The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child & Human Rights Education

Why is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child an important touchstone for advocates of children’s rights? Why is children's rights education so important?

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child gave the world a set of regulations for children’s rights. Prior to the convention, children’s rights were either unaddressed or varying from country to country, but with the new set of regulations, more children could be protected and have access to the rights that come with being a human being. The convention was the first time that governments and the UN explicitly stated that children have the same fundamental human rights as adults (Unicef, 2019). This document is so important because it addresses the rights of children no matter their race, culture, socio-economic status…etc. As the Convention is a legally binding document, it holds parties accountable to the children of their country. By being a signatory to this document, the governments have agreed that their children are an important part of their country, and their rights should be a priority.

The convention was especially an important milestone for advocates of children’s rights because it finally gave children the rights of provision, protection and participation across the world (Covell, 2013). These rights give children the regulations for proper living conditions, the prevention of harm or violence and the opportunity to express their voice in matters that concern them (Covell, 2013).

It is also important to educate people on the topic of children’s rights. Children’s rights need to be readily available for children and adults so they can be practiced throughout the world. Education of these rights to children allow the children to understand the difference between right and wrong and know that they are being treated poorly so that they can use their rights and have a voice to make a change in their lives. When children know their rights, they start asking questions about the world, for example, in the documentary A Path to Dignity children who went to school were asking why their siblings were not going to school, why their siblings were being denied their right to an education. These questions spark change in communities, they spark a change in behaviour, they spark change in societal norms, and they spark…