Care and carelessness ─ plight of children in world’s leading democracies

Photo UNICEF

Criminal abuse, neglect despite international declarations, conventions
Editing by Carolyn Bennett

DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (1959)

Every child, without any exception whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights [set out in the declaration], without distinction or discrimination on account of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, whether of [the child] or of [the child's] family.

The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable development physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.

The child shall be entitled from birth to a name and a nationality.

The child shall enjoy the benefits of social security [and] shall be entitled to grow and develop in health; to this end, special care and protection shall be provided both to [the child] and [the] mother, including adequate pre-natal and post-natal care. The child shall have the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.

The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.

The child … shall, wherever possible, grow up in the care and under the responsibility of parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security…. Society and the public authorities shall have the duty to extend particular care to children without a family and to those without adequate means of support.…

The child is entitled to receive education, which shall be free and compulsory, at least in the elementary stages.…

The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for this education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with parents.

The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right.

The child shall in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief.

Child labor / India
Photo UNICEF

The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation [and] shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form.

The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age [and] shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice [the child’s] health or education, or interfere with [the child’s] physical, mental or moral development.

The child shall be protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any other form of discrimination [and] shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in full consciousness that [the child’s] energy and talents should be devoted to the service of [others].

A democracy’s neglect, failure to care

India, the world's second most populous country (more than 1.2 billion people) and “most populous democracy” is described further as “a constitutional republic and representative democracy” where “‘majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law.’”

Press TV’s INfocus program reported in late July that India's children "are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups."

The program went on to report that “Indian women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation.”

Victims suffer labor trafficking every year as thousands of Indians migrate to Middle Eastern and European countries “for work as domestic servants and low-skilled laborers.”

Some workers “are the victims of fraudulent recruitment practices,” which lead these workers “directly into situations of forced labor, including debt bondage.”

Domestic child labor
India
Photo UNICEF

In other cases, high debts incurred to pay recruitment fees leave workers “vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers in destination countries.” The result is often “involuntary servitude [work without pay], restrictions on movement, unlawful withholding of passports, and physical or sexual abuse.”

The concept of trafficking, the program explains, “denotes a trade in something that should not be traded in.” However, the people of India “have become insensitive to the domestic forced labor of children.” 

After the 1959 UN General Assembly-adopted Declaration of the Rights of the Child came the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child.

CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (1989)

In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under the age of 18 often need special care and protection that adults do not need.  The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too, UNICEF explains on its website.

“The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights—including civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.”

In 54 articles and two Optional Protocols, the Convention sets out basic human rights that children everywhere should have:  

[t]he right to survival;

[t]o develop to the fullest;

[t]o protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and

[t]o participate fully in family, cultural and social life.  

Child health and hunger
India
Photo UNICEF

The principles outlined in the international human rights framework apply both to children and adults. Children are mentioned explicitly in many of the human rights instruments and standards are specifically modified or adapted where the needs and concerns surrounding a right are distinct for children.  

The Convention on the Rights of the Child’s four core principles are:  

Non discrimination;

Devotion to the best interests of the child;

Right to life, survival and development; and

Respect for the views of the child.  

“The Convention protects children’s rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services.” 

National governments in agreeing to undertake the obligations of the CRC (by ratifying or acceding to it), UNICEF writes, “have committed themselves to protecting and ensuring children’s rights.” Moreover, “they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention [the United States and India are not] are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child. 

“The Convention on the Rights of the Child brings together the children’s human rights articulated in other international instruments and articulates the rights more completely and provides a set of guiding principles that fundamentally shapes the way in which we view children.”

Sources and notes

DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (1959)

Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV) of 10 December 1959,
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources/child.asp
cyberschoolbus@un.org Copyright © 1996- 2012 United Nations

“Human Trafficking in India -- Women and girls are trafficked within the country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage especially in those areas where the sex ratio is highly skewed in favor of men. Children are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups,” INfocus, July 31, 2012, http://www.presstv.ir/Program/253673.html

United Nations Children’s Fund (originally United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)

The mission of UNICEF is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

http://www.unicef.org/rightsite/237_202.htm

http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_understanding.html
http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30160.html

11. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD, New York, 20 November 1989
TEXT: United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, p. 3; depositary notifications
C.N.147.1993.TREATIES-5 of 15 May 1993 [amendments to article 43 (2)]1; and
C.N.322.1995.TREATIES-7 of 7 November 1995 [amendment to article 43 (2)]

The Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, was adopted by resolution 44/252 of November 20, 1989, at the Forty-fourth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Convention is open for signature by all States at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

ENTRY INTO FORCE September 2, 1990, in accordance with article 49(1).
REGISTRATION: September 2, 1990, No. 27531.
STATUS: Signatories: 140. Parties: 193.
http://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/MTDSG/Volume%20I/Chapter%20IV/IV-11.en.pdf


CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD States Parties

Participant Signature

Ratification,
Acceptance(A),
Accession(a),
Succession(d)

Afghanistan ................... 27 Sep 1990 28 Mar 1994

Albania .......................... 26 Jan 1990 27 Feb 1992

Algeria .......................... 26 Jan 1990 16 Apr 1993

Andorra ......................... 2 Oct 1995 2 Jan 1996

Angola ........................... 14 Feb 1990 5 Dec 1990

Antigua and Barbuda .... 12 Mar 1991 5 Oct 1993

Argentina ....................... 29 Jun 1990 4 Dec 1990

Armenia......................... 23 Jun 1993 a

Australia ........................ 22 Aug 1990 17 Dec 1990

Austria ........................... 26 Aug 1990 6 Aug 1992

Azerbaijan ..................... 13 Aug 1992 a

Bahamas ........................ 30 Oct 1990 20 Feb 1991

Bahrain .......................... 13 Feb 1992 a

Bangladesh .................... 26 Jan 1990 3 Aug 1990

Barbados ....................... 19 Apr 1990 9 Oct 1990

Belarus .......................... 26 Jan 1990 1 Oct 1990

Belgium ......................... 26 Jan 1990 16 Dec 1991

Belize ............................ 2 Mar 1990 2 May 1990

Benin ............................. 25 Apr 1990 3 Aug 1990

Bhutan ........................... 4 Jun 1990 1 Aug 1990

Bolivia (Plurinational

State of) ................... 8 Mar 1990 26 Jun 1990

Bosnia and

Herzegovina3 ........... 1 Sep 1993 d

Botswana ....................... 14 Mar 1995 a

Brazil ............................. 26 Jan 1990 24 Sep 1990

Brunei Darussalam ........ 27 Dec 1995 a

Bulgaria ......................... 31 May 1990 3 Jun 1991

Burkina Faso ................. 26 Jan 1990 31 Aug 1990

Burundi ......................... 8 May 1990 19 Oct 1990

Cambodia ...................... 15 Oct 1992 a

Cameroon ...................... 25 Sep 1990 11 Jan 1993

Canada .......................... 28 May 1990 13 Dec 1991

Cape Verde ................... 4 Jun 1992 a

Central African

Republic .................. 30 Jul 1990 23 Apr 1992

Chad .............................. 30 Sep 1990 2 Oct 1990

Chile .............................. 26 Jan 1990 13 Aug 1990

China4,5 .......................... 29 Aug 1990 2 Mar 1992

Colombia ....................... 26 Jan 1990 28 Jan 1991

Comoros ........................ 30 Sep 1990 22 Jun 1993

Congo ............................ 14 Oct 1993 a

Cook Islands ................. 6 Jun 1997 a

Costa Rica ..................... 26 Jan 1990 21 Aug 1990

Côte d'Ivoire .................. 26 Jan 1990 4 Feb 1991

Croatia3 ......................... 12 Oct 1992 d

Cuba .............................. 26 Jan 1990 21 Aug 1991

Cyprus ........................... 5 Oct 1990 7 Feb 1991

Czech Republic6 ............ 22 Feb 1993 d

Democratic People's

Republic of Korea ... 23 Aug 1990 21 Sep 1990

Democratic Republic of

the Congo ................ 20 Mar 1990 27 Sep 1990

Denmark7 ...................... 26 Jan 1990 19 Jul 1991

Djibouti ......................... 30 Sep 1990 6 Dec 1990

Dominica ....................... 26 Jan 1990 13 Mar 1991

Dominican Republic ..... 8 Aug 1990 11 Jun 1991

Ecuador ......................... 26 Jan 1990 23 Mar 1990

Egypt8 ........................... 5 Feb 1990 6 Jul 1990

El Salvador .................... 26 Jan 1990 10 Jul 1990

Equatorial Guinea ......... 15 Jun 1992 a

Eritrea ........................... 20 Dec 1993 3 Aug 1994

Estonia .......................... 21 Oct 1991 a

Ethiopia ......................... 14 May 1991 a

Fiji ................................. 2 Jul 1993 13 Aug 1993

Finland .......................... 26 Jan 1990 20 Jun 1991

France ............................ 26 Jan 1990 7 Aug 1990

Gabon ............................ 26 Jan 1990 9 Feb 1994

Gambia .......................... 5 Feb 1990 8 Aug 1990

Georgia .......................... 2 Jun 1994 a

Germany9 ...................... 26 Jan 1990 6 Mar 1992

Ghana ............................ 29 Jan 1990 5 Feb 1990

Greece ........................... 26 Jan 1990 11 May 1993

Grenada ......................... 21 Feb 1990 5 Nov 1990

Guatemala ..................... 26 Jan 1990 6 Jun 1990

Guinea ........................... 13 Jul 1990 a

Guinea-Bissau ............... 26 Jan 1990 20 Aug 1990

Guyana .......................... 30 Sep 1990 14 Jan 1991

Haiti .............................. 26 Jan 1990 8 Jun 1995

Holy See ........................ 20 Apr 1990 20 Apr 1990

Honduras ....................... 31 May 1990 10 Aug 1990

Hungary......................... 14 Mar 1990 7 Oct 1991

Iceland ........................... 26 Jan 1990 28 Oct 1992

India .............................. 11 Dec 1992 a [Accession, Unsigned, Unratified]

Indonesia ....................... 26 Jan 1990 5 Sep 1990

Iran (Islamic Republic

of) ............................ 5 Sep 1991 13 Jul 1994

Iraq ................................ 15 Jun 1994 a

Ireland ........................... 30 Sep 1990 28 Sep 1992

Israel .............................. 3 Jul 1990 3 Oct 1991

Italy ............................... 26 Jan 1990 5 Sep 1991

Jamaica .......................... 26 Jan 1990 14 May 1991

Japan ............................. 21 Sep 1990 22 Apr 1994

Jordan ............................ 29 Aug 1990 24 May 1991

Kazakhstan .................... 16 Feb 1994 12 Aug 1994

Kenya ............................ 26 Jan 1990 30 Jul 1990

Kiribati .......................... 11 Dec 1995 a

Kuwait ........................... 7 Jun 1990 21 Oct 1991

Kyrgyzstan .................... 7 Oct 1994 a

Lao People's

Democratic

Republic .................. 8 May 1991 a

Latvia ............................ 14 Apr 1992 a

Lebanon......................... 26 Jan 1990 14 May 1991

Lesotho .......................... 21 Aug 1990 10 Mar 1992

Liberia ........................... 26 Apr 1990 4 Jun 1993

Libya ............................. 15 Apr 1993 a

Liechtenstein10 .............. 30 Sep 1990 22 Dec 1995

Lithuania ....................... 31 Jan 1992 a

Luxembourg .................. 21 Mar 1990 7 Mar 1994

Madagascar ................... 19 Apr 1990 19 Mar 1991

Malawi .......................... 2 Jan 1991 a

Malaysia ........................ 17 Feb 1995 a

Maldives ....................... 21 Aug 1990 11 Feb 1991

Mali ............................... 26 Jan 1990 20 Sep 1990

Malta ............................. 26 Jan 1990 30 Sep 1990

Marshall Islands ............ 14 Apr 1993 4 Oct 1993

Mauritania ..................... 26 Jan 1990 16 May 1991

Mauritius ....................... 26 Jul 1990 a

Mexico .......................... 26 Jan 1990 21 Sep 1990

Micronesia (Federated

States of) ................. 5 May 1993 a

Monaco ......................... 21 Jun 1993 a

Mongolia ....................... 26 Jan 1990 5 Jul 1990

Montenegro11 ................ 23 Oct 2006 d

Morocco ........................ 26 Jan 1990 21 Jun 1993

Mozambique ................. 30 Sep 1990 26 Apr 1994

Myanmar ....................... 15 Jul 1991 a

Namibia ......................... 26 Sep 1990 30 Sep 1990

Nauru ............................ 27 Jul 1994 a

Nepal ............................. 26 Jan 1990 14 Sep 1990

Netherlands12 ................ 26 Jan 1990 6 Feb 1995 A

New Zealand13 .............. 1 Oct 1990 6 Apr 1993

Nicaragua ...................... 6 Feb 1990 5 Oct 1990

Niger ............................. 26 Jan 1990 30 Sep 1990

Nigeria .......................... 26 Jan 1990 19 Apr 1991

Niue ............................... 20 Dec 1995 a

Norway ......................... 26 Jan 1990 8 Jan 1991

Oman ............................. 9 Dec 1996 a

Pakistan ......................... 20 Sep 1990 12 Nov 1990

Palau ............................. 4 Aug 1995 a

Panama .......................... 26 Jan 1990 12 Dec 1990

Papua New Guinea ........ 30 Sep 1990 2 Mar 1993

Paraguay ....................... 4 Apr 1990 25 Sep 1990

Peru ............................... 26 Jan 1990 4 Sep 1990

Philippines .................... 26 Jan 1990 21 Aug 1990

Poland ........................... 26 Jan 1990 7 Jun 1991

Portugal4........................ 26 Jan 1990 21 Sep 1990

Qatar ............................. 8 Dec 1992 3 Apr 1995

Republic of Korea ......... 25 Sep 1990 20 Nov 1991

Republic of Moldova .... 26 Jan 1993 a

Romania ........................ 26 Jan 1990 28 Sep 1990

Russian Federation ........ 26 Jan 1990 16 Aug 1990

Rwanda ......................... 26 Jan 1990 24 Jan 1991

Samoa ............................ 30 Sep 1990 29 Nov 1994

San Marino .................... 25 Nov 1991 a

Sao Tome and Principe . 14 May 1991 a

Saudi Arabia .................. 26 Jan 1996 a

Senegal .......................... 26 Jan 1990 31 Jul 1990

Serbia3 ........................... 12 Mar 2001 d

Seychelles ..................... 7 Sep 1990 a

Sierra Leone .................. 13 Feb 1990 18 Jun 1990

Singapore ...................... 5 Oct 1995 a

Slovakia6 ....................... 28 May 1993 d

Slovenia3 ....................... 6 Jul 1992 d

Solomon Islands ............ 10 Apr 1995 a

Somalia ......................... 9 May 2002

South Africa .................. 29 Jan 1993 16 Jun 1995

Spain ............................. 26 Jan 1990 6 Dec 1990

Sri Lanka ....................... 26 Jan 1990 12 Jul 1991

St. Kitts and Nevis ........ 26 Jan 1990 24 Jul 1990

St. Lucia ........................ 30 Sep 1990 16 Jun 1993

St. Vincent and the

Grenadines ............... 20 Sep 1993 26 Oct 1993

Sudan ............................ 24 Jul 1990 3 Aug 1990

Suriname ....................... 26 Jan 1990 1 Mar 1993

Swaziland ...................... 22 Aug 1990 7 Sep 1995

Sweden .......................... 26 Jan 1990 29 Jun 1990

Switzerland ................... 1 May 1991 24 Feb 1997

Syrian Arab Republic .... 18 Sep 1990 15 Jul 1993

Tajikistan ....................... 26 Oct 1993 a

Thailand ........................ 27 Mar 1992 a

The former Yugoslav

Republic of

Macedonia3,14 .......... 2 Dec 1993 d

Timor-Leste .................. 16 Apr 2003 a

Togo .............................. 26 Jan 1990 1 Aug 1990

Tonga ............................ 6 Nov 1995 a

Trinidad and Tobago ..... 30 Sep 1990 5 Dec 1991

Tunisia .......................... 26 Feb 1990 30 Jan 1992

Turkey ........................... 14 Sep 1990 4 Apr 1995

Turkmenistan ................ 20 Sep 1993 a

Tuvalu ........................... 22 Sep 1995 a

Uganda .......................... 17 Aug 1990 17 Aug 1990

Ukraine ......................... 21 Feb 1990 28 Aug 1991

United Arab Emirates ... 3 Jan 1997 a

United Kingdom of

Great Britain and

Northern Ireland5,15 . 19 Apr 1990 16 Dec 1991

United Republic of

Tanzania .................. 1 Jun 1990 10 Jun 1991

United States of

America ................... 16 Feb 1995 [Unratified]

Uruguay ........................ 26 Jan 1990 20 Nov 1990

Uzbekistan .................... 29 Jun 1994 a

Vanuatu ......................... 30 Sep 1990 7 Jul 1993

Venezuela (Bolivarian

Republic of) ............. 26 Jan 1990 13 Sep 1990

Viet Nam ....................... 26 Jan 1990 28 Feb 1990

Yemen16 ........................ 13 Feb 1990 1 May 1991

Zambia .......................... 30 Sep 1990 6 Dec 1991

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