Thirty years ago, world leaders, including Canada, adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped transform children’s lives around the world. Basic principles are: non-discrimination, best interests of the child, the right to survival, life and development, and participation. The Convention defines a child as every human below the age of eighteen years.

To learn more about your rights under this Convention, please click here.

If you feel your rights have been violated and would like to discuss your concerns, speak to a trusted adult in your life and/or contact your local human rights commission. They will discuss your complaint with you and decide if it is a legitimate human rights complaint or not, and how to proceed.