Article 1 Article 10 Article 17 Article 24

Everyone under 18 years of age has all Families who live in different countries Children have the right Children have the right to good quality
the rights in this Convention. should be allowed to move between those countries so that to reliable information from the health care, to clean water, nutritious food, and a clean
parents and children can stay in contact, or get back mass media. Television, radio, environment, so that they will
Article 2 together as a family. and newspapers should provide stay healthy. Rich countries
The Convention applies to
everyone, whatever their information that children can should help poorer countries
Article 11 understand, and should not promote materials that achieve this.
race, religion, abilities; Governments should take steps to stop
whatever they think or children being taken out of their own country illegally. could harm children.
say, whatever type of Article 18 Article 25
family they come from. Both parents share responsibility for Children who are looked after by their
Article 12
bringing up their children, and should always consider local authority, rather than their parents, should have their
Article 3 Children have the right to what is best for each child. Governments should help situation reviewed regularly.
All organisations concerned with children
say what they think parents by providing services to support them, especially
should work towards what is best for each child. Article 26
should happen, when if both parents work. The Government should provide extra
Article 4 adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have money for the children of families in need.
Governments should make these rights Article 19
their opinions taken into account. Governments should ensure that
available to children. Article 27 Children have a
children are properly cared for, and protect them from
Article 13 violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone right to a standard of living that is
Article 5 Children have the right to get and to
Governments should respect else who looks after them. good enough to meet their physical
share information, as long as the information is not
the rights and responsibilities of families to and mental needs. The Government
damaging to them or to others. Article 20
direct and guide their children so that, as they Children who cannot be looked after by should help families who cannot
grow, they learn to use their rights properly. Article 14 their own family must be looked after afford to provide this.
Children have the
properly, by people who respect their Article 28
Article 6 right to think and believe what they All children and young people have
All children have religion, culture and language.
want, and to practise their religion, a right to a primary education, which should be
the right to life. Governments as long as they are not stopping free. Wealthy countries should help poorer
should ensure that children survive other people from enjoying their countries achieve this. Discipline in schools should
and develop healthily. rights. Parents should guide their respect children’s human dignity. Young people
Article 7 children on these matters. Article 21 should be encouraged to reach the highest level of
All children have the right to a legally When children are adopted the first education they are capable of.
registered name, and nationality. Also the right to know concern must be what is best for them. The same rules
Article 15
and, as far as possible, to be cared Children have should apply whether the children are adopted in the Article 29
the right to meet together and country where they were born, or if they are taken to live Education should develop each child's
for by their parents.
to join groups and in another country. personality and talents to the full. It should encourage
Article 8 organisations, as long as this children to respect their parents, and their own and other
Governments Article 22
does not stop other people from cultures.
should respect children’s right to a Children who come into a country as
name, a nationality and family ties. enjoying their rights. refugees should have the same rights as children born in Article 30
Children have a right to learn and use
that country.
the language and customs of their families, whether these
Article 9 Article 16
Children should not be separated from Children have a right to privacy. The are shared by the majority of people in the country or not.
their parents unless it is for their own good. For example, Article 23
law should protect them from attacks against their way Children who have
if a parent is mistreating or neglecting a child. Children of life, their good name, their families and their homes. any kind of disability should have Article 31
whose parents have separated have the right to stay in All children have a right to
special care and support, so that they
contact with both parents, unless this might hurt the child. relax and play, and to join in
can lead full and independent lives.
a wide range of activities.
 Article 32
The Government should protect
children from work that is dangerous, or might harm
their health or their education.
Article 33 The Government should provide ways
of protecting children from dangerous drugs.
Article 34
The Government should protect
children from sexual abuse.
Article 35
The Government should make sure
that children are not abducted or sold.
Article 36
Children should be protected from any
activities that could harm their development.
Article 37
Children who break the law
should not be treated cruelly.
They should not be put in
prison with adults and should
be able to keep in contact
with their families.
Article 41 If children have a right to be educated, then they have the
If the laws obligation to learn as much as their capabilities allow and,
of a particular country where possible, share their knowledge and experience
protect children better with others.
than the articles of the
Convention, then those If all children have a right to a full life, then they should
laws should stay. also lend help so the needy, the disadvantaged, and the
victims of discrimination also enjoy this right.
Article 42
If children have a right to freedom of thought, conscience
The Government should make the Convention known to and religion, then they also have the obligation to respect
parents and children. other’s thoughts or religious principles.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child has 54
articles in all. Articles 43-54 are about how adults and
governments should work together to make sure all
children get all their rights.
Whose responsibility?
Children’s rights are a special case because many of the You can probably think of many more.
rights laid down in the Convention on the Rights of the
Child have to be provided by adults or the state. Derived from a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities,
by an organisation called World Goodwill, composed of ex-heads
However, the Convention also refers to the of state.
responsibilities of children, in particular to respect the
rights of others, especially their parents (Article 29).

Here are some suggestions of the responsibilities Check out UNICEF UK’s
Article 38 that could accompany rights… website for children and
Governments should not allow children
under 16 to join the army. If every child, regardless of their sex, ethnic origin, social young people: This leaflet contains a summary
status, language, age, nationality or religion has these www.therightssite.org.uk of the United Nations Convention
Article 39 rights, then they also have a responsibility to respect
on the Rights of the Child

Cartoons by Brick
Children each other in a humane way.
who have been neglected or
abused should receive If children have a right to
special help to restore their be protected from conflict, cruelty, UNICEF website: www.unicef.org.uk A convention is an agreement between countries to obey
self-respect. exploitation and neglect, then they the same law. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and
also have a responsibility not to Northern Ireland agreed to obey (ratified) the Convention
bully or harm each other. on the Rights of the Child on 16 December, 1991.
For further free copies of this leaflet call the
Article 40 UNICEF Helpdesk: 0870 606 3377
Children who are accused of breaking the If children have a right to a clean environment, then they That means our government now has to make sure that
Quote code: 32124
law should receive legal help. Prison sentences for children also have a responsibility to do what they can to look every child has all the rights in the Convention, except the
should only be used for the most serious offences. after their environment. The UK Committee for UNICEF is a Company Limited by Guarantee, two they have ‘reservations’ about (Articles 10 and 37).
registered in England and Wales, No: 3663181. Registered Charity No. 1072612.