The big picture: human rights, children''s rights by Unicef: Voices of Youth 6:47pm 17th Nov, 2010   Today more than ever before, children and young people are recognized as having rights. What''s more, they are seen as having an active role to play in asserting those rights.    The Convention on the Rights of the Child    Children''s rights are set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified (given legal force) human rights convention of all time.    In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under 18 years old (children) often need special care and protection that adults do not. The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too.    What are human rights?    Human rights apply to every human being everywhere, and are rights to which you have a just claim. They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual.    In other words, all you have to do to qualify for human rights is to be human. So whether you are the head of state or a beggar on the streets, a pop star or a factory worker, an Olympic runner or a wheelchair user; whatever your race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability, you are entitled to these fundamental rights.    At The Voices of Youth you can find out information about your rights and what the world, and other young people, are doing to make sure they are respected. Visit the related web page
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