"The Convention on the Rights of the Child stands as a universal standard for building a better world - a world in which the best interests of children are a primary concern of all. The challenge for the next 20 years is to build on the progress already achieved, working together to reach those children who are still being denied their rights to survival, development, protection and participation."
- Ann M. Veneman
Executive Director, UNICEF
On 20 November 2009, the global community celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The most widely ratified international human rights treaty in history, the 54 provisions of the Convention, and its Optional Protocols, articulate the full complement of civil, political, cultural, social and economic rights for all children, based on four core principles: non-discrimination; actions taken in the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child in accordance with age and maturity. These principles guide the actions of all stakeholders, including children themselves, in realizing their rights to survival, development, protection and participation.
Signed by every country in the world, and currently ratified into law by all but two, the Convention and its principles have taken root in national and local legislatures, motivating governments worldwide to place children's rights and development at the forefront of their legislative agendas. Since 1990, more than 70 countries have incorporated children's codes into national legislation as part of law reform efforts based on the Convention's provisions.
The Convention has exerted a pervasive and profound influence on public institutions. This is reflected in increased usage of children's rights language and a stronger focus on child rights in national and international targets, policies, programmes and advocacy for human rights and social progress. The treaty has also encouraged national and local governments to adopt child-friendly budget initiatives, social protection measures and human rights-based approaches to development cooperation for women and children.
The Convention has also helped foster greater awareness of child rights in businesses, schools, families and communities. Its impact on the media is clear in the development of codes of conduct for reporting on children, increased coverage of child protection issues and the inclusion of children's views on matters that concern and affect them. Religious leaders, too, are actively working for child rights, often addressing sensitive issues such as the stigma and discrimination that surround HIV and AIDS, and promoting girls' education. The Convention is also inspiring a new generation of children who are empowered partners in society.
The full significance of the Convention extends well beyond its legislative implications, and even the direct action in support of child rights it has fostered. The treatise has also help to transform attitudes towards childhood by defining the minimum standards for the treatment, care, development, protection and participation that are due every individual under the age of 18. Its articles reinforce a common understanding among societies that to fulfil the rights of children it is imperative to protect childhood as period that is separate from adulthood, to define a time in which children can grow, learn, play and develop.
