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What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)?
Adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and instituted as international
law in 1990, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is widely recognized as the first legally-binding
international instrument that incorporates the full range of human rights- civil, cultural, economic,
political, and social- into a single text. It was drafted with the specific purpose of promoting and
protecting the well-being of all children, regardless of national boundaries.
The Convention prioritizes childhood in setting forth basic standards which individual nations agree
to pursue on behalf of children, including providing assistance to parents as they fulfill their childrearing
responsibilities. These norms rest on the Convention's four underlying themes:
- the right to Develop to the fullest
potential;
- the right to Protection from
abuse, neglect, and exploitation;and
- the right to Participate in family,
cultural, and social Life.
In emphasizing the primacy and importance of the role and authority of parents,
the treaty calls for governments to respect their responsibilities, rights, and duties to provide direction and
guidance to their children. In addition, the CRC calls on governments to develop and implement policies
and programs that ensure all children will grow up in supportive family and community environments that foster
an atmosphere of happiness, love, and understanding.
Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development
of every child. States that are party to the Convention are obliged to develop and implement policies and
programs that promote and protect children’s best interests.
The full text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child is available on the
Office of the High Commissioner on Human
Right's Web Site. Additional information on the CRC can be accessed through
Unicef's Web Site.
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