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Citizens and the law

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Rights of the child from UN . 
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Rights of the child

Protections
Entitlements
Freedoms

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which New Zealand is a signatory, can be summarised under three headings:

Protections

Legally based responsibilities of the State to protect children from:

  • loss of identity
  • discrimination
  • interference with privacy
  • abuse and neglect
  • sexual exploitation
  • illicit transfer between countries
  • child labour
  • drug usage, production and distribution
  • active part in armed conflict
  • lack of care and training if disabled
  • lack of protection in refugee status
  • torture and capital punishment.

Entitlements

These are what children can expect from society; either from parents or, where they cannot provide it, from the State. They are entitled to:

  • survival and development
  • a name and nationality
  • to live with their parents
  • to receive direction from their parents
  • health care
  • diversity of information
  • adequate standard of living
  • social welfare
  • education
  • contact with both parents
  • dignified treatment within juvenile justice
  • rehabilitative care
  • the right to enjoy their own culture.

Freedoms

Children have the right to think, decide and act with the same freedom as adults, taking into account the maturity of the child and the kind of action involved. They should have:

  • free expression of opinion
  • leisure and recreation
  • freedom of information
  • privacy
  • freedom of association
  • freedom of conscience and religion..

Find out more from the Children's Commissioner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
   


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