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Rights for every child
The U N Convention on the R ights of the Child states the rights of
all children and young people under the age of 18.
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CARED FOR
All organisations concerned w ith
children, for exam ple, schools and the
health service, should w ork tow ards
w hat is best for each child. Article 3
© U N ICEF/05-1699/J odh Estey
All children have a right to a birth
certificate. Article 7
All over the w orld, children can be separated from
the ones they love best. This m other and son are
reunited after being separated by the 2004 tsunam i.
Children should not be separated from
their parents unless it is for their
ow n good. For instance, if a parent is
hurting their child or not tak ing
care of them properly. Article 9
If parents decide to live apart, children
have the right to stay in contact
w ith both parents. Article 9
Fam ilies w ho live in different countries
have the right to get back together and
live in the sam e place. Article 10
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PROTECTION
All children should be protected from
violence, abuse and neglect, and
governm ents should protect them .
Article 19
© U N ICEF/H Q 96-0909/R oger L eM oyne
Children should not be allow ed to do
w ork that is dangerous or m ight m ake
them ill, or stops them going to school.
Article 32
O ver 100 m illion children do dangerous w ork , often
aw ay from their fam ilies, and don’t go to school.
Children have a right to be protected
from dangerous drugs, and from the
business of m aking or selling them .
Article 33
N obody can do anything to your body
that you do not w ant them to do, and
grow n-ups should protect you. Article 34
N o child should be punished in a w ay
that hum iliates or hurts them . Article 37
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PARTICIPATING
© U N ICEF/H Q 04-1027/Giacom o P irozzi
All children have a right to be able to
give their opinion w hen adults are
m aking a decision that w ill affect them ,
and adults should take it seriously.
Article 12
A girl speak s on the U N ICEF-supported Young
People’s M edia N etw ork (YP M N ), produced and run
by children age 14–17 in Georgia.
All children have a right to find out
things, and say w hat they think through
speaking, w riting, draw ing etc. unless it
breaks the rights of others. Article 13
All children have the right to m eet, m ake
friends w ith, and join clubs w ith other
children. Article 15
All children have the right to privacy.
Article 16
All children have the right to inform ation
from TV, radio, new spapers and the
internet. These m edia should provide
inform ation that children can
understand. Article 17
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FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
All children have the right to think and
believe w hat they w ant, and to practise
their religion. Article 14
© U N ICEF/H Q 79-0001/Shelley R otner
Parents should help children learn w hat
is right and w rong. Article 14
Friendship know s no barriers of country, culture,
race or religion.
Children w ho are refugees or asylum
seekers in another land have the right to
special protection. They have the sam e
rights as children w ho w ere born in that
country. Article 22
Children w ho com e from a m inority
group have the right to learn and use the
language and custom s of their fam ilies.
Also to practise their ow n religion and
use their ow n language. Article 30
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EDUCATION AND PLAY
All children have the right to an
education. Article 28
© U N ICEF/H Q 07-1352/Giacom o P irozzi
The purpose of education is to develop
every child’s personality, talents and
m ental and physical abilities. Article 29
A R w andan boy holds a U N ICEF schoolbook at his
prim ary school. M ore than 90 m illion children do
not receive prim ary education.
Education should teach children to
respect their parents, their ow n and
other cultures. Article 29
Education should prepare children to live
responsibly and peacefully in a free
society. Article 29
Education should teach children to
respect the natural environm ent.
Article 29
All children have the right to relax and
play, and to join a w ide range of
activities. Article 31
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SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT
Every child has the right to life. Article 6
© U N ICEF/H Q 97-1189/Giacom o P irozzi
Children w ho are disabled, either
m entally or physically, have a right to
special care and education so they can
lead full and independent lives.
Article 23
A boy, age 9, drink s w ater from a tap in the village
of Boa M arte, Sao Tom e. M ore than 120 m illion
children do not have safe w ater.
All children have a right to good health
and good quality health care. All
children should have clean w ater,
nutritious food and a clean environm ent
so they stay healthy. Article 24
All children have the right to a decent
standard of living. The Governm ent
should help fam ilies w ho cannot afford to
provide a decent standard of living for
their children. Article 27
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REHABILITATION* AND CARE
Children under the age of 16 years
should not tak e a direct part in any
conflict. Article 38
© U N ICEF/H Q 05-0239/Giacom o P irozzi
Children w ho are affected by an arm ed
conflict should have special protection
and care. Article 38
Sam i, age 6, w atches as his parents unpack a
U N ICEF w ater k it. The fam ily lost their hom e in the
2004 Asian tsunam i.
Children w ho have suffered in any w ay
have a right to get help in a safe place,
to help them recover. Article 39
* R ehabilitation m eans that things are
done to put life back to norm al.
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Acknowledgements
Illustrations from For Every Child, published by R ed Fox, a division of R andom H ouse Children’s
Book s, 61–63 U xbridge R oad, Ealing W 5 5SA. www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
Credits
Cover, P.J .Lynch; p.2, K en W ilson-M ax; p.4, Claudio M uñoz; p.6, J ohn Burningham ;
p.8, R abindra & Am rit K .D. K aur Singh; p.10, Satoshi K itam ura; p.12, Peter W eevers;
p.14, Shirley H ughes
For m ore copies of this leaflet call 0844 801 2414, and quote code 32348.
www.unicef.org.uk