The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, now celebrated as World Children's Day, and entered into force in 1990. It is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.
Who Is a Child
Article 1 defines a child as every human being below the age of eighteen years, unless majority is attained earlier under the applicable law.
Four Guiding Principles
The Committee on the Rights of the Child has identified four general principles: non-discrimination (Article 2); the best interests of the child as a primary consideration in all actions concerning children (Article 3); the right to life, survival and development (Article 6); and the right of the child to express views freely in matters affecting the child, with due weight given according to age and maturity (Article 12).
Rights in Daily Life
The Convention protects the right to a name and nationality from birth (Article 7), to know and be cared for by parents and to maintain contact when separated (Articles 9 and 10), protection from all forms of violence, abuse and neglect (Article 19), the highest attainable standard of health (Article 24), education (Articles 28 and 29), rest, leisure and play (Article 31), protection from economic exploitation and hazardous work (Article 32), and special safeguards in juvenile justice (Article 40).
Optional Protocols
Optional Protocols address the involvement of children in armed conflict, the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and a communications procedure.
In Indonesia
Indonesia ratified the CRC by Presidential Decree No. 36 of 1990. Its principles are given effect by the Child Protection Law (Law No. 23 of 2002, as amended), the Juvenile Criminal Justice System Law (Law No. 11 of 2012), which prioritises diversion and restorative justice, birth registration programmes and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI).