Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), unanimously adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 44/25 of November 20, 1989, is the most widely endorsed international human rights treaty, as it has been ratified by all the countries of the world except the United States. This treaty, which has 54 articles, entered into force in January 1991 in Spain and focuses on the human rights of children and adolescents (under 18 years old). All States Parties are obliged to respect the economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights of all children enshrined in the Convention and to enforce them. It not only obliges governments but also defines the obligations and responsibilities of parents, teachers, health professionals, researchers, and the children themselves.

It recognizes all persons under 18 years as full rights holders and enshrines four fundamental principles:

  1. Non-discrimination (Article 2): all children have the same rights, regardless of their skin color, religion, origin, or their parents' beliefs.
  2. The best interests of the child (Article 3): any decision, law, or policy that could affect a child must consider what is best for them.
  3. The right to life, survival, and development (Article 6): all children have the right to live and reach their highest potential in life.
  4. The right to express their views (Article 12): children and adolescents have the right to be consulted about situations that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account.

 

Automatically translated with OpenAI from Spanish