Children's Rights

With the adoption of the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1923, the rights of children moved to the forefront of human rights discussions in the international community. As the concept of human rights has changed and expanded throughout history, the twentieth century saw an emergence of the inclusion of children at the forefront of decision-making and document formation.

Children have all of the same rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but they also have special protections afforded to them. The following documents show some of the progress and initiatives that have been taken to protect and promote the inherent rights of children as they grow into their full capacity as adults. 

Convention on the rights of the child, 1989

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 1989. Its core tenets are: non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the child’s views. Learn more >

African charter on the rights and welfare of the child, 1990

Member states of the Organization of African States felt that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the UN the previous year, overlooked some of the social, cultural, and economic realities that were being faced by children in Africa. This charter worked to incorporate African values and experiences in regards to the rights of the child. Learn more >