DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

[Proclaimed by General Assembly Resolution 1386(XIV) of 20 November 1959.

This was the basis of the basis of the Convention of the Rights of the Child
adopted by the UN General Assembly 30 years later on 20 November 1989.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child was entered into force on 2 September 1990. ]
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have, interests of the child shall be the paramount
in the Charter, reaffirmed their faith in consideration.
fundamental human rights and in the dignity and
worth of the human person, and have determined Principle 3
to promote social progress and better standards The child shall be entitled from his birth to a
of life in larger freedom, name and a nationality.

Whereas the United Nations has, in the Universal Principle 4

Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed that The child shall enjoy the benefits of social
everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms security. He shall be entitled to grow and develop
set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, in health; to this end, special care and protection
such as race, color, sex, language, religion, shall be provided both to him and to his mother,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, including adequate pre-natal and post-natal care.
property, birth or other status, The child shall have the right to adequate
nutrition, housing, recreation and medical
Whereas the child, by reason of his physical and services.
mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and
care, including appropriate legal protection, Principle 5
before as well as after birth, The child who is physically, mentally or socially
handicapped shall be given the special treatment,
Whereas the need for such special safeguards education and care required by his particular
has been stated in the Geneva Declaration of the condition.
Rights of the Child of 1924, and recognized in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the Principle 6
statutes of specialized agencies and international The child, for the full and harmonious
organizations concerned with the welfare of development of his personality, needs love and
children, understanding. He shall, wherever possible, grow
up in the care and under the responsibility of his
Whereas mankind owes to the child the best it parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of
has to give, affection and of moral and material security; a
child of tender years shall not, save in
Now therefore, exceptional circumstances, be separated from his
mother. Society and the public authorities shall
The General Assembly have the duty to extend particular care to children
without a family and to those without adequate
Proclaims this Declaration of the Rights of the means of support. Payment of State and other
Child to the end that he may have a happy assistance towards the maintenance of children
childhood and enjoy for his own good and for the of large families is desirable.
good of society the rights and freedoms herein
set forth, and calls upon parents, upon men and Principle 7
women as individuals, and upon voluntary The child is entitled to receive education, which
organizations, local authorities and national shall be free and compulsory, at least in the
Governments to recognize these rights and strive elementary stages. He shall be given an
for their observance by legislative and other education which will promote his general culture
measures progressively taken in accordance with and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity,
the following principles: to develop his abilities, his individual judgement,
and his sense of moral and social responsibility,
Principle 1 and to become a useful member of society.
The child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this
Declaration. Every child, without any exception The best interests of the child shall be the guiding
whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights, principle of those responsible for his education
without distinction or discrimination on account of and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first
race, color, sex, language, religion, political or place with his parents.
other opinion, national or social origin, property,
birth or other status, whether of himself or of his The child shall have full opportunity for play and
family. recreation, which should be directed to the same
purposes as education; society and the public
Principle 2 authorities shall endeavor to promote the
The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall enjoyment of this right.
be given opportunities and facilities, by law and
by other means, to enable him to develop Principle 8
physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and The child shall in all circumstances be among the
socially in a healthy and normal manner and in first to receive protection and relief.
conditions of freedom and dignity. In the
enactment of laws for this purpose, the best

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2003 Steven T. Walther All rights reserved.
 Principle 9 Principle 10
The child shall be protected against all forms of The child shall be protected from practices which
neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be may foster racial, religious and any other form of
the subject of traffic, in any form. discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit
of understanding, tolerance, friendship among
The child shall not be admitted to employment peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in
before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in full consciousness that his energy and talents
no case be caused or permitted to engage in any should be devoted to the service of his fellow
occupation or employment which would prejudice men.
his health or education, or interfere with his
physical, mental or moral development.

CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

[Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by
General Assembly Resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989;
entry into force: 2 September 1990, in accordance with Article 49]
The General Assembly, 2. Adopts and opens for signature,
ratification and accession the Convention on the
Recalling its previous resolutions, especially Rights of the Child contained in the annex to the
resolutions 33/166 of 20 December 1978 and present resolution;
43/112 of 8 December 1988, and those of the
Commission on Human Rights and the Economic 3. Calls upon all Member States to
and Social Council related to the question of a consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the
convention on the rights of the child, Convention as a matter of priority and expresses
the hope that it will come into force at an early
Taking note, in particular, of Commission on date;
Human Rights resolution 1989/57 of 8 March
1989, by which the Commission decided to 4. Requests the Secretary-General to
transmit the draft convention on the rights of the provide all the facilities and assistance necessary
child, through the Economic and Social Council, for dissemination of information on the
to the General Assembly, and Economic and Convention;
Social Council resolution 1989/79 of 24 May
1989, 5. Invites United Nations agencies and
organizations, as well as intergoverrunental and
Reaffirming that children's rights require special non-governmental organizations, to intensify their
protection and call for continuous improvement of efforts with a view to disseminating information
the situation of children all over the world, as well on the Convention and to promoting its
as for their development and education in understanding;
conditions of peace and security,
6. Requests the Secretary-General to
Profoundly concerned that the situation of submit to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth
children in many parts of the world remains session a report on the status of the Convention
critical as a result of inadequate social conditions, on the Rights of the Child;
natural disasters, armed conflicts, exploitation,
illiteracy, hunger and disability, and convinced 7. Decides to consider the report of the
that urgent and effective national and Secretary-General at its forty-fifth session under
international action is called for, an item entitled "Implementation of the
Mindful of the important role of the United Convention on the Rights of the Child".
Nations Children's Fund and of that of the United
Nations in promoting the well-being of children 61st plenary meeting
and their development, 20 November 1989
Convinced that an international convention on the ANNEX
rights of the child, as a standard-setting
accomplishment of the United Nations in the field Convention on the Rights of the Child
of human rights, would make a positive
contribution to protecting children's rights and PREAMBLE
ensuring their well-being,
The States Parties to the present Convention,
Bearing in mind that 1989 marks the thirtieth
anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of the Considering that, in accordance with the
Child and the tenth anniversary of the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United
International Year of the Child, Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of
the equal and inalienable rights of all members of
1. Expresses its appreciation to the the human family is the foundation of freedom,
Commission on Human Rights for having justice and peace in the world,
concluded the elaboration of the draft convention
on the rights of the child; Bearing in mind that the peoples of the United
Nations have, in the Charter, reaffirmed their faith

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2003 Steven T. Walther All rights reserved.