Children have a right to peaceful protest and many young people around the world are exercising that right to demand climate justice and racial equality. While these issues have become increasingly important, children’s perspectives often get overlooked. Janna Jihad, a Palestinian teenager who grew up in a village north of the West Bank city of Ramallah, is an example of this. Despite being living in a region occupied by the Israeli military, Jihad is fighting for her country’s rights to peace, freedom, and dignity.
Children have moral status and shouldn’t be treated unfairly. Children cannot vote, marry, purchase alcohol, engage in paid employment, or have sex. Some countries even conscript children into the military. These are just a few examples of how children are treated unfairly. These laws have to change to protect children’s rights. But how do we get there? Let’s look at the principles that guide this struggle. If children can’t make their own decisions, who will?
Children’s rights include the right to live in a loving and supportive family environment. Families are the first teachers and the environments children grow up in form their identity, and help to instill morals and ethical values. The right to a healthy and safe environment is essential to the development of every child. By providing a loving, safe environment, children are better equipped to contribute to society and lead successful lives. There are a wide range of issues that impact the health and well-being of children.
Every child deserves the right to privacy. Privacy is essential in the internet age. Children’s personal documentation, like their families and homes, should never be published online. Even their names and faces should never be published, unless they have been abused. Children also have the right to choose their religion. Parents should guide their children to exercise this right. Furthermore, children have the right to participate in cultural and creative activities, especially if they are part of minority groups.
Moreover, there are many violations of children’s rights. According to UNICEF, 61 million children do not attend primary school, while 150 million girls and 73 boys are sexually assaulted every year. Children as young as six years old are treated as adults in criminal courts. Immigration detention facilities hold over 330,000 children annually, and a significant number are separated from their families. One in six children live in extreme poverty, which increased significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite its importance, there are numerous debates over the legitimacy of children’s rights. Some people consider these rights to be moral and unreal and if they are not exercised, then these rights should not exist. However, this debate has been debated since the UNCRC was adopted. The debates centered on the nature of children’s rights and the moral status of children have given rise to numerous philosophical debates. This debate has resulted in several articles and books on the topic.