Frequently Asked Questions

All human rights apply to children as well as adults. The drafting of a separate Convention on the Rights of the Child reflects the development of our understanding of human rights: it has been recognised that rights are not realised universally, and it has therefore been considered necessary to strengthen the realisation of rights through dedicated treaties.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child includes many of the same rights as general human rights treaties, in addition to rights that apply specifically to children. For example, the obligation to treat the child’s best interests as a primary consideration and the right to rest and play are rights safeguarded for children in particular.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is intended to strengthen children’s rights, not to suggest that their rights are less important.

From a children’s rights perspective, the starting point for defining the child’s best interests is to seek a solution in which all of the child’s rights are realised as fully as possible.

The child’s best interests must never be used as a basis for denying a child the rights to which they are entitled; for example, corporal punishment can never be interpreted as being in the child’s best interests. Read more about the child’s best interests.

Through human rights education, children are taught to know their rights and to respect the rights of others and to defend both if necessary. Read more about human rights education.

Establishing a child’s views is not about transferring power and responsibility for making decisions from an adult to a child. The final decision concerning a child’s affairs is always made by an adult, and it is important that this is also explained to the child. The child must not be left with the impression that they bear responsibility for making decisions.

A child always has the right not to express their view. The child’s view must be taken into account as part of an overall assessment in accordance with their age and level of development. There are also a number of other grounds for listening to children: taking children’s views into account has a positive effect on their sense of self-worth and encourages active engagement.

This is also about safeguarding the child: a child whose views are listened to in daily life will be better prepared and more willing to inform an adult if they experience mistreatment. Read more about respecting children’s views.

International monitoring of human rights is not always as effective as would be required to ensure universal realisation of children’s rights. For example, States face no legal consequences for disregarding recommendations issued by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Nevertheless, violations of children’s rights are monitored and media and other organisations can draw public attention to violations to influence States to change their practices. Read more about reporting.