Childrens Rights

I strongly believe that children need special protection because they are among the most vulnerable members of society. They are dependent on others like their parents and families for care and protection, or the country/state when these fail. As a result we have made children’s rights a priority, and have stated that the best interests of a child are the overriding concern when it comes to any matter affecting him/her.

Now I found this section on a website which shows what children have the right to, and it states…

1. Every child has the right to -
   1. a name and a nationality from birth;
   2. family care or parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment;
   3. basic nutrition, shelter, basic health care services and social services;
   4. be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation;
   5. be protected from exploitative labour practices
   6. not be required or permitted to perform work or provide services that -
      1. are inappropriate for a person of that child’s age; or
      2. place at risk the child’s well-being, education, physical or mental health or spiritual, moral or social development;
   7. not be detained except as a measure of last resort, in which case, in addition to the rights a child enjoys under sections 12 and 35, the child may be detained only for the shortest appropriate period of time, and has the right to be -
      1. kept separately from detained persons over the age of 18 years; and
      2. is treated in a manner, and kept in conditions, that take account of the child’s age;
   8. have a legal practitioner assigned to the child by the state, and at state expense, in civil proceedings affecting the child, if substantial injustice would otherwise result; and
   9. not be used directly in armed conflict, and to be protected in times of armed conflict.
2. A child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.
3. In this section ‘child’ means a person under the age of 18 years.

This section gives children the right to citizenship and some form of care. Children need food and shelter, and should be protected from abuse, neglect and degradation. No child should work when under-age, or do work that would interfere with his or her education or development. Seeing as how these are the rights of a child, I believe we all need to abide by them no matter where you are from in the world. I think we should educate these children that have there rights constantly being violated, and maybe if they took a stand for their rights it would be more effective in other people eyes.

UNICEF is a really good website to go to for more information on how they help children and it may provide you with some ideas on how you could also help.

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~ by brandigee on October 24, 2009.