The importance of children's rights

There are several reasons why children's rights should be enshrined in a separate human rights convention:

Children are individuals

Children are neither the property of their parents nor the state, and they are not just people in training; They have equal status as members of the human family.

A child begins his life as a completely dependent being

Children must depend on adults for the care and guidance they need to grow up to be independent. Ideally, the child's family would provide this support, but when the primary caregivers are unable to meet the child's needs, it is up to the state as the duty bearer to find an alternative that is in the best interests of the child.

Government actions, or inactions, affect children more severely than any other group in society

Virtually all areas of government policy — from education to public health — affect children to one degree or another. Short-sighted policy-making processes that fail to take children into account also have negative consequences for the future of all members of society.

Children's views must be heard and taken into account in political processes

In general, children do not vote in elections, nor do they traditionally participate in political processes. Without special attention to children's views—as expressed at home and at school, in communities and even in governments—their views remain unheard on many important issues that affect them now or will affect them in the future.

Many changes in society have a disproportionate, and often negative, impact on children

The shift in family structure, globalization, climate change, the spread of digital technologies, mass migration, shifts in work patterns and the shrinking of the social welfare net are having strong impacts on children. The impact of these changes can be particularly devastating in situations of armed conflict and other emergency situations.

The healthy development of children is critical to the future well-being of any society

As children are growing and developing, they are especially vulnerable — more than adults — to poor living conditions such as poverty, lack of health care, nutrition, safe water and housing, and environmental pollution. The effects of disease, malnutrition and poverty threaten the future of children, and thus affect the future of the societies in which they live.

The cost to society of failing to deal with children is enormous

The results of social research show that children's early experiences strongly influence their future development. Their course of development also determines their contribution to society, or what they cost society, over the course of their lives.

See more about UNICEF's role in promoting and supporting the Convention



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What are human rights?

Learn more about human rights and how they belong to each of us and to all of us equally

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The United Nations and human rights

Creating a 'human rights culture' around the world

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The history of children's rights

There has been tremendous progress in international standards on children's rights over the past century — explore the highlights of this progress.

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Answer your questions about the agreement.

Frequently asked questions about the Convention on the Rights of the Child

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with their own needs. The child is not the property of the parents and is not a helpless subject for charitable work. Rather, the child is a human being and has rights of his own.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights that must be fulfilled for children to develop to their full potential.

The Convention presents a vision of the child as an individual and a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his age and stage of development. By recognizing the rights of the child in this way, the Convention places a critical focus on the child as an integral entity.

The Convention recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all children and the importance of ensuring their well-being and development, and makes clear the idea that a basic quality of life should be a right for all children, not a privilege for a few.

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What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child?

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Child rights and why they matter

Every right, every child.



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with their own needs. The child is not the property of the parents and is not a helpless subject for charitable work. Rather, the child is a human being and has rights of his own.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights that must be fulfilled for children to develop to their full potential.

The Convention presents a vision of the child as an individual and a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his age and stage of development. By recognizing the rights of the child in this way, the Convention places a critical focus on the child as an integral entity.

The Convention recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all children and the importance of ensuring their well-being and development, and makes clear the idea that a basic quality of life should be a right for all children, not a privilege for a few.

Study course: Children's rights and why they matter

Interested in learning more about children's rights? Take this short course to transform your understanding of child rights and a child rights-based approach, to learn about UNICEF's mandate in relation to child rights, and to inspire you to apply a child rights perspective

The child, as an individual and a member of a family and community, enjoys rights and responsibilities appropriate to his age and stage of development. By recognizing the rights of the child in this way, the Convention places a critical focus on the child as an integral entity.

The Convention recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all children and the importance of ensuring their well-being and development, and it articulates the idea that the basic quality of life should be

Children are the most beautiful gift and adornment of life. We must preserve them with love and peace for a better and bright future