The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

This is a summary of the main points of the Convention produced by UNICEF as ‘What Rights?’ The term ‘children and young people’ is used to describe all those who are under 18. Many Articles have continuing relevance for young people aged 18 to 25.

Everyone under 18 years of age has all the rights in this Convention.

The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say, whatever type of family they come from.

All organisations concerned with children and young people should work towards what is best for each person.

Governments should make these rights available to children and young people.

Governments should respect the rights and responsibilities of families to direct and guide their children, as they grow, to learn to use their rights properly.

All children and young people have the right to life. Governments should ensure that children and young people survive and develop healthily.

All children and young people have the right to a legally registered name, the right to a nationality and their right to know and, as far as possible, to be cared for by their parents.

Governments should respect children and young people’s right to a name, a nationality and family ties.

Children and young people should not be separated from their parents unless it is for their own good, for example if a parent is mistreating or neglecting them. Children and young people whose parents have separated have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might hurt them.

Families who live in different countries should be allowed to move between those countries so that parents and children and young people can stay in contact or get back together as a family.

Governments should take steps to stop children and young people being taken out of their own country illegally.

Children and young people have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

Children and young people have the right to get and to share information as long as the information is not damaging to them or to others.

Children and young people 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 them on these matters.

Children and young people have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.

Children and young people have a right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good name, their families and their homes.

Children and young people have the right to reliable information from the mass media. Television, radio and newspapers should provide information that children and young people can understand and should not promote materials that could harm them.

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.

Governments should ensure that children and young people are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.

Children and young people who cannot be looked after by their own family must be looked after properly, by people who respect their religion, culture and language.

When children and young people are adopted, the first concern must be what is best for them. The same rules should apply whether the children and young people are adopted in the country where they were born or taken to live in another country.

Children and young people who come into a country as refugees should have the same rights as children and young people born in that country.

Children and young people who have any kind of disability should have special care and support so that they can lead full and independent lives.

Children and young people have the right to good quality health care and to clean water, nutritious food and a clean environment so that they will stay healthy. Rich countries should help poorer countries achieve this.

Children and young people who are looked after by their local authority rather than their parents should have their situation reviewed regularly.

The Government should provide extra money for the children and young people of families in need.

Children and young people 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.

Children and young people have a right to an education. Discipline in schools should respect children and young people’s human dignity. Primary education should be free. Wealthy countries should help poorer countries achieve this.

Education should develop each child and young people’s personality and talents to the full. It should encourage children and young people to respect their parents, and their own and other cultures.

Children and young people have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shard by the majority of people in the country or not.

All children and young people have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities.

The Government should protect children and young people from work that is dangerous or might harm their health or their education.

The Government should provide ways of protecting children and young people from dangerous drugs.

The Government should protect children and young people from sexual abuse.

The Government should make sure that children and young people are not abducted or sold.

Children and young people should be protected from any activities that could harm their development.

Children and young people who break the law should not be treated cruelly. They should not be put in prison with adults and should be able to keep in contact with their families.

Governments should not allow children and young people under 15 to join the army. Children and young people in war zones should receive special protection.

Children and young people who have been neglected or abused should receive special help to restore their self-respect.

Children and young people who are accused of breaking the law should receive legal help. Prison sentences for children and young people should only be used for the most serious offences.

If the laws of a particular country protect children and young people better than the articles of the Convention, then those laws should stay.

The Government should make the Convention known to all parents and children and young people.