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Child rights

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) celebrated its 20th anniversary in November 2009 and sets the international standard for protecting and promoting the rights of children.

It provides the base for children to fully realise their potential, free from poverty and ill- health; inequality and discrimination; violence, abuse and exploitation.

But there is still much to be done to improve the daily lives of children around the world.

The UK has ratified the CRC and two of its Optional Protocols.  The first Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography provides that children must be protected from sexual abuse and exploitation; and that the perpetrators of these offences should be punished and the victims adequately supported.

The second Optional Protocol on Children Affected by Armed Conflict provides that children under 18 should have no direct part in hostilities, as well as increasing the protection of children during armed conflict. In accordance with article 3 of the Optional Protocol, the UK made a declaration regarding the age of recruitment, as we permit individuals voluntarily to join the armed forces aged 16.

The third Optional Protocol to the CRC, under which children would be able bring allegations of violations directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, opened for signature in Geneva on 28 February 2012.  The UK takes its obligations to the UNCRC very seriously and is considering, in consultation with Devolved Administrations, the implications for the UK of this Optional Protocol.  The Government will keep under review the implications for the UK of signing the Optional Protocol, reflecting on emerging evidence of its impact in countries that have signed/ratified the instrument.

EU Guidelines [PDF document, opens in a new window] on the protection and promotion of the rights of the child outline action the EU could take in non-EU countries to encourage better protection of child rights in line with international standards.

The Department for Education is the lead government department on child rights.

For more information on what the FCO is doing on child rights, contact the Equalities team:

MSU.PublicIn@fco.gsi.gov.uk

   

Useful links

• Department for Children, Schools and Families