Children’s+Rights



Statistics: · over two million children survive on less than one dollar per day · every year, over two billion children die because they lack safe drinking water · over two million (and counting...) have died from armed conflict · over one hundred million children live and work on the streets in cities · the average age of the homeless in the United States in 9 · children are STILL tortured by authorities in 11 countries · there are over two hundred million child laborers worldwide [|For more statistics visit this website.] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Is justice being done to these children? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">What exactly is justice? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Relation to Justice <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has laid out specific rights guaranteed to all human beings. They are supposed to apply to everyone regardless of race, sex, class, religion, and AGE. Similarly, all children deserve equal rights Children are the future generation and their proper development must be guaranteed to make them quality citizens. Rights have been laid out because children have special needs and cannot protect themselves as they are vulnerable and impressionable. In addition, because children are inexperienced these rights protect them from making decisions that would alter their lives negatively. Certain measures have been taken to prevent violations of children’s rights. For example, many NGOs are actively defending the liberties of children and different declarations have been issued by international governing bodies like the United Nations. Because children are vunerable, they need special care and special rights. The Declaration of the Rights of Childs and The Convention of the Rights have been established to set down rights for children. They are the future generation and all must be done to make sure they develop properly. Adults have to be responsible for children and bestow they love and guidance on kids. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">As all human beings are given basic rights, a few questions arise. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Should children be given special rights? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">If so, what rights? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Why should children be given different rights then adults? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Do children deserve any special treatment? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The Universal Declaration of Human Rights applies to these little people. However, they do they have special needs. Many different problems plague children that can affect their development. ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Abduction ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Adoption ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Armed conflict ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Birth registration ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Child marriage ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Children in conflict with the law ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Corporal punishment ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Education ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Family reunification ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Food ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Foster care ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Freedom of expression and opinion ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Freedom of religion and belief ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Health ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Identity ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Indigenous rights ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Name and nationality ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Refugees and unaccompanied children ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Sale of children ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Sexual exploitation ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Slavery ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Torture and degrading treatment ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Trafficking ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Working children <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Documents for Children’s Rights <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Other than the Declaration of Human Rights, The United Nations has furthered its initiatives by establishing the Conventions on the Rights of Child. Its main theme is “In the best interests of the child.” The full convention can be read at [|at this website.] It mainly describes the civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights of children which are defined as under the age of 18. It spells out the right to: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • life, development and survival; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • protection from harmful influences, abuse, and exploitation; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • participation in family, cultural and social life; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • respect for their views; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • standards in healthcare; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • education; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> • legal, civil and social services. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> This Convention also states that parents have certain responsibilities to their children. They must make sure that the children in brought up in a nurturing environment with the rights endowed by the Convention of the Rights of Child. This is the most widely ratified treaty in the whole entire world. This convention lays out basic and fundamental rights that should guide the treatment and development of children. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> There is also the Declaration of the Rights of Child. The full text of the Declaration is [|here.] This was drafted before the Convention of the Rights of Child. This argues for children to have the following rights regardless of age, sex, color, race, language, political opinion, where they were born or who their parents are to: ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">spiritual and material development, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">be a be a member of a country and have identity, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">food and relief, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">free and quality education, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">earn a livelihood but free from exploitation, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">be free from abuse, ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> be brought up in consciousness that his/her talents will benefit society.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Opposition to Children’s Rights <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Children's rights have not received much opposition. However, many countries violate the rights of children because they think it will benefit them economically. For example, children all of the world work in meager conditions in sweat shops. They receive little or no money and toil for their family's sake. Many believe that children have a duty to their families and should work for them. Others believe that children should not be given rights at all. They think that children are not adults and that giving rights to children will change the relationship between adults and children. The rights laid down by the Declaration of the Rights of Childs and the Convention of the Rights of Childs do not entitle children to take advantage of them. Many say that children will make harmful decisions and thus should not be given rights. However, these documents only call for legal action to be taken when parents and society are being unfair to the children and harming them.

Proponents of equal rights think that children and adults should be given the same rights. This is because restrictions places on children by parents, guardians and society may hinder their self-determination and freewill.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> There are countless NGOs that actively defend children’s rights. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> 1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">A large NGO is UNICEF which stands for United Nation’s Children’s Fund. They concentrate on children survival and development, child protection, HIV/AIDS, primary education and gender equality, and early childhood. [|Click here for the UNICEF website.] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">CRIN or Children’s Rights Information Network distributes news, events, and reports, and lobbies and promotes knowledge sharing. Visit their website at [|Visit the website here.]. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Amnesty International focuses on the justice of children. Those that have been unfairly dealt with are brought to attention by Amnesty International. It concentrates on children in armed conflict, juvenile justice, and children in the community and family. Click to learn more about [|Amnesty International USA] and [|Amnesty International for basic facts.] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Childwatch International Research Network is a network of institutions seeks for more effective and strategic solutions to problems that plague children. In addition, it encourages research, policy development, and training to promote children’s rights. [|Find out more information about Childwatch International Research Network!]. <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">For more information visit: > <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> __Bibliography__ "Civics: Children's Rights". Australian Government: Departmen of Education, Employment, and Workpace Relations. December 11,2008 <http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=9458>. "Children's rights: the future starts here". Amnesty International USA. December 11,2008 <http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=B0275B42F3B4C25380256900006933EF>. "Convention on the Rights of the Child". UNICEF. December 11,2008 <http://www.unicef.org/crc/>. N. Zalta, Edward. "Children's Rights". Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. December 11,2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights-children/. "Report 2007-2008". Internation Bureau of Children. December 11,2008 <http://www.ibcr.org/Publications/ANNUAL_REPORTS/07-08_AN.pdf>.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> [|Children's House: Child Rights Page] . This website has a collection of links to other organizations that are active in fighting for children's rights.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> [|This] is an article published by the United Nations. It describes all of the current violations against children's rights.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> [|Visit a UNICEF site] to get more involved.

Pictures Used (in order) http://www.soscn.org/crights.gif http://www.unicef.org/india/in_child_rights.jpg http://www.more4kids.info/uploads/Image/oct07/children-holding-hands-sm.jpg http://www.amnesty.ca/themes/images/overview_headers/children_header.jpg http://www.ibcr.org/Publications/ANNUAL_REPORTS/07-08_AN.pdf