Convention on the Rights of the Child

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Convention on the Rights of the Child

international agreement

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June 22, 2026

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a landmark international agreement that establishes the human rights of children. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20, 1989, it has been ratified by nearly every country worldwide, with the exception of the United States.12

The Convention recognizes that children are not merely recipients of care but individuals with their own rights. It outlines a comprehensive set of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from poverty, exploitation, and harm. A key provision, Article 24, specifically recognizes a child's right to the highest attainable standard of health and access to healthcare services. The treaty aims to ensure that all children can enjoy these rights without discrimination.123

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capital punishment
Capital punishment in the early 21st century
…which are prohibited by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, have occurred in the United States, which has not ratified the convention and which ratified the covenant with reservations regarding the death penalty. Beginning in the late 1990s, there…
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…which are prohibited by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, have occurred in the United States, which has not ratified the convention and which ratified the covenant with reservations regarding the death penalty. Beginning in the late 1990s, there…
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corporal punishment
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1989, forbids the physical abuse of children by parents or other caregivers. The convention has been ratified by all UN members except the United States and Somalia. By the early…
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The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1989, forbids the physical abuse of children by parents or other caregivers. The convention has been ratified by all UN members except the United States and Somalia. By the early…
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international law
Individuals
…or Punishment (1984), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). With the exception of the convention on genocide, these agreements also have established monitoring committees, which, depending on the terms of the particular agreement, may examine the regular reports required of states, issue general and state-specific comments,…
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…or Punishment (1984), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). With the exception of the convention on genocide, these agreements also have established monitoring committees, which, depending on the terms of the particular agreement, may examine the regular reports required of states, issue general and state-specific comments,…
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Save the Children
…Assembly in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which has been ratified by almost all countries.
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…Assembly in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which has been ratified by almost all countries.
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UNICEF
…have been guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.” UNICEF’s activities are financed by both government and…
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…have been guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.” UNICEF’s activities are financed by both government and…
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United Nations
Human rights
…170 countries, and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by more than 190 countries. In 1995 the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, developed a Platform for Action to recognize women’s rights and improve women’s livelihood worldwide, and follow-up meetings monitored…
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…170 countries, and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by more than 190 countries. In 1995 the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, developed a Platform for Action to recognize women’s rights and improve women’s livelihood worldwide, and follow-up meetings monitored…
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