Happy 29th Birthday to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)!

We are celebrating the 29^th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. On this special day, we are kicking off our 12-month campaign on the UNCRC.

During this year of campaigning, we will host various events focused on the CRC linked to other issues (girl’s rights, LGBTI rights, SEND, etc

Below we hear about the importance of the UNCRC by our Children’s Rights Network committee.

Anna 

Hi guys, I’m Anna! I’m involved in Amnesty’s Children Human Rights Network because I have always felt passionate about understanding and addressing inequalities within our society. As part of the network I endeavour to give all children the basic human rights they deserve. 

Holly - Vice Chair

I am part of the committee because I believe in the power of child. My background in Amnesty was as a child Human Rights Defender, and I have experienced first hand some of the roadblocks and disempowering rhetoric towards children and young people, who are trying to stand up for their rights. 

Katherine - Chair

I am passionate about empowering children to insist on true equality and claim their legal right to human dignity. Children must be treated with equality and respect, not because they are the adults of tomorrow, but because they are a legitimate group of human beings today.  

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the only international human rights instrument that makes its complaints procedure optional. Even in countries that have ratified the Convention, an individual cannot meaningfully complain to the UN when rights have been violated and thus cannot be granted remedy.

Lisa - Secretary

I have been part of the children’s human rights network for around 7 years and I’m excited to be part of a network that aims to campaign with and for children.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is so important because it recognises the particular rights all children should have and the importance of empowering children to have a voice on the issues that affect them.

Rebecca 

To me, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (‘CRC’) is important for it’s recognition that all children everywhere are entitled to grow up in an environment that enables them to reach their full potential. In an age of austerity, armed conflict and mass human displacement, it’s all too easy for states to try and move away from this basic minimum core of rights that have been afforded to children, which is why I am excited to be working on our campaign to make the UK government more accountable for its rights violations.

Russell 

Being involved in the children’s human rights network committee is a great way to stand up for children in the UK and around the world. My experience as a social worker in children’s services showed me how important a rights based approach can be. The Convention on the rights of the Child is critical as a foundation for everyone to understand children themselves as capable, assertive and creative rights holders.

Sena 

Having worked with children for years, I have come to witness inequalities between children first-hand. This was my main motivation to join the network. I have now been a committee member for about a year. I believe that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an amazing tool to make sure these rights are respected, but there is still a long way to go before this tool is used at its full potential. This year will be a big step to educate as many people as possible about the UNCRC and its optional protocols in order to empower children.

Serena 

I’m Serena and I’m 16 years old and currently in my first year of sixth form. I joined the Amnesty Youth Group at my school when I was 11 and I have now run the club for two years. I joined the Amnesty Youth Advisory Group in 2016 and for two years provided advice on a wide range of topics within Amnesty. I then joined the CHRN Committee this year.

As a child, I have personal connections to this sector of Human Rights. The CRC is important to ensure that children get their voices heard. This is vital in any society.

The CRC places a legal obligation on the government, who have ratified the CRC, to ensure that they protect children’s rights.