Convention on the Rights of the Child

Article 1

This Convention applies to everyone aged 17 or under

back to menu

Article 2

All the rights in this Convention apply to all children and young people without any discrimination.

back to menu

Article 3

• Adults should always try to do what is best for children and young people.
• Governments must do everything to make sure children and young people are safe and well looked after.

back to menu

Article 4

Governments must do all they can to make sure children’s and young people human rights are upheld.

back to menu

Article 5

Parents can give children and young people advice and help about children’s rights. The more a young person knows and understands, the less advice and help a parent needs to give.

back to menu

Article 6

• Every child and young person has the right to life
• Governments must do all they can to make sure every child and young person has the best possible life.

back to menu

Article 7

• Children and young people have the right to a name and a nationality.
• Children and young people have the right to be cared for by both parents.

back to menu

Article 8

Governments should do everything possible to protect the right of every child and young person to a name and a nationality, and to a family life.

back to menu

Article 9

• If a court is thinking about who a child or young person should live with, everyone affected by the decision should get the chance to be heard – including the child.
• Every child and young person has the right to keep in regular contact with both parents, so long as this is the best thing for the young person.

back to menu

Article 10

• If a child or a parent wants to live in another country, the decision about this should be made quickly and fairly.
• A child or young person whose parents live in another country has the right to keep in touch with them.

back to menu

Article 11

Governments must work together to stop children and young people being taken illegally to another country.

back to menu

Article 12

• Every child and young person has the right to express his or her views freely – about everything that affects him or her.
• The child’s or young person’s views must be given due weight depending on his or her age and maturity.
• The child or young person has the right to be heard in all decision-making processes, including in court hearings. The child or young person can speak for him or herself, or someone else can speak for him or her.

back to menu

Article 13

Every child and young person has the right to freedom of expression, including the right to all kinds of information and ideas (unless there are legal restrictions). This is called freedom of expression.

Legal restrictions – A person’s human rights are not absolute. They are affected by the human rights of others and by the law. Parliament can pass laws that interfere with a person’s human rights, but only if this is absolutely necessary. A young person can go to court if they think their human rights are being interfered with unfairly – but only if these rights are in the European Convention on Human Rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child can be used to support a case, but it cannot be used on its own.

back to menu

Article 14

Every child and young person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (unless there are legal restrictions).

Governments must respect the right of parents and guardians to give advice to the child and young person about this right. The more a child or young person knows and understands, the less advice parents need to give.

back to menu

Article 16

The law must protect every child’s and young person’s right to privacy.

back to menu

Article 15

Every child and young person has the right to meet people and to gather in public (unless there are legal restrictions). This is called freedom of association.

back to menu

Article 17

• Governments must make sure children and young people have access to lots of different information about all sorts of things.
• Governments must encourage the media to give information to children and young people and protect them from harmful information and materials.

back to menu

Article 18

• Governments must do all they can to help parents look after children well.
• Parents are the most important people in children’s and young people’s lives. Parents must always do what is best for children and young people.

back to menu

Article 19

• Governments must do everything to protect children and young people from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad treatment.
• Help must be available for children and young people who are hurt by violence, abuse, neglect and bad treatment.

back to menu

Article 20

Children who are separated from their parents have the right to special protection and help.

back to menu

Article 21

• The child’s best interests must be the top priority in adoption.
• Governments can support adoption between countries.
• Children and young people who are adopted by people in another country must have the same protections as children adopted by people in their own country.

back to menu

Article 22

• Governments must give protection and humanitarian help to children and young people who are refugees, or who are trying to be accepted as refugees.
• Governments must give protection and humanitarian help to children who are trying to be accepted as refugees.

back to menu

Article 23

Every disabled child and young person has the right to a full life and to take part in their community.

back to menu

Article 24

Every child and young person has the right to the best possible health and health services.

back to menu

Article 25

Children and young people who are in care or live away from home for health reasons have the right to have their care reviewed regularly.

back to menu

Article 26

Governments must support every child’s and young person’s right to have enough money.

back to menu

Article 27

• Children and young people have the right to a standard of living that helps them develop fully.
• Parents have the main responsibility for making sure children and young people get this right.
• Governments must support parents. The amount of help the Government gives depends on how rich the country is.

back to menu

Article 28

• Every child has the right to free primary education.
• Governments must encourage secondary education, making it available and accessible to every child and young person
• Access to higher education must be based on the ability to benefit from it.
• Governments must make sure children and young people get information about education.
• Governments must encourage regular school attendance.
• Governments must make sure that school discipline protects the dignity of children and young people, and is in line with their rights in this Convention – so no hitting or humiliation.

back to menu

Article 29

• Governments agree that the aim of education is to help the fullest possible growth of the child’s or young person’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities.
• Education must help children and young people:
  • respect human rights
  • respect their parents
  • respect their and others’ culture, language and values
  • have self-respect
  • respect the environment.

back to menu

Article 30

Children and young people from minority communities must not be stopped from enjoying their own culture, religion and language.

back to menu

Article 31

• Every child and young person has the right to rest, play and leisure.
• Governments must promote children’s and young people’s involvement in the arts.

back to menu

Article 32

• Every young person has the right to be protected from harmful work and economic exploitation.
• Governments must do everything to protect this right.
• Governments must set a minimum age at which young people can work, and they must introduce rules to protect young people in work.

Young people in the UK can work part-time from the age of 13 so long as they are doing light work. They can work full-time from the age of 16 years.

back to menu

Article 33

Governments must do everything to protect children and young people from illegal drugs.

back to menu

Article 34

Governments must do everything to protect children and young people from sexual exploitation (including prostitution) and sexual abuse.

back to menu

Article 35

Governments must do everything to protect children and young people from being taken away, sold or trafficked.

back to menu

Article 36

Governments must protect children and young people from all other exploitation

back to menu

Article 37

• Governments must do everything to protect children and young people from torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This is an absolute right, with no excuses for any breach of it.
• Children and young people must not be given a death sentence or life imprisonment without the possibility of release.
• Children and young people who are locked up should be able to challenge this quickly in court.
• Children and young people must only be arrested or locked up as a last resort and for the shortest possible time.
• Every child or young person who is locked up must be treated with respect.
• Every child or young person who is locked up must be separated from adults, unless it is better for him or her to be with adults.
• Every child or young person who is locked up has the right to keep in contact with his or her family, through letters and visits.

back to menu

Article 38

• Governments agree to abide by international human rights law in relation to wars.
• Governments must do everything to stop children under 15 from being involved directly in a war.
• Governments must do everything to protect and care for children who are affected by war.

In May 2000, the United Nations introduced stronger protections for under 18 year-olds. This means no child or young person should ever be forced to join the armed forces, and no child or young person should ever be involved directly in a war.

back to menu

Article 39

• Governments must give good support to children and young people who have been hurt, abused or exploited.
• This support must promote children’s and young people’s health, self-respect and dignity.

back to menu

Article 40

• Every child or young person accused, or convicted, of committing a crime must be treated with respect.
• Every child or young person accused, or convicted, of committing a crime must be treated in a way that helps them to respect the human rights of others.
• Every child or young person must be treated as innocent until found guilty.
• Every child or young person should be told as soon as possible why they have been arrested and charged with a crime.
• Every child or young person accused of a crime must be given immediate access to a lawyer.
• No child or young person can be forced to give evidence in a court.
• Every child and young person has the right to an interpreter if they do not understand the country’s main language.
• The child and young person’s right to privacy must be fully respected at all times.
• Governments must set up a separate criminal justice system for children and young people.
• Governments should promote a minimum age of criminal responsibility.
• Wherever possible, children and young people in trouble should not have to go to court.
• Courts should always try to avoid sending children and young people to institutions.
• There must be many ways to help children and young people in trouble with the law, including care, guidance and counselling.

back to menu

Article 42

Governments must make sure everyone gets information about this Convention – that includes you and all the people you know!

back to menu

Articles 41 , 43 - 54

Articles 41 and 43 to 54 say how children’s rights should be checked, and how adults and governments must work together to promote, protect and respect all the rights in this Convention.

back to menu