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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a list of rights that all children have.

Countries around the world have agreed to protect these rights.

In this article you can:

• Find out about the UN and UNICEF
• Discover what the UNCRC is
• Learn about some of the rights of the UNCRC
• Learn about the role of adults as protectors of children’s rights
• Try out some activities about the UNCRC

The United Nations (often called the UN) is an organisation that brings countries from all around the world together to talk about, and try to agree on, world issues.

It was set up in 1945 after World War II as a way of bringing people together and to avoid war.

The UN provides different countries with a place to discuss issues and give their views on world issues.

A document called the Charter of the United Nations sets out the four main purposes of the UN:

• keeping worldwide peace and security
• bringing countries closer together
• helping them to solve international problems
• helping countries to meet common goals.

The United Nations is part of the UN System. This is made up of different organisations that look after particular issues and try to solve problems around the world.

For example:

• FAO - The Food and Agriculture Organisation aims to fight hunger, improve nutrition and farming.
• WHO - The World Health Organisation aims to improve public health, sanitation and to fight diseases.
• UNESCO - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation aims to improve education around the world and protect important cultural and historical places.

UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children's Fund, aims to save, protect and improve children's lives. UNICEF is the UN organisation with the job of protecting the rights of every child, everywhere in the world.

In 1989 the United Nations Convention Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was created to protect the rights of children. It is a very specific list of all the things children need.

The UNCRC explains that all children everywhere have the same human rights as adults, as well as extra rights that they need so that they can learn, grow, play, develop and reach their full potential.

The UNCRC has been set up to protect and support children so that they can live the best life they can. But protecting children's rights is not the same as giving children the right to do whatever they want.

Sometimes we want to do things that might not be the best choices, so the UNCRC explains that it is up to parents and guardians as well as children to decide what is best for them, and this might not always be what you want to do.

The UNCRC has been agreed to by more countries than any other human rights treaty.

Governments can use it as a guide to create laws and make decisions in their countries that will protect and provide for children.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child is a group of experts who check whether all the countries that have signed up to the treaty are doing what they can to support children. The committee write reports on how countries are doing and tell them things they could be doing better to deliver the rights of children.

There are 54 articles included in the UNCRC, all dealing with different children's rights. Each and every one is vital to the wellbeing of children and they are all equally important.

The children of St. John's Primary School tell us what rights the UNCRC give to children and why they are important.

All adults have a responsibility to make sure that children they deal with have their rights respected. This isn't just for parents and teachers, but for anyone who deals with children - from doctors and nurses, police and care workers, to bus drivers, shop staff and leisure centre workers.

The UNCRC supports parents and guardians in giving children the best possible future. But it is up to all of us, children and adults, to continue to protect the rights of the child and make sure that all children have the chance to thrive.

Discuss what kind of impact the UNCRC has had for children in the UK and other countries.

Think about what protection and support you have as a result of the UK agreeing to the UNCRC.

Create and design a class charter according to the rights in the UNCRC.