Conventions have different parts. The Convention on the Rights of the Child has a Preamble, 54 Articles, 1 Amendment, and 3 Optional Protocols.
- Preamble provides the background and goals of the Convention-- It answers the question why do we have a CRC?
- Articles of the Convention state the different rights that all children have, such as the right to life (Article 6), the right to give opinions freely on issues that affect them (Article 12), and the right to access information (Article 17). The articles answer the question what rights do children have? The articles also say who is responsible for protecting the rights of children, such as families, communities, and governments. The final articles of the convention describe how the UN will help people and countries realize these goals.
- Two of the optional Protocols define rights for children in special circumstances, such as children in armed conflict (war or places where weapons are used) or children who are being sold or trafficked. One optional protocol allows children or their representatives to submit complaints about specific violations of their rights to the UN.
- The Amendment modified the text of Article 43(2) to increase the membership of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child from 10 to 18 members. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is a group of experts who make sure that countries are protecting the rights of children around the world.
The convention says : "All children have all these rights, no matter who they are"
