can stay in contact or reunite as a family.
Article 11: Illegal Transfer: The government should prevent children being illegally taken from their own country. When they are, the government should do whatever it can to bring them back home.
Article 12: A Child’s Option: Children have the right to express their own views when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have these opinions taken into account.
Article 13: Freedom to Express: Children have the right to get and to share information, as long as the information is not damaging to them or to others.
Article 14: Freedom to Think and Believe: Children have the right to think and believe what they want and to practice their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide their children on these matters.
Article 15: Freedom to Join and Assemble: Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organizations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.
Article 16: Privacy: Children have a right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their reputation, their families and their homes.
Article 17: Access to Information: Children have the right to reliable information from the mass media. The media should provide information from a variety of sources that children can understand, and should not promote materials that could harm children.
Article 18: Parent’s Responsibility: Both parents share responsibility for bringing up their children, and should always consider what is best for each child. Governments should help parents by providing services to support them, especially if both parents work.
Article 19: Protection from Abuse, Neglect and Violence: Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them.
Article 20: Protection for Children without Families: If children cannot be looked after by their own family, the government must ensure that they are looked after properly, by people who respect their religion, culture and language.
Article 21: Adoption: When children are adopted the first concern must be what is best for them. The same rules should apply whether the children are adopted in the country where they were born, or if they are taken to live in another country.
Article 22: Refugee Children: Children who come into a country as refugees should receive protection from the host Government and be afforded all the rights in the Convention.
Article 23: Disabled Children: Children who have any kind of disability should have special care and support, so that they can lead full and independent lives.
Article 24: Health and Health Services: Children have the right to the highest possible standard of health, including quality health care, clean water, nutritious food and a clean environment. There should be international cooperation to help achieve this.
Article 25: Regular Evaluation and Placement: Children who are looked after by their local authority, rather than their parents, should have their situation reviewed regularly.
Article 26: Social Security and Assistance: The Government should provide extra money for the children of families in need.
Article 27: Standard of Living: Children have a right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet their physical and mental needs. The Government should help families who cannot afford to provide this.
Article 28: Education: Children have the right to an education, including free primary education. Discipline in schools should respect children’s human dignity. Governments should work together to provide adequate education for all.
Article 29: Goals of Education: Education should develop each child’s personality and talents to the fullest. It should encourage children to respect their parents, and their own and other cultures.
Article 30: Children of Minorities of Indigenous People: Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shared by the majority of people in the country or not.
Article 31: Leisure, Recreation and Cultural Activities: All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of recreational activities.
Article 32: Child Labor: The Government should protect children from work that is dangerous, or might harm their health or education. Children’s working hours and conditions should be regulated.
Article 33: Drug Abuse: The Government should provide ways of protecting children from using or trafficking dangerous drugs.
Article 34: Sexual Exploitation: The Government should protect children from sexual abuse, prostitution, and pornography.
Article 35: Sale, Trafficking and Abduction: The Government should make sure that children are not abducted or sold.
Article 36: Other Forms of Exploitation: Children should be protected from any activities that could harm their development.
Article 37: Torture and Deprivation of Liberty: Children who break the law should not be treated cruelly. They should not be sentenced to capital punishment or life imprisonment, nor put in prison with adults. They should be able to keep in contact with their families.
Article 38: Armed Conflicts: Governments should not allow children under 15 to join the army. Children in war zones should receive special protection.
Article 39: Rehabilitative Care: Children who have been neglected or abused should receive special help to reintegrate them into society and restore their self-respect.
Article 40: Administration of Juvenile Justice: Children who are accused of breaking the law should receive legal help and fair trials. Prison sentences for children should only be used for the most serious offences.
Article 41: Respect for the Highest Standards: If the laws of a particular country protect children better than the articles of the Convention, then those laws should stay.
Articles 42-54: Publicizing and Implementing the CRC: The Government should make the Convention known to all parents and children. Governments must elect a Committee on the Rights of the Child composed of 10 experts, which considers reports submitted by parties to the Convention two years after ratification and every five years thereafter. These reports are to be made available to the general public. The Committee may propose that special studies be undertaken on specific issues relating to the rights of the child, and makes its evaluations known to the government concerned as well as to the United Nations General Assembly. To foster implementation of the Convention and encourage international cooperation, bodies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are encouraged to advise the Committee and permitted to attend its meetings. They can submit pertinent information to the Committee and be asked to advise on the optimal implementation of the Convention, together with other bodies recognized as competent – including other United Nations bodies and NGOs which have consultative status with the United Nations.
Click
here to read the full text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
*The
above information was adapted from the "Summary of the Convention
on the Rights of the Child" given out at the Summit for the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, organized by the Campaign
for U.S. Ratification on the Rights of the Child.