CHILD Protection & Rights > International and Regional Level.
UN Instruments and Commitments for Children.

Four Main Sets of Rights for each Child

The UN Convention on the Right of the Child lays down four main sets of rights for each child:
- The Right to Life and Survival,
- The Right to Protection,
- The Right to Development,
- The Right to Participation.

The Right to Life and Survival includes:
• Right to life. (Article 6)
• Right to a name, a nationality (Articles 7 and 8) and Right to the preservation of her identity.
• Sufficient standard of living and material assistance. (Article 27.)
• Proper Nutrition. (Article 27.)
•The highest attainable standard of health (Articles 3, 24) and access to medical care (Articles 3, 21, 23, 24, 25, 38, 40.)

The Right to Protection includes freedom from all forms of:
• Labour Exploitation. (Article 32)
• Sexual exploitation. (Article 34)
• Abuse and neglect. (Articles 9, 19, 39)
• Abduction. (Article 35)
• Torture, Inhuman or degrading treatment. (Articles 37, 39)
• Deprivation of liberty (Article 37) and Separation from parents (Article 9)
• Protection of disabled children (Articles 23, 3, 21, 24, 25, 38, 40)
• Special protection in special circumstances such as situations of emergency, armed conflicts, etc. (Articles 22, 38)

The Right to Development includes:
• Parental guidance (Article 5)
• Right to education. (Articles 23, 28, 29, 32)
• Social security. (Article 26)
• Right to leisure, recreation and cultural activities. (Article 31)
• Support for early childhood care and development

The Right to Participation includes:
• Respect for the views of the child and Freedom of expression. (Articles 12, 13)
• Freedom of thought, conscience and religion. (Article 14)
• Freedom of association and meeting. (Article 15)
• Access to appropriate information. (Articles 17, 23, 24, 28)

The UN CRC reflects a new vision of the child considered as a member of a family and community and as an individual, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her age and stage of development. Children are considered as human beings and the subject of their own rights.

Summary of the main Provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of the child.

Main provisions by theme [table]

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