The world’s children need a lot of help. Every country, society and religion has a role to play in expanding their opportunities.
Every child has the right to health, education and protection, no matter where they live, what their country is like or how much money their family has. They need to be protected from harm, including sexual abuse and trafficking, so they can live full lives as healthy and happy as possible. They also need to be able to use their own language and culture, and even religion if they want to. They must not be made to go to war, and when they are, they must be well looked after. They must be protected when they are in prison, and if they have been accused of breaking the law, they need to get legal help.
A child’s parents are usually the main people responsible for bringing them up, but when this is not possible they need to be supported by a responsible adult or guardian. If a child has no parents, they should be looked after by someone who will consider their needs and wishes, respect their religion, culture and language and support their learning.
People have different ideas about what children should be like, and these ideas are reflected in the ways that they treat them. For example, Hindus believe that children are a vital link between human generations and that they have a special role to play in the fulfilment of divine plans. In traditional Sub Saharan African cultures, children are valued as treasured members of the community who need help and protection from adults. Christians believe that God creates children and that they have a purpose in life (Psalm 139:13-16).
Children’s rights are set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is one of the fastest-acting and most widely ratified international treaties in history. It changed the way that governments and communities viewed and treated children, putting them on an equal footing with adults as human beings who have specific rights.
The Convention was a major step towards protecting the health, education and welfare of all children in the world. But many challenges remain, especially for children in developing countries and those living in poverty. We need to build on our successes, and find lots more solutions – such as reducing preventable child deaths, getting more children into school and ending extreme poverty for children – so that every child can reach their full potential. To do this, we must all work together.