The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.
In November 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. There are only 2 countries which have not signed the CRC; the United States of America and Somalia.
Australia ratified the CRC in December 1990. This means that Australia has a duty to ensure that all children in Australia enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.
The CRC contains the full range of human rights – civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.
Some of the core principles of the CRC are:
- the right of all children to survival and development;
- respect for the best interests of the child as a primary consideration in all decisions relating to children;
- the right of all children to express their views freely on all matters affecting them; and
- the right of all children to enjoy all the rights of the CRC without discrimination of any kind.