Children and Adolescents Have Rights

What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child?

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which applies to all children and adolescents, is a United Nations treaty adopted on 20 November 1989. It became the first legally binding international instrument dedicated to the rights of children. This means that compliance with the Convention is mandatory for the countries that have ratified it.

Guatemala was among the first countries in the world to ratify the Convention, in 1990.

The Convention brings together civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, reflecting the different circumstances in which children, adolescents and young people around the world may find themselves.

The Convention consists of 54 articles recognizing that every person under the age of 18 has the right to full physical, mental and social development and to express their views freely. It also provides a framework for promoting education, nutrition, health, protection from violence, survival and the advancement of society as a whole.

Ensuring Child Protection and Development

Although many countries have laws to protect children and adolescents, these laws are not always enforced. For children, adolescents and young people, particularly those from excluded or minority groups, this often means living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, lacking legal protection or access to education, facing neglect, displacement or migration, or being affected by preventable diseases, among other conditions of vulnerability. These challenges do not affect only low-income countries; they can also be found in wealthier nations.

The Convention clearly recognizes the right of every child, adolescent and young person to an adequate standard of living, supporting their well-being throughout their lives, everywhere and at all times.