Everyone has human rights but there are special rights just for children. These are called children’s rights. Children have the right to special protections because of their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse. The main international human rights treaty on children’s rights is the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The CRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. Australia ratified the CRC in December 1990, which means that Australia has a duty to ensure that all children in Australia enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.

Children have the right to:

• Be treated fairly, no matter what
• Have a say about decisions that affect them
• Live and grow up healthy
• Have people do what is best for them
• Know who they are and where they come from
• Believe what they want
• Privacy
• Find out information and express themselves
• Be safe, no matter where they are
• Be care for and have a home
• Education, play and cultural activities
• Help and protection, if they need it