For World Peace: Declaration of the Rights of the Child

For World Peace:
Declaration of the Rights of the Child 

 Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 1386 of 10 December 1959

The peoples of the United Nations have, in the Charter, reaffirmed their faith in fundamental Human Rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person, and have determined to promote social progress and better Standards of Life in larger freedom,

The United Nations has, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,

The child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth,

The need for such special safeguards has been stated in the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924, and recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the statutes of specialized agencies and international organizations concerned with the Welfare of Children,

Mankind owes to the child the best it has to give,
Now, therefore, Proclaims

This Declaration of the Rights of the Child to the end that he may have a happy childhood and enjoy for his own good and for the good of society the rights and freedoms herein set forth, and calls upon parents, upon men and women as individuals, and upon voluntary organizations, local authorities and national Governments to recognize these rights and strive for their observance by legislative and other measures progressively taken in accordance with the following principles:

1.The child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this Declaration. Every child, without any exception whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights, without distinction or discrimination on account of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, whether of himself or of his family.

2.The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.

3.The child shall be entitled from his birth to a name and a nationality.

4.The child shall enjoy the benefits of social security. He shall be entitled to grow and develop in health; to this end, special care and protection shall be provided both to him and to his mother, including adequate pre-natal and post-natal care. The child shall have the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.

5.The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.

6.The child, for the full and harmonious development of his personality, needs love and understanding. He shall, wherever possible, grow up in the care and under the responsibility of his parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security; a child of tender years shall not, save in exceptional circumstances, be separated from his mother. Society and the public authorities shall have the duty to extend particular care to children without a family and to those without adequate means of support. Payment of State and other assistance towards the maintenance of children of large families is desirable.

7.The child is entitled to receive education, which shall be free and compulsory, at least in the elementary stages. He shall be given an education which will promote his general culture and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity, to develop his abilities, his individual judgement, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society.The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with his parents.The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right.

8.The child shall in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief.

9.The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form.The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.

10.The child shall be protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any other form of discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be devoted to the service of his fellow men.

   http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources/child.asp

Rights of the Child for World Peace

The meaning of the child and the rights of the children
'Humanity has to do its best for the child.' Declaration of Geneva.

Definition of the child

Etymologically, the term 'child' comes from the Latin infants which means 'the one who does not speak'. For the Roman, this term designates the child from its birth, up to the age of 7 years.

This notion evolved a lot through centuries and cultures to finally designate human being from birth until adulthood. But this conception of the child was wide and the age of the majority varied from a culture to an another.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989 defines more precisely the term 'child':

'...a child is any human being below the age of 18 years, unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier'

The idea, through this definition and all the texts concerning child welfare, is that the child is a human being with rights and dignity.

What characterizes the child, it is his youth and vulnerability. Indeed, the child is growing, a future adult, who has no means to protect himself.

So, the child has to be the object of a particular interest and a specific protection. In this perspective, texts proclaiming the protection of the child and his rights were adopted.

Definition of the rights of the child

The recognition of the rights of the children

Children’s rights were recognized after the 1st World war, with the adoption of the Declaration of Geneva, in 1924. The process of recognition of children’s rights continued thanks to the UN, with the adoption of the Declaration of children’s rights in 1959.

The recognition of the child’s interest and his rights becomes real on 20 November 1989 with the adoption of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child which is the first international legally binding text recognizing all the fundamental rights of the child.

Children’s Rights: Bases for World Peace

Children’s Rights are human rights. They protect the child as a human being. As human rights, children’s rights are constituted by fundamental guarantees and essential human rights:

Children’s Rights recognize fundamental guarantees to all human beings : the right to life, the non-discrimination principle, the right to dignity through the protection of physical and mental integrity (protection against slavery, torture and bad treatments, etc.)

Children’s Rights are civil and political rights, such as the right to identity, the right to a nationality, etc.

Children’s Rights are economic, social and cultural rights, such as the right to education, the right to a decent standard of living, the right to health, etc.

Children’s Rights include individual rights : lthe right to live with his parents, the right to education, the right to benefit from a protection, etc.

Children’s Rights include collective rights : rights of refugee and disabled children, of minority children or from autochthonous groups.

Children’s Rights: rights adapted to children

Children’s Rights are human rights specifically adapted to the child because they take into account his fragility, specific and age-appropriate needs.

Children’s Rights take into account the necessity of development of the child. The children thus have the right to live and to develop suitably physically and intellectually.

Children’s Rights plan to satisfy the essential needs for a good development of the child, such as the access to an appropriate alimentation, to necessary care, to education, etc.

Children’s Rights consider the vulnerable character of the child. They imply the necessity to protect them. It means to grant a particular assistance to them, and to give a protection adapted to their age and to their degree of maturity.

So, the children have to be helped and supported and must be protected against labor exploitation, kidnapping, and ill-treatment, etc.

                                                            http://www.humanium.org/en/child-rights/

Children’s Rights in The UN Convention

Survival Rights: include the child’s right to life and the needs that are most basic to existence, such as nutrition, shelter, an adequate living standard, and access to medical services.

Development Rights: include the right to education, play, leisure, cultural activities, access to information, and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Protection Rights: ensure children are safeguarded against all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation, including special care for refugee children; safeguards for children in the criminal justice system; protection for children in employment; protection and rehabilitation for children who have suffered exploitation or abuse of any kind.

Participation Rights: encompass children's freedom to express opinions, to have a say in matters affecting their own lives, to join associations and to assemble peacefully. As their capacities develop, children should have increasing opportunity to participate in the activities of society, in preparation for adulthood.

The UN Convention includes 4 articles that are given special emphasis. These are also known as ‘General Principles’. These rights are the bedrock for securing the additional rights in the UN Convention: 

1. All the rights guaranteed by the UNCRC must be available to all children without discrimination of any kind 

2. The best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children 

3. Every child has the right to life, survival and development 

4. The child’s view must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her 

http://www.childrensrights.ie/childrens-rights-ireland/un-convention-rights-child
UNHCR 


International Organization for children's 

Rights

UNHCR works with states, national and international 

partners, and sister agencies to help children of 

concern. 

Other organizations working with UNHCR to provide care and protection to children: 

the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF);
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), The International Rescue Committee; 
International Save the Children Alliance; 
Terre des Hommes; 
World Vision International; 
Action for the Rights of Children; 
the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Children's Rights are the Bases and Starting Points of the Human Rights. They are the tender shoots in spring that should be protected and be taken care of. For Children's Rights are the Basic Foundations for World Peace.