Four Questions about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
One of the core beliefs at Leading for Kids is that all children and youth matter and have the right to reach their full potential. Over the past year, I have spoken to and learned from many people around the world who have put into place programs and policies guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)—the most widely accepted human rights treaty in history. The treaty has been ratified by 196 countries; the United States is the only United Nations member nation who has not yet ratified the Convention.
November 20 marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the UNCRC. As a lead-up to this milestone, here are three thoughts about the Convention and its role as a guiding force for the growth and well-being of children here and around the globe.
What is the UNCRC?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a comprehensive set of rights for children, comprised of 41 articles that describe and recognize the rights and freedoms of children—as individuals with human rights and protections, as well as the role and importance of parents and families.
The UNCRC is the international agreement on childhood: recognition of the period from birth to age 18 as a magical time—different than adulthood—with children having rights as individuals. It is important to emphasize that the Convention does not exist to elevate children’s rights above parental/family rights, but rather aims for governments and societies to dually recognize the rights and needs of children as individual citizens.
Why is this human rights treaty so significant?
Historically, there have been varying lenses—cultural, social, economic—through which children were viewed, with no standards of protection for young people. As the most widely ratified human rights treaty, the UNCRC recognizes children as unique individuals with needs, rights, and protections that must be met to achieve their own health and well-being, and which invoke consequences when violated. Children are viewed as active participants of these rights and protections—and they are indivisible, inalienable, and universal.
UNICEF notes that the Convention “promotes an international system of solidarity designed to achieve the realization of children’s rights”; it provides structure and guidance for countries, NGOs, and organizations working with and for children. Most importantly, Article 3 of the Convention says that all decisions a society makes should be made with the best interests of children in mind. Additionally, hearing the perspectives and views of young people has enabled the development of many programs and policies that are based on and reflect their best interests, and Article 12 states that children and youth should have the opportunity to have input on the decisions that affect them. In this way, children and youth are poised to thrive and develop to their full potential.
What are examples of the ways in which the adoption of the UNCRC has impacted children and youth around the world, and what does the future hold?
From the development of national agendas for children; to creating opportunities—and hearing—the voices of young people in relevant legislation; to the development of children’s ombudspersons or children’s commissioners; to integrating child rights principles as part of cultural and societal norms, the impact of 30 years of the UNCRC cannot be underestimated.
Following are a few examples of the UNCRC in action taken from my recent experiences:
As part of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative, Regensburg, Germany is committed to improving the well-being of children using the UNCRC as its foundation. As such, kids’ voices, needs, priorities, and rights are an integral part of the Regensburg government’s policies, programs, and decision-making processes.
In August 2019, New Zealand’s Office of the Children’s Commissioner announced one of the first-ever comprehensive governmental strategies dedicated to the health and well-being of children and youth. The Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy includes six interconnected outcomes for central policy development based on input from 6,000 of the country’s children and young people. Their visions of well-being were shared and documented in a report entitled, What It Means to Have a Good Life.
The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratic voice for Scotland’s young people. Their elected membership provides a platform to discuss issues and campaign for changes that are important to them.
Looking forward: Despite much progress, there is still work to be done. In An Open Letter to the World’s Children, UNICEF executive director Henrietta H. Fore shares eight reasons for fear and hope, including protecting the environment and mitigating climate change; opening the door to talk about mental health; upholding migrant rights; and protecting the digital identities of young people.
What can we (the United States) do in the absence of a ratified UNCRC to support children and youth in our country?
Despite being the only U.N. member country not to have ratified the UNCRC, there are many things we can and should be doing to support our young people, including creating a society where the best interests of children are taken into account with all of our decisions—big and small; advocating for certain universal rights; enhancing governmental responsibility in the form of a dedicated children’s commissioner whose national oversight lies in promoting and protecting the rights, well-being, and growth of kids; and giving kids a formal seat at the table and listening to their voices when it comes to decisions around policies and programs that affect them.
The reasons we have not yet ratified the UNCRC are complex. It would be wonderful if the United States could overcome these political obstacles and finally ratify the Convention. In the meantime, we can embrace its key concepts of ensuring that the needs of kids drive our decisions and recognize that children and youth are individuals who have a lot to contribute to our society—not just in the future, but today.
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More information about the UNCRC and its 30th Anniversary can be found here.