The Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF)

See also Children and Their Rights -- The Convention on the Rights
See also Child Rights Information Network
Full text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child [English] [Icelandic]

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990. Its 54 articles cover civil, political, social, and economic rights. Five years after the Convention had entered into force, it had been ratified by 176 of the world's 191 countries. Throughout the Convention, "States Parties" refers to the national or other governments that have ratified the Convention.

The following Articles of the Convention are particularly related to the work of IASL:

  • Article 1
    Definition of a Child
    For the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.
  • Article 13
    Freedom of Expression
    1. The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orallly, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.
    2. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
      1. For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or
      2. For the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals.
  • Article 16
    Protection of Privacy
    1. No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.
    2. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
  • Article 17
    Access to Appropriate Information
    States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health. To this end, States Parties shall:
    1. Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child and in accordance with the spirit of article 29;
    2. Encourage international co-operation in the production, exchange and dissemination of such information and material from a diversity of cultural, national and international sources;
    3. Encourage the production and dissemination of children's books;
    4. Encourage the mass media to have particular regard to the linguistic needs of the child who belongs to a minority group or who is indigenous;
    5. Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of articles 13 and 18 [related to parental responsibilities].
  • Article 28
    Education
    1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to education, and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular:
      1. Make preliminary education compulsory and available free to all;
      2. Encourage the development of different forms of secondary education, including general and vocational education, make them available and accessible to every child, and take appropriate measures such as the introduction of free education and offering financial assistance in case of need;
      3. Make higher education accessible to all on the basis of capacity by every appropriate means;
      4. Make educational and vocational information and guidance available and accessible to all children;
      5. Take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the reduction of drop-out rates.
    2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that school discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the child's human dignity and in conformity with the present C onvention.
    3. States Parties shall promote and encourage international co-operation in matters relating to education, in particular with a view to contributing to the elimination of ignorance and illiteracy throughout the world and facilitating access to scientific and technical knowledge and modern teaching methods. In this regard, particular account shall be taken of the needs of developing countries.
  • Article 29
    Aims of Education
    1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
      1. The development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;
      2. The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
      3. The development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;
      4. The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin;
      5. The development of respect for the natural environment.
    2. No part of the present article or article 28 shall be construed so as to interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and direct educational institutions, subject always to the observance of the principles set forth in paragraph 1 of the present article and to the requirements that the education given in such institutions shall conform to such minimum standards as may be laid down by the State.
  • Article 31
    Leisure, Recreation and Cultural Activities
    1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to particiopate freely in cultural life and the arts.
    2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.

Last Updated 9 February 2003 (LAC)