The Rights of a Child from the United Nations

Children are often unable or not permitted to speak up for themselves. Like any adult, they have their own particular needs and rights as human beings, which have too often been ignored or overlooked. Being powerless in an adult world, they often need others to speak up for them. The United Nations has long been an advocate for children., and when they formed UNICEF they gave all children, no matter what race, religion, country, culture or background, a new voice in the world. It is an ongoing process and the organization for children has grown in size and scope since it's inception.

-In 1946, following the end of World War II, the United Nations formed UNICEF to help starving and ill children in Europe to find food, clothing and medical services.

-In 1953 they decided to extend the UNICEF program indefinitely.

-In 1959 The United Nations created and adopted a Declaration of the Rights of a Child. It defined various rights for children ranging from food and shelter to education.

-In 1961 Education became a major focus of the organization and they contributed to both the training of teachers and the equipment needed for the education of children.

-In 1965 UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

-In 1989 they gathered in a Convention for Children's Rights and focused on the human rights of all children,

-In 1990 The United Nations convened a World Summit stating global goals for all children.

In November of 1989 they formally adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child. This consists of 54 stated principals ranging from rights to education, religion, food, shelter, a family, a county, to the right to have a name and rights for disabled children.

One of my favourite children's books is "For Every Child" the rights of the child in words and pictures. It addresses some of the children's rights defined by the United Nations in 1989. The book begins with a forward by Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu, himself a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1984 and a longtime advocate of human rights. The book contains 14 of the 54 rights of the child. It is a stunning book. Each numbered right is written in simplified text and accompanied by an illustration, done by 14 different artists. Each artist has a write up and photograph following the main text of the book. The book finishes off with a copy of the actual articles adopted by The United Nations for the fourteen featured rights represented in the book. This is a must have for every library and educational facility, not to mention a wonderful part of any child's and parent's home library.

I have read this book to many children and talked about it with them. We, as adults, try to teach children to be respectful of others, but they need to know that they in are entitled to respect and care in return, and that they do have a voice in their own lives. To quote the 42nd article of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, "Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike."

UNICEF has long been a program I have believed in and supported. As a child myself, I saw the need around me firsthand and never forgot that, ever. I distinctly remember taking my little orange box around with me to gather small change to donate to what I felt, even then, was a worthy cause. Doing that for others, gave me a voice I often couldn't find myself, when I needed one in my own life. I saw this in so many others, wherever I traveled. I remember selling Christmas cards too in order to raise funds for this organization. Whether or not they perform perfectly as an organization or what criticisms there are, the fact is they are doing something about it, and it is an issue that continually has to be faced and dealt with, constructively. Children are the future and that future needs to be as whole and healthy as possible for every child, no matter who or where they are or where they come from. A child needs not only to be protected but given the wings to fly and the solid ground to stand on in order to flourish. They need to know that they belong and are a vital part of every society and as such have rights too.