Child Rights
Iraqi refugee children are still waiting to go to school.
A young boy works in a dangerous gold mine in Niger.
Girls around the world are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. |
The Need Children have almost limitless potential. And according to the United Nations, nothing must stop them from trying to reach this potential. Any boy or girl, anywhere in the world, is born with a full spectrum of human rights. The
Convention on the Rights of the Child spells out the basic human rights of each child: civil, political, economic, social and cultural. Think of these rights as a series of wide-open doors.
But many of the world’s children are trapped by circumstances beyond their control. Think of the doors slamming shut, one after another. Poverty shuts one door. Physical abuse, another. A girl forbidden to attend school faces yet another barrier.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified more widely than any other human rights treaty. Yet from a child’s perspective, many things have yet to change. Because children so rarely have a voice, it’s easy for governments to place them low on the list of priorities.
Championing Children's Rights
World Vision Canada’s advocacy team is dedicated to protecting children’s rights, both here and overseas. In Canada, for example, we want all children to have access to a quality education, regardless of their race or family income. We also want children to be free from violence, be it bullying at school or physical abuse in the home.
In other countries where we work, World Vision speaks out against a spectrum of abuses. We advocate for children affected by armed conflict or child labour. We speak out against the sexual exploitation of girls. We believe children carry a disproportionate burden from the AIDS pandemic, and we’re engaging Canadians in our fight to change that. Wherever children’s rights are violated or ignored, World Vision is there.
Fast Facts
- An estimated 2 million children are currently enslaved in the commercial sex trade. Source: UNICEF State of the World's Children 2005
- An estimated 150 million children live on the world's streets. Source: UNESCO Education for all Week
Resources for Journalists
