WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The rights of the child are a set of legal norms that try to protect people up to 18 years of age. They are based and recognized as fundamental rights inherent to the human dignity of all people, so they are also inalienable and inalienable.

These rights are listed and detailed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an agreement signed in 1989 by the member states of the United Nations, according to which governments are obliged to adapt their legislation, policy and practice to the recognition, the respect and defense of children's rights.

In this sense, the governments agree to periodically evaluate their progress in the application of the rights reflected in the Convention, for which they undergo periodic oral examinations before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

However, there are still situations in the world in which these rights are violated, which is why a number of organizations have emerged from civil society that contribute to ensuring that children's rights are respected.

The joint action of this type of organizations and the different United Nations agencies created in this regard, have contributed to the fact that today we can also talk about some advances in the matter such as: decrease in infant mortality, increase in school enrollment and better opportunities for girls.

You may also be interested in knowing the importance of human rights: 10 essential reasons.

Children's rights

1- Right to life

In accordance with this, the signatory States shall, as far as possible, ensure the survival and development of the child.

2- Right to identity

Every child must be registered immediately after birth, thereby acquiring a name and nationality. This implies that you will also have the right, as far as possible, to know your parents.

The child also has the right to preserve his identity, nationality, name and family relationships recognized by law without unlawful interference.

3- Right to stay with their parents

As long as this does not violate the best interests of the child.

4- Right to form your own points of view

The child has the right to have the experiences and tools that allow them to form that opinion, which must be taken into account according to the age and maturity of the child.

5- Right to freedom of expression

This right implies the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, through whatever means the child chooses.

This right has limits such as respect for others and in the protection of national security, public order, public health or morality.

6- Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion

Like any human being, the child also has the right to choose, according to his understanding and maturity, which religion to profess, which political philosophy to follow, etc.

7- Right of the child to freedom of association and freedom of assembly

8- Right to your privacy

This means that no child should be subjected to arbitrary or illegal interference with his private life, family, home or correspondence, or to unlawful attacks on his honor and reputation. The laws of the countries should lead to the protection of this right.

9- Right to access information

Children should have access to material from a variety of national and international sources, especially those aimed at promoting their social, spiritual and moral well-being, as well as their physical and mental health.

10- Right to be raised by their parents or legal guardians

They have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and optimal and integral development of the child. This means that the best interests of the child will be your primary concern.

This implies that the States must provide adequate assistance to parents and legal guardians to carry out their responsibilities in the matter of raising children.

11- Right to education

Every child has the right to receive an education that enables him to develop his personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities.

Likewise, such education should promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as respect for the natural environment, for their parents, their cultural identity, their language and their values.

The ideal education is one that prepares the child for a responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of the sexes and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious.

12- Right to health

This right also implies that the child should have suitable facilities and conditions for the treatment of illnesses and the rehabilitation of health.

This right also includes children who have been placed under protection by the competent authorities.

13- Right to rest, leisure and play

Children require playful enjoyment and they have the right to experience it whenever they wish in suitable spaces for this purpose, provided that this does not threaten their safety, health or integrity.

14- Right to protection

Every child has to and should be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, mistreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse or wrongful removal.

They also have the right to special protection from the State, when the child is temporarily or permanently deprived of his family environment. Similarly, in cases where a State allows or recognizes adoption, it must ensure that the interests of the child are the primary consideration.

They must be protected from economic exploitation, from doing any work that may be dangerous or interfere with their education, health, or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.

Every child must be protected from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as from the illicit production and trafficking of said substances.

They must be protected from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as from kidnapping and from being victims of human trafficking.

15- Right to benefit from social security

The programs and social security policies of the States should have children as a priority population, offering them special conditions.

16- Right to an adequate standard of living

This right guarantees the physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development of the child. This means that the parents, legal guardians or those responsible for the child have the duty to ensure, within their capacities, the living conditions necessary for the development of the infant.

To do this, they must provide material assistance in terms of nutrition, clothing and housing.In the case of children with mental or physical disabilities, they must also enjoy a life that respects their dignity, promotes their self-sufficiency and facilitates their participation in the community.

The State should ensure that the child in these conditions has effective access and receives education, training, health care services, rehabilitation services, preparation for employment and leisure opportunities.

In this way, the child will achieve social integration and individual development as complete as possible. The same applies to children belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities.

17- Right to humanitarian assistance

It refers to the right of the child who requests refugee status to be considered as such in accordance with international or national law, regardless of whether or not that child is accompanied by his parents or by any other person. This way you can enjoy and exercise all your rights.

In this sense, the States should ensure that they are not subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

18- Right to the presumption of innocence

This right implies that no child may be deprived of his liberty in an illegal or arbitrary manner. The prison sentence of a minor will be in accordance with the law and will only be used as a last measure and for the shortest possible time.

When the minor's guilt has already been determined, these conditions should be addressed:

• As long as the detention of that minor lasts, he must be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person and considering his age. For example, a minor in prison should be separated from adults.
• Neither the death penalty nor life imprisonment applies to them.
• The priority, once the sentence has been served, should be the social reintegration of the child so that it assumes a constructive role in society.

19- Rights of children in the midst of armed conflicts

States must ensure that persons under the age of fifteen do not participate directly in hostilities.

They are also obliged to take all possible measures to ensure the protection and care of children affected by the conflict, and that includes promoting their physical recovery and social reintegration.

General principles of the rights of the child

• Non-discrimination. According to this principle, all children have the same right to develop their potential in all situations and at all times, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, paternity, sexual orientation or other condition.
• The best interests of the child. It implies that in all actions and decisions concerning a child, the interest of the child must be the priority.
• The right to survival and development. It obliges the signatories to guarantee access to basic services and equal opportunities for children to reach their full development.
• The voice of the child must be heard and respected in all matters concerning their rights.

References

1. Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 44/25, of November 20, 1989.
2. Childrens Rights. Recovered from: childrensrights.org.
3. Children's rights. Recovered from: humanium.org.
4. Human Rights Watch. Recovered from: hrw.org.
5. Unicef ​​(2014). Convention on the Rights of the Child. unicef.org.
6. What are Children's Rights? Recovered from: childrensrights.ie.