Children have specific rights to help protect them from the threats, exclusions and discrimination they are vulnerable to. These are embodied in international law in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, together with two optional protocols (one on the sale of children, another on child pornography and one setting up an international complaints mechanism) and in domestic laws across countries.
Everyone should understand these children rights and do their best to uphold them. Children are the future generation of our world, and they need our help to create a positive future for themselves and all humanity.
The first children rights are: the right to survival, human identity and nutrition. All people need to ensure that children are able to live, and their right to life includes the necessary resources such as food, shelter and health care. Children also have a right to their own personal identity which is legally recognized by the government when they are born and which includes a name and nationality. It is important that they have a clear identification so they can be reunited with their families in case of separation or death.
They should also be able to stay in contact with both parents so that they can maintain their family relationships, even when they live in different countries. Children have the right to a home that provides them with a safe place to live and is free from violence, abuse and neglect. Parents should be able to raise their children in a way that is consistent with their beliefs, culture and language. Children should be given a balanced diet and access to education.
Children also have the right to freedom of expression. They can share their opinions, and should be listened to when decisions are made that affect them. They can even make their own decisions, as long as they are not harming others or breaking the law. This is an important step in allowing them to become independent and think for themselves.
In addition, children have the right to participate in politics and other decision-making processes that affect them. Their opinions should be taken into account in the election process, as well as in any other decision-making process that involves them. This is especially important as many societal changes are having a negative impact on children. This includes globalization, mass migration, climate change and digitization.
All of these rights are important for the children of today to be able to thrive and have the best possible chance of having a brighter future than those that came before them. These are the next generation of leaders, innovators and creators, and they need our help to build a more peaceful and prosperous world.