The world’s children need a lot of care and attention to give them the chance of a happy, healthy life. Children should be able to grow up free of violence and abuse, with the help of family and friends, and have access to education, healthcare and other services. However, around the world, millions of children do not get these opportunities. They are being denied the chance of a happy and healthy childhood and of becoming productive members of society.
The international treaty called the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) spells out all the rights children are entitled to. It has 54 articles and covers all aspects of a child’s life. It defines a child as everyone below the age of 18, unless laws in a country recognise an earlier age of majority. It says that, because of their young age and vulnerability, children are a special group that needs particular protection. It also says that a child is a person who should be considered as an individual, with his or her own needs and interests.
Governments should ensure that all the rights in the CRC are available to all children. They should also work to protect children from harm, and make sure that all adults have a good understanding of the rights of their children. They should try to keep families together if this is what is best for the child, and they should support them in their work to fulfil their rights. They should do everything they can to help children with disabilities, and ensure that the rights of children in refugee camps are fulfilled. They should ensure that children are not being used as soldiers in war and that they are protected from other kinds of exploitation, such as kidnapping and sexual exploitation. They should not use children in prison, and if they do have to use them, they should be treated fairly and only for the shortest time possible.
Children have the right to express their opinions freely about things that affect them, but they should be guided so they learn how to do this safely. They can share their thoughts, opinions and religion with others – in writing, drawings or other ways, as long as they do not hurt other people. They have the right to meet with other children and young people to discuss the issues that concern them, but they should not be forced or made to join any groups or organisations.
Children have the right to be listened to and taken seriously by adults, no matter how old they are. They should be able to participate in discussions about the environment, racial equality, and climate change, and have the right to protest peacefully if they want to. They also have the right to be educated and to receive the support they need to learn. In addition, they have the right to be healthy and safe, and should live in a loving family.