What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child?

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international law that sets out the rights of children around the world. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention in 1989 and it became binding international law in 1990. The Convention is legally binding on all countries that have ratified it, including the United States and the state of New Mexico. The CRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. The CRC outlines the rights of children, including the right to freedom of expression, the right to protection from discrimination, the right to a name and nationality, the right to access healthcare, the right to education, the right to leisure and play, the right to family life, and the right to protection from all forms of violence and abuse. Among other things, the Convention protects children from exploitation, prohibits child labor, sets the minimum age for participation in armed conflict, and requires governments to ensure that children have the right to an adequate standard of living. The Convention also requires that governments ensure children have access to information that is appropriate for their level of development. The CRC was created to recognize that children have basic human rights just like adults, and to ensure that those rights are protected. The Convention provides a framework for governments to promote and protect the rights of all children, regardless of gender, race, or other factor, and is an incredibly important tool in the effort to end child labor and exploitation around the world.

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