Child rights advocates have kicked off more than a month of globalactivities leading up to the 20th anniversary of the Convention on theRights of the Child.  The Convention, which was adopted by the U.N.General Assembly on November 20, 1989, is the most widely ratifiedinternational human rights treaty.  Every country in the world, exceptthe United States and Somalia, has ratified it. 

Before theConvention on the Rights of the Child came into force in 1989, most ofthe world thought children should be seen and not heard.  Now, 20 yearslater, some of their voices are being heard, but their rights continueto be violated.

Mia Farrow (file photo)
"I believe every child has the right to feelsafe, protected from armed conflict, abuse, child labor, trafficking,exploitation.  It is really very simple.  No child should have tosuffer at the hands of others.  Not one," says UNICEF GoodwillAmbassador, Hollywood actress, Mia Farrow, who has been fighting forthe rights of children for years.  She is one of several GoodwillAmbassadors who have lent their fame to this video to speak out onbehalf of the millions of children who continue to be cruelly takenadvantage of.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, NaviPillay, expresses her admiration of the Convention.  At the same time,she acknowledges the gaps in the implementation of the rights andprotections enshrined in this document.

With the adoption of theConvention, she notes the international community unanimouslyrecognized for the first time in history that children are not simplythe property of their parents or guardians, but are in charge of theirown destiny.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, South African judge Navanethem (Navi) Pillay (2008 file photo)"However, despite this widespread support for, andawareness of the rights of the child, there persist severe violations,including violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, child traffickingand forced labor," says Pillay. "Also tragically evident are thosemultiple and overlapping forms of discrimination that affect girls,children with disabilities and those from minority and indigenouspopulations, street children, children in conflict with the law,refugee and migrant children."  

Pillay says some of the mostpervasive forms of discrimination and exploitation experienced bychildren have become more widespread and known since the adoption ofthe Convention.

Deputy Executive Director of the U.N. Children'sFund, Saad Houry, agrees that the reality does not always live up tothe Convention's vision of a world that is made safe for all children. He says millions of children remain excluded from that dream.

"Despiteremarkable economic growth in scores of countries over the past 20years, shocking disparities are also growing, with the poorest childrenleft further behind," said Houry.  "The occasion of the CRC's(Convention on the Rights of the Child) 20th anniversary is anopportunity for us all to reflect upon the injustice of suchdisparities, and to rededicate our efforts to realizing the rights ofthese excluded children, as well as to sustain the gains made to date." 

Houry says governments must enact laws that protect the rightsof children.  And, children, he says must know and understand theirrights, so they can claim them.