Children's Rights

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.

196 countries around the world have signed the agreement and Wales was the very first country in the United Kingdom to make the principles of the UNCRC into law. The Welsh Government has adopted the UNCRC as the basis of all its work, and the articles of the UNCRC are summarised in the Seven Core Aims for children and young people.

The ‘Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure' also became law in May 2012 and this builds on the children’s rights-based approach of the Welsh Government. This law makes sure that Welsh Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers always consider the rights of children as set out in the UNCRC.

Young Wales volunteers coproduced the below illustration, which features the UNCRC in their own words. 

A full list of the UNCRC Articles can be found here.

For more information or if you are interested in the work of Children’s Rights - please contact young.wales@childreninwales.org.uk