Human Rights, Children and Youth

 
What are the Human Rights of Children and Youth?
Human Rights are universal, and civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights belong to all human beings, including children and young people. Children and youth also enjoy certain human rights specifically linked to their status as minors and to their need for special care and protection.
The human rights of children and youth are explicitly set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. They are also contained in other human rights documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and other widely adhered to international human rights treaties and Declarations.
The Human Rights at Issue
The human rights of children and youth include the following indivisible, interdependent and interrelated human rights:

The human right to a standard of living adequate for a child's intellectual, physical, moral, and spiritual development, including adequate food, shelter and clothing.

The human right to freedom from discrimination based on age, gender, race, colour, language, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or any other status, or on the status of the child's parents.

The human right to the highest possible standard of health and to access to health care.

The human right to a healthy and safe environment.

The human right to education -- to free and compulsory elementary education, to readily available forms of secondary and higher education, and to freedom from all types of discrimination at all levels of education.

The human right to protection from neglect and all types of physical or mental abuse.

The human right to protection from economic and sexual exploitation.

The human right of the child to express an opinion about plans or decisions affecting his or her life.

The human right of the child to live in a family environment. States should provide families with assistance and support if necessary for meeting the fundamental needs of the child. 

www.pdhre.org/rights/children.html