What makes the UNCRC so special?

Every child has rights, whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, abilities or any other status. More importantly, these rights cannot be taken away and it is our responsibility (as adults) to ensure that these are adhered to. 

The Convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and set out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights

The UNCRC is also the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world and came into force in the UK in 1992. It’s even been accepted by non-state entities, such as the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), a rebel movement in South Sudan. All UN member states except for the United States have ratified the Convention.

UNICEF are the only organisation working for children, recognised by the Convention and the Convention must be seen as a whole: all the rights are linked and no right is more important that another. The right to relax and play (Article 31) and the right to freedom of expression (Article 13) have equal importance as the right to be safe from violence (Article 19) and the right to education (Article 28). It is our responsibility to teach the children about all the articles and to help them make links between them and all other aspects of the curriculum, as well as our other thinking tools and British Values.