Children´s rights

Of all the UN conventions relating to human rights, the Children’s Convention has the greatest acceptance. The fact that virtually the entire world society has endorsed it gives the Convention a significant political, moral and also legal force. When states ratify the Convention they undertake to change their national legislation to be in agreement with the provisions in the document.

Background and obligations for the countries

Eglantyne Jebb (1876-1928) is called the mother of the Children’s Convention. Her engagement was born out of her experiences of how war and conflict led to suffering for children. Any and all wars, justified or not, she said, are a war against the child. In 1919 Jebb established Save the Children, and got nation states to help children across their borders. In 1924 she drafted a “Declaration on the Rights of the Child”. After WW II, the idea of human rights was widely propagated, and in 1959 the UN adopted “The Declaration on the Rights of the Child”, inspired by Jebb. Then, in 1989, ten years after women received their convention, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was finally adopted.

Content

The Convention has 54 articles. The rights must be considered in relation to each together, thus constituting an indivisible whole. The convention has four general principles:

1. Non-discrimination. All children have the same rights irrespective of skin colour, gender, language, religion, political or other conviction, national, ethnic or social origin, property, functional disability, birth or other status (Article 2)

2. The best interests of the child. In all actions concerning the child, the best interests of the child shall be a primary concern (Article 3)

3. All children have the inherent right to life and development (Article 6)

4. Participation. All children have the right to be heard (Article 12)

It is natural to also point out the gradual development of the child as an underlying principle in the convention, which is why the child should have increasing influence on its life until reaching the age of maturity. The convention ensures these rights: free speech, the right to seek, receive and disseminate information and ideas, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom to organise and assemble, protection against mental and physical violence, and the right to education, leisure, play and rest. The convention mentions vulnerable children, such as adopted children, refugee children and disabled children.

Children now have better conditions!

The Children’s Convention has been very important for children in many countries. Many states have initiated systematic investigations into the conditions children live under, and implemented measures to improve their situation. After the convention was adopted there have been many positive developments. More children live to adulthood, fewer children are suffering from malnutrition and more and more children – girls and boys – are attending school. Harmful customs and the use of violence are discussed and rejected. A century ago children around the world were commonly beaten, also in school. The clear message of the Children’s Convention is that children shall be protected from physical and mental violence. The central authorities have the primary responsibility for realising the implementation of the Children’s Convention. Since we who are parents and caregivers are the ones living with the children every day, it is up to us to ensure that their rights are respected.