The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely accepted human rights treaty in history, having been ratified by all UN Member States except the United States.
In 1978, a representative from Poland introduced the first draft of the convention. The original document had nineteen legislative and procedural articles that Poland thought would quickly be accepted by the global community; however, it took over ten years for the UN member states to agree on a legally-binding document.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child was finally adopted 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.
Children meeting the Secretary General of the United Nations (Milton Grant via UN Photo)