[Text on screen]: Every child has rights. Rights laws help keep children safe, secure and happy.

Children’s rights in action:

Throughout most of history children were treated as the property of their parents. They were treated as “small adults” and lacked rights of their own. But that all changed in the 20th century…

We now have 2 major laws that protect children’s rights:

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Human Rights Act

Here’s some examples of how they work:

The UN Convention means public authorities must consider the best interests of children. That includes letting children express their views freely, protecting them from abuse and neglect…it even gives them a right to relax and play.

Article 3 of the Human Rights Convention prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment. So because of human rights…

Corporal punishment is now banned in UK schools,
Police can’t beat up children as punishment,
Parents can still hit kids but only if it’s “reasonable chastisement”.

Human rights laws also ensure the state protects children from domestic abuse. If the state fails to protect children, human rights laws mean that children can get compensation.

The Human Rights Act also includes the right to education, meaning the government must ensure access to education for every child.

Children are some of the most vulnerable people in society. It’s up to us to make the work a fair and safe place for future generations