Children have the right to be cared for.
Photo: UNICEF Viet Nam/03/Nguyen Quy Hoa
The right to family life:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been signed and ratified by every country in the world except Somalia and the USA, gives children and young people the right to be with their families, as far as possible. If children can't be cared for by their families, they must be properly looked after.
What the CRC says:
- The Convention highlights and defends the family's role in children's lives.
- It says that governments should respect the rights and responsibilities of families to direct and guide their children so that, as they grow, they learn to use their rights properly.
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You have the right to know and, as far as possible, to be cared for by your parents.
- You should not be separated from your parents unless it is for your own good - for example, if a parent is mistreating or neglecting you. If your parents have separated, you have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might harm you.
- Families who live in different countries should be allowed to move between those countries so that parents and children can stay in contact or get back together as a family.
- Both parents share responsibility for bringing up their children, and should always consider what is best for each child. Governments should help parents by providing services to support them, especially if both parents work.
- If you cannot be looked after by your own family, you must be looked after properly, by people who respect your religion, culture and language.
- If you are adopted, the first concern must be what is best for you. The same rules should apply whether the adoption takes place in the country where you were born or if you are taken to live in another country.
- If you are looked after by your local authority rather than your parents, you should have your situation reviewed regularly.
Do all children get their right to family life?
Many children grow up without their parents. Some 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. More than 400 million women die due to problems with pregnancy or giving birth every year. Conflict and natural disasters can tear families apart, while trafficking steals children away from their families.