Kids have same human rights as adults

Madam,

The Human Rights Month serves as a reminder of the ongoing work needed to uphold and protect human rights for all individuals, especially children. Children and young people have the same general human rights as adults and specific rights that recognise their needs.

Every child has the right to a name and a nationality from birth; family care or parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment and basic nutrition, shelter, basic healthcare services and social services. With these rights also comes responsibilities: In using their human rights, children must respect the rights of others. No government, group or individual person has the right to do anything that violates another’s rights. One of the most important rights for children in the Constitution is the right to have their best interests taken into account in every matter that concerns that child. This means that in every matter where a child is involved, adults must consider the circumstances of children and make sure that their actions and choices are in the child’s best interests.

The month offers an opportunity to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children. We need to advocate for the rights of the country’s marginalised children. We need to ensure that we secure loving care in family settings to children who have lost or are at risk of losing the care of their parents and cannot live with their biological family. It is our responsibility as a nation to uphold and ensure our children are protected.

Children need special protection because they are among the most vulnerable members of society. They are dependent on others – their parents and families, or the State when these fail – for care and protection. As a result, the drafters of our Constitution made children’s rights a priority – and stated that the best interests of a child are the overriding concern when it comes to any matter affecting them. Therefore, we need to always call for the implementation of all children’s rights.

Opinion