Convention on the Rights of

the Child
sets out the rights that must be
realized for children to develop their
full potential, free from hunger and
want, neglect and abuse.

 The Convention offers a vision of the

child as an individual and as a
member of a family and community,
with rights and responsibilities
appropriate to his or her age and
stage of development. By
recognizing children's rights in this
way, the Convention firmly sets the
focus on the whole child.

Art. II Section 12
The state shall recognize the sanctity of
family life and shall protect and strengthen
the family as a basic autonomous social
institution. It shall equally protect the life
of the mother and the unborn from
conception. The natural and primary right
and duty of parents in the rearing of the
youth for civic efficiency and the
development of moral character shall
receive the support of the Government.

From abstract rights to realities

By ratifying the Convention,
governments state their intention to
put this commitment into practice.
State parties are obligated to amend
and create laws and policies to fully
implement the Convention; they
must consider all actions taken in
light of the best interests of the child.

Child and Youth Welfare

Code of the Philippines
In all questions regarding the care,
custody, education and property of
the child, his welfare shall be of
paramount consideration.

Addressing the needs of

children
Children are individuals
Children start life as totally dependent
beings
The actions, or inactions, of
government impact children more
strongly than any other group in
society
Children's views are rarely heard and
rarely considered in the political
process

 Many changes in society are

having a disproportionate, and
often negative, impact on children
The healthy development of
children is crucial to the future
well-being of any society
The costs to society of failing its
children are huge

Promoting and protecting

rights for children
The role of governments, families
and children
Governments are obliged to recognize
the full spectrum of human rights for all
children and consider children in
legislative and policy decisions.

Fulfilling obligations: putting

principles into practice
Under the Convention, State Parties
have an obligation to amend and
create laws and policies to fully
implement the Convention.

CRC
This compilation and clarification of
childrens human rights sets out the
necessary environment and means to enable
every human being to develop to their full
potential.
The Convention expressly recognizes that
parents have the most important role in the
bringing up of children. The text encourages
parents to deal rights and issues with their
children "in a manner consistent with the
evolving capacities of the child" (article 5)

 The Convention on the Rights of the

Child was the first instrument to
incorporate the complete range of
international human rights
including civil, cultural, economic,
political and social rights as well as
aspects of humanitarian law.

Children deprived of
family environment
Children who cannot be looked after
by their
own family have a right to special
care and must be looked after
properly, by people who respect their
ethnic group, religion, culture and
language.

Refugee children
Children have the right to special
protection and help if they are
refugees (if they have been forced to
leave their home and live in another
country).

Children of
minorities/indigenous
groups

Minority or indigenous children have

the right to learn about and practice
their own culture, language and
religion. The right to practice ones
own culture, language and religion
applies to everyone.

Child labour
The government should protect
children from work that is dangerous
or might harm their health or their
education. If children help out in a
family farm or business, the tasks
they do be safe and suited to their
level of development and comply
with national labour laws.

 While the Convention protects

children from harmful and
exploitative work, there is nothing in
it that prohibits parents from
expecting their children to help out
at home in ways that are safe and
appropriate to their age.

 Children's work should not jeopardize

any of their other rights, including
the right to education, or the right to
relaxation and play.

Drug abuse
Governments should use all means
possible to protect children from the
use of harmful drugs and from being
used in the drug trade.

Sexual exploitation
Governments should protect children
from all forms of sexual exploitation
and abuse. This provision in the
Convention is augmented by the
Optional Protocol on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child
pornography.

Abduction, sale and

trafficking
The government should take all
measures possible to make sure that
children are not abducted, sold or
trafficked. This provision in the
Convention is augmented by the
Optional Protocol on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child
pornography.

Other forms of
exploitation
Children should be protected from
any activity that takes advantage of
them or could harm their welfare and
development.

War and armed conflicts

Governments must do everything they can to
protect and care for children affected by war.
Children under 15 should not be forced or
recruited to take part in a war or join the
armed forces. The Conventions Optional
Protocol on the involvement of children in
armed conflict further develops this right,
raising the age for direct participation in
armed conflict to 18 and establishing a ban
on compulsory recruitment for children under
18.

Juvenile justice
Children who are accused of breaking the
law have the right to legal help and fair
treatment in a justice system that
respects their rights. Governments are
required to set a minimum age below
which children cannot be held criminally
responsible and to provide minimum
guarantees for the fairness and quick
resolution of judicial or alternative
proceedings.

 Optional protocols are treaties in their

own right, and are open to signature,
accession, or ratification by States that
are party to the main treaty.
A protocol may be on any topic relevant
to the original treaty and is used either
to further address something in the
original treaty, address a new or
emerging concern or add a procedure
for the operation and enforcement of
the treaty.

United Nations General Assembly 2000

Advancing the CRC

Protecting children in armed conflict
Under the Protocol, States are required
to take all feasible measures to ensure
that members of their armed forces
under the age of 18 do not take a direct
part in hostilities. States must also raise
the minimum age for voluntary
recruitment into the armed forces from
15 years but does not require a
minimum age of 18.

Protecting children from

commercial sexual exploitation
It supplements the Convention by
providing States with detailed
requirements to end the sexual
exploitation and abuse of children
and also protects children from being
sold for non-sexual purposessuch
as other forms of forced labour,
illegal adoption and organ donation.

Allowing children to submit

complaints, appeals and
petitions

This Protocol allows the Committee

on the Rights of the Child to hear
complaints that a childs rights have
been violated. Children from
countries that ratify the Protocol can
use the treaty to seek justice if the
national legal system has not been
able to provide a remedy for the
violation.