Every year, November 20 is dedicated to the International Day of the Rights of the Child, established following the adoption of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CIDE). Finally, what does this text, which is approved by 196 states, contain?
[Updated September 27 at 6:13 p.m.] Next November 20 will take place the International Day of Children's Rights. A symbolic date which marks the anniversary of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CIDE), adopted in 1989. One could wonder about the interest of this day, and yet this year again it is essential to highlight the cause of children. On our scale, during the year 2022, the French government has embarked on a national child protection strategy , as shown by the adoption of the law of 7 February 2022 on the subject. Even more recently, the first delegation for children's rights was created in the National Assembly. Other means have also been deployed in support of early childhood (the policy of the first 1000 days), in the education to combat all forms of violence against children, but also to protect young people from the dangers of screens and the Internet. Changes are taking place, but inequalities still unfortunately persist. Hence the importance of celebrating such a day to remember the goals to be achieved for future generations.
To protect children, who are more vulnerable than adults, a International Convention on the Rights of the Child has been created in 1989. This fundamental treaty was unanimously adopted by the UN to recognize minor children as beings in their own right, bearers of social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights. These fundamental, mandatory and non-negotiable rights are thus registered in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. In total, in the world, 196 States ( except the United States ) are committed to defending and guaranteeing the rights of all children, without distinction, and to answer for these commitments before the United Nations. Namely that France was the second European country to have signed the convention, on August 7, 1990, just after Sweden. With this text, it is therefore the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history , precise l'Unicef . Concretely, this convention has 54 articles that determine what children are entitled to, to protect them from the world around them.
The International Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out through its 54 articles the fundamental rights of children. Thus, each child has:
Four fundamental principles are highlighted in these rights: non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to live, survive and develop, and respect for the views of the child. Three optional protocols have also been added to the original text: the first two aim to protect children from recruitment in armed conflict , but also against the sale of children (for purposes of forced labor, illegal adoption, organ donation, etc.), against prostitution as well as pornography featuring children. The third defines the international procedure which allows any child to file a complaint for violation of their rights, directly with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, when all remedies have been exhausted at the national level, specifies UNICEF. .
If the living conditions of children have evolved in recent years, many children's rights are still struggling to be respected in the world today. The international solidarity association Vision du Monde observes each year that 'millions of children are still on the sidelines and are victims of violence '. Among the important figures to remember that bear witness to these harsh realities:
In 2019, for the 30th anniversary of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, a national consultation of the Defender of Rights titled ' I have rights, hear me' was conducted with children aged 4 to 18 years. In partnership with nearly 50 associations and structures that fight for the respect of children's rights in France, it has enabled 2,200 children and adolescents to make their voices heard to make things happen. The younger ones shared 276 propositions for the coming years. Here are some of the children's proposals as well as their testimonies:
In 2021, the second edition of the consultation was dedicated to the Mental Health children and adolescents.
Source journaldesfemmes.fr