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Why the Convention on the Rights of the Child matters

"There is no doubt in my mind that this convention has improved the lives of millions of children and made the world a better place," UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said prior to addressing a 10th anniversary gathering of the General Assembly. "It has stimulated legal reform in dozens of countries around the world, enjoined governments to take the health and well-being of children seriously, and initiated a process of goal-setting that keeps everyone honest about global progress -- or lack of it."

Acknowledging that "some might emphasize the ways in which the CRC has fallen short" of its lofty aims, Ms. Bellamy argued that the concrete achievements attributable to the treaty had confirmed its stature as "a fountainhead for the lasting improvement of children's lives."

"That's certainly how we feel about it, and that's why we'll continue to use the CRC as a lever to help move leaders and communities everywhere," she said.

"On Saturday, November 20th -- the tenth anniversary of the CRC -- we will celebrate three things," Ms. Bellamy continued. "The global resolve that brought the Convention into existence; the positive changes it has spurred; and, not least, the enormous potential it still holds for guiding us in fulfilling what we have universally declared to be our children's fundamental rights."

Citing specifics, Ms. Bellamy noted that:

• The CRC has been ratified by 191 nations, making it the most widely accepted treaty in the history of the UN. It represents a set of common standards and values against which all countries can measure progress.

• The CRC has spurred a process of law reform in which more than 50 states have amended their constitutions and/or legal codes to take account of children's rights. Colombia passed a Minor's Code, for example, guaranteeing young people the right of expression. China passed a law granting all citizens, regardless of ethnic group or religious belief, the right to receive an education. The Philippines enacted legislation protecting children from sexual exploitation. Sri Lanka raised the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. Brazil's national budget now shows how much money is spent, across the board, on children. In India and South Africa, major court decisions relating to the welfare of children have hinged on principles embedded in the CRC. An additional 23 states are in the process of reviews of law.
  

• The CRC has altered the global peace and security agenda. By making the rights of children a paramount issue during conflict, the CRC helped clear the way for "Days of Tranquillity " in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola, Afghanistan and Sudan -- all countries where major immunization campaigns have been able to reach millions of children during cease-fires negotiated on the shoulders of the CRC. In addition, the CRC enabled UNICEF to broker an agreement in Sri Lanka that raised the minimum age of military recruitment to 18. In Rwanda, UNICEF gained a commitment for the demobilization of all children under 18. And in the UN Security Council, the CRC provided impetus for a special session on Children in Armed Conflict and was central to resolutions on conflicts in Angola and Sierra Leone.

"Basic health, education and protection are not simply services that states may or may not provide -- they are recognized rights that states are obliged to fulfill," Ms. Bellamy said.

"Almost 12 million children are still dying every year from entirely preventable causes," she observed. "HIV/AIDS has been allowed to devastate far too many communities, killing 2 million Africans last year alone -- the number one killer on that continent; and in a world where civil conflict is plaguing more than 40 countries or regions, children and women have increasingly become the victims of violent death and dismemberment. All of this must be -- and in truth can be -- reversed.

"It is therefore incumbent on our leaders -- in politics, academia, business, communities, and in families themselves -- to once again embrace child rights. To devote energy and resources to fulfilling its promise. And to make sure that every child born into this world has the opportunity to grow up healthy, safe and free to develop all of his or her splendid potential.

"This is what we all want for our children. And that simple fact is what the Convention is all about."

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November, 1989. It came into force on 2 September 1990 after being ratified by the necessary 20 states. It was by far the most rapidly ratified human rights convention in history, and has since been approved by 191 nations, also a record.

In addition to motivating governments to adjust national laws and policies in acknowledgement of children's rights, the Convention has helped UNICEF broaden its own vision when looking at the situation of children. Situation analyses now go to deeper levels, to understand underlying causes for specific problems faced by children and women. For instance, in analyzing the causes of maternal mortality, the assessment and analyzis now takes into account not only the lack of timely medical attention, but the reasons why such attention is denied to women. In this way underlying causes such as the subordination of women become exposed, opening up new areas for action. This has led to real changes in UNICEF programs.

It is important to note the pivotal role played by a well-organised and technically able group of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in shaping and nurturing the CRC through to completion throughout the 1980s. This group greatly influenced the drafting of the Convention, and it was their determined campaigning that convinced UNICEF in 1986 that its full engagement was essential to the realization of child rights.

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