They are abandoned. They do not get a chance to step into a school. They are
left to fend for themselves on the streets. They suffer from many forms of violence. They do
not have access to even primary healthcare. They are subjected to cruel treatment every day.
They are children—innocent, young, and beautiful—who are deprived of their rights.
In the history of human rights, the rights of children are the most ratified.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines child rights as the
minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be afforded to every citizen below the age of
18 regardless of race or nationality. Every person has dignity and value. One of the ways
that we recognize the fundamental worth of every person is by acknowledging and respecting
their human rights.
Human rights are a set of principles concerned with equality and fairness.
They recognize our freedom to make choices about our lives and to develop our potential as
human beings. They are about living a life free from fear, harassment, or discrimination.
Human rights can broadly be defined as several basic rights that people from
around the world have agreed are essential. These include the right to life, the right to a
fair trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of speech,
freedom of religion, and the right to health, education, and an adequate standard of living.
These human rights are the same for all people everywhere—men and women,
young and old, rich and poor, regardless of our background, where we live, what we think, or
what we believe. This is what makes human rights ‘universal.’ Origin, color, gender,
language, religion, opinions, origin, wealth, birth status, disability, or other
characteristics. These rights encompass the freedom of children and their civil rights,
family environment, necessary healthcare and welfare, education, leisure and cultural
activities, and special protection measures. The UNCRC outlines the fundamental human rights
that should be afforded to children in four broad classifications that suitably cover all
civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights of every child:
