Children’s Rights: Understanding the International Convention
Article 17 and the Importance of Media
Article 17 states parties recognize the importance of media in promoting information that promotes their social, spiritual, physical and mental well-being. This includes:
Participation Rights
These rights allow children and adolescents to take an active role in their communities. Examples include the freedom to express opinions and to join associations. Their active participation provides valuable opportunities for collaboration and growth, fostering a sense of belonging and respect.
Protection Rights
These rights are essential to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This includes special attention to refugee children, sexual exploitation, and child labor.
Child Labor and Exploitation
The convention recognizes that child labor can be exploitative, depending on the work environment, risks involved, and the child’s age and sex. The impact of work on a child’s right to education is also a key consideration.
Sexual Exploitation
The convention addresses the vulnerability of children to sexual exploitation due to their dependence on others and limited ability to protect themselves.
Military Recruitment
The convention highlights the issue of forced military recruitment of children and the potential for them to be involved in acts of violence and brutality.
Juvenile Justice System
The convention emphasizes the importance of a juvenile justice system that aligns with the best interests of the child, protecting them from torture, inhuman treatment, and illegal detention.
Three Basic Principles of the Convention
- The Predominance of Interest: In all actions concerning children, the child’s interests are of paramount importance.
- Non-discrimination: The rights of every child should be guaranteed without discrimination.
- Participation: Children can express their views freely in all matters that affect them.
Other Important Rights
Children also have the right to honor, privacy, and reputation; the right to information; the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; the right to participation; and the right to freedom of expression and to be heard.
The Role of Local Governments and Support Services
Local governments play a crucial role in protecting children’s rights by supporting and providing protective services. These services offer support and intervention when a child’s well-being is at risk. They may propose measures such as family support, supervision by the Ministry of Law, declarations of abandonment, custody, foster care, residential care, adoption, and other measures in the child’s best interest.
The Priority of Child Protection and Development
The protection and development of children are of the highest priority, as they are essential for the survival, stability, and progress of all nations.
“How is it that, being so smart as kids, the majority of men are so stupid? Must be the result of education.” – Alexandre Dumas
“The word progress has no meaning while children are unhappy.” – Albert Einstein
8. Protection, Guarantees of Children’s Rights. Children in the Human Rights Framework. The International Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Children’s rights are inalienable and irrevocable. Several documents enshrine these rights, including:
- 1924 Geneva Declaration: Proclaimed the child’s right to normal development from a material and spiritual standpoint.
- United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: Addressed children’s rights within a broader human rights framework.
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child: Outlined 10 key principles for the protection and well-being of children.
- UNICEF: The UN agency dedicated to ensuring compliance with children’s rights.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child: The fundamental legal framework for protecting and promoting children’s rights.
Key Concepts of the Convention
- The Interests of the Child
- Non-discrimination
- Survival and Development
- Children’s Participation
The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as anyone under 18 years old. It has garnered widespread global support and emphasizes the importance of recognizing children’s rights as a public issue, not just a family matter.
The Convention highlights the need for special safeguards and legal protection for children due to their physical and mental immaturity. It provides a framework for promoting, protecting, and fulfilling children’s rights within the broader context of international human rights law.
Structure and Content of the Convention
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which came into force in 1990, consists of a preamble and 54 articles. These articles cover all aspects of children’s and adolescents’ lives and are categorized into several key areas:
1. Right of Survivorship
This includes the right to life and the fulfillment of basic needs such as an adequate standard of living, housing, and nutrition (Article 6.2, Article 24, and Article 27).
2. Development Rights
These rights enable children to reach their full potential, encompassing education, play and leisure, and cultural activities (Article 14).
The Convention on the Rights of the Child serves as a vital instrument for safeguarding the well-being and future of children worldwide.