All children have the same inalienable rights: to be protected and cared for, to grow up healthy and strong, to live free from harm, abuse and discrimination, to have a good education and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Yet millions of children worldwide are denied these rights every day.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international treaty that spells out all the rights of children everywhere. It is one of the most ratified (agreed to) of all the human rights treaties.

It is about the human rights of children, not the rights of states, so it applies to everyone, no matter how rich or poor they are, what colour they are, where they live, what religion they believe in or whether they are boys or girls, disabled or not, poor or wealthy. The CRC says that a “child” means anyone under the age of 18, although it recognises that in some national contexts this may mean older children, too.

This treaty is not just a set of words but it has helped shape national laws and policies in many countries. Many local and international organizations have been formed to implement it, including the children’s organization UNICEF.

There are now many laws protecting children’s rights around the world, but there are still gaps between what is written in these laws and how they are enforced in practice. Some of the problems include lack of adequate resources to provide basic social services such as food and health care; a gap between international standards for children and commitments entered into and undertaken by all States; a lack of effective measures against harmful practices such as female infanticide, child labour, sale of children and children’s organs, child prostitution and child pornography, among others; and a lack of effective coordination between national and local levels and between local and international partners in order to address children’s issues globally.

Children have a right to be consulted and involved in decisions that affect them. They have the right to freedom of expression and association, which includes the right to peaceful assembly. They also have the right to a good quality education and to rest, leisure and play. They have the right to be treated fairly in court and to have their privacy respected. They have the right to freedom from violence, especially during armed conflict and natural disasters. They have the right to a life of dignity, including the right to family reunification.

All children should have the right to stay with their parents unless there is a reason that it would not be in their best interest, for example if they were being abused or neglected. Children should also have the right to visit their parents and family if they are living abroad. Children should be able to travel freely with their parents without being stopped, for example by immigration officials. It is also important that children can continue to have contact with both of their parents, even if they are not married or in a relationship.