UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
in easy to understand language

Article 11
Governments should take steps to stop children being taken illegally out of their own country.

Article 12
When adults are making decisions about children and young people, the child has the right to say what they think should happen.

Article 13
Children have the right to get and share information, as long as it is not harmful to them or to anyone else.

Article 14
Children have the right to think and believe what they want and to practise their religion as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should help children to understand this.

Article 15
Children have the right to meet together and to join organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their own rights.

Article 16
Children have a right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good name, their families and their homes.

Article 17
Children have the right to reliable information from the media. Television, radio, internet and newspapers should provide information that children can understand, and should not promote information that could cause harm.

Article 18
Parents should consider what is best for the child and share responsibility for bringing them up. Governments should help by providing support for them, especially if both parents work.

Article 19
Governments must make sure that children and young people are properly cared for and protected from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.

Article 20
Children who can't be looked after by their own families must be looked after properly, by people who respect their religion, culture and language.