Parents know that kids can bring many rewards but also many challenges. For instance, having kids can force you to get serious about finances and building a stable future because your children will be helpless and will rely on you for virtually everything in their first few years of life. It can also make you realize how important it is to set up a will and document exactly where you want your assets to go, as opposed to leaving it up to chance.
It can also make you think about how your own family legacy is important and the importance of passing down your values to your kids. However, there are other aspects of parenting that may be less obvious and harder to plan for. For example, you’ll need to think about how your child’s rights will be protected when they grow up and if they are going to be able to live their dreams.
Children are prone to abuse because they are not fully aware of their rights or how to assert them and they lack the power that adults have to challenge mistreatment or protect them from it. This is why it is so important for every child to have access to an education that teaches them about their rights, how to protect themselves and how to be active members of society. They should also be taught to respect the rights of others and other cultures, beliefs and traditions.
Every child has a right to have a safe environment where they can play, study and spend their free time. They should have access to the highest attainable standard of health care and be free from violence, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and ill treatment. They also have the right to education that provides them with the skills they need for work, personal development and citizenship.
All children have the right to be listened to and have their opinions taken seriously on issues that affect them. They have the right to express their views and ideas by talking, drawing and writing as long as it does not harm other people.
They have the right to choose their own thoughts, means of expression and religion as long as it does not infringe on other people’s rights. They have the right to a secure identity and documentation that shows their true name, date of birth and place of origin and family relationships. They must be able to get their identity documents back if they are lost or stolen.
Children have the right to freedom from all forms of exploitation including sexual, physical and psychological. They have the right to be protected from kidnapping and being sold or sent to another country where they might be exploited. They have the right to a safe home, adequate food, universal state-paid education and health care, social services and support, criminal laws that are appropriate for their age and developmental level and protection from discrimination based on race, colour, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation.