The 'International Convention on the Rights of the Child' is a treaty that is full of agreements about children's rights. Countries from all around the world have signed this treaty, which means they must adhere to those rights. Children's rights apply to all children up to and including the age of 18. This means that it does not matter if you are a boy or a girl, in which country you were born, what you look like, etc. The rights include what the parents and the government must do to take care of the child, but also to protect the child from dangers that exist, such as mistreatment and war. So, every child has the right to have a safe and healthy life, their own name, caretakers who give you love, food, clothes, education (school is of course your right, but also your duty), free time, opinion, care, etc. You name it!

Why are the children’s rights separated from the ordinary human rights? It is important that these exist, since children (think of a 5-year-old sibling) cannot take care of themselves. They are more susceptible to diseases or have a hard time defending themselves. Unfortunately, there are rights are not easy to apply in the case of all families. For some people it is very important that they are extra protected and thankfully this is made possible by children's rights.