Child Rights

I’m a Child Rights Advocate and worked to ensure these rights are upheld in my country of birth. I continue to speak out for child rights anywhere and everywhere.

When we accord rights to children, our world would be more peaceful and safe. Child Rights are liberties granted to children under the law. Countries who are parties to the international laws signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Some domesticated these laws to make them more acceptable in their nations. Sadly, this may have watered down some of the laws.

The United States signed the UN CRC but is the only United Nations member state that is not a party to the convention. USA also does NOT observe Children’s Day. It saddens my heart that USA continues to undermine the rights of children is spite of a high budget for children. 

CRC was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 and entered into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49.

I always warn that rights without responsibilities leads to unrighteousness. As we accord children rights, we must teach them to respect the rights of others.

There are 4 major rights - survival, protection (against abuse, neglect, and exploitation), development, and participation. These can be further broken down as follows:

1. Right to life, to have a name and nationality.
2. Right to have adequate shelter and loving family.
3. Right to balanced diet.
4. Right to appropriate education to develop.
5. Right to medical care.
6. Right to be protected against child abuse and other child’s crimes.
7. Right to live in a peaceful and child-friendly community.
8. Right to be protected and helped by government.
9. Right to express views, opinions, thoughts and ideas as well as right to be heard.
10. Right to play and participate in activities appropriate for their age.