Kids Are Humans Too
On December 10, many people throughout the world observe United Nations’ Human Rights Day—the day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that “proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status,” was adopted. Capitalizing on the momentum from the 30th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child—celebrated on September 20—the theme of Human Rights Day 2019 is Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. Specifically, the U.N. is showcasing how youth worldwide are mobilizing together to protect their rights and make positive changes in the world. I shared my thoughts on this topic in a recent blog post and now want to say a bit about more about our country, our culture, and how we think about our young people.
As one of the world’s strongest and wealthiest countries, we say that children are our highest priority, our brightest hope, our future. But what we say is not consistent with what we do. Kids are not an important part of our overarching strategies and policy directions. Unlike much of the rest of the world, our children are not fully recognized as individual citizens with their own rights. What does this say about us?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, for example, is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. When South Sudan ratified the Convention in 2015, the United States—one of the original authors of the Convention—became the lone U.N. member country yet to ratify the treaty. (President Clinton signed the Convention in 1995 but his and all subsequent administrations failed to advance it for Senatorial ratification).
The reasons for our inaction are complex, and largely political. Much has been debated and written about this topic, with most of the resistance to ratifying the Convention coming from those who believe government should not define the way our children are raised or interfere with the rights of parents.
This isn’t to say we have turned our backs completely on children’s rights. Although we have not ratified the Convention’s 42 Articles, there are several “Optional Protocols,” including those related to children in armed conflict, the sale of children, and child prostitution and pornography, that the U.S. follows and reports on to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child. It would be monumental if we overcame our obstacles to ratify the Convention in its entirety, and a wonderful opportunity to advance the well-being of America’s kids by incorporating the Convention into our legal system as many countries around the globe have done.
In the meantime, there are actions we can—and should—take to embrace the spirit of the Convention. In doing so, we have the potential to unequivocally improve the health and well-being of our young people:
First, we should take into consideration the best interests of all kids when making decisions—big and small. Article 3 of the Convention states just that! Just as parents do when making decisions for their families; we, as a country, need to consider what is best for kids when developing policies and implementing programs. Several countries around the world including Denmark, Portugal, and New Zealand attach “impact statements” to all national laws being considered so elected officials can clearly see whether their decisions are in kids’ best interests.
Next, we must recognize a set of universal childhood needs, including food, shelter, healthcare, and equitable educational opportunity—for all young people, as outlined in Articles 24, 27, and 28. In communities across the country, non-profit organizations and government have developed programs to address these needs, but few seem to scale, and organizations are challenged to develop long-term, sustainable funding for these efforts. Our child poverty rate today is almost the same as it was in 1960, despite proven strategies developed to address this issue. We need to embrace a collective social responsibility that allows all children access to the basic things they need to thrive and reach their full potential.
Third, we can create opportunities at local and state levels for young people to share their opinions on issues that affect them—and listen to their input as suggested in Article 12. As the U.N. notes, youth participation is essential to achieve sustainable development for all and young people can play a crucial role in positive change. Youth Parliaments in several European countries provide structured ways for this to happen. Hearing youth voices is important, but valuing what is heard is even more so.
Finally, we need to enhance governmental responsibility through the establishment and appointment of dedicated children’s commissioners at local, state, and national levels to promote and protect the well-being of our kids. In doing so, the overarching tenets of the Convention can be upheld: the provision and protection of children’s rights, the acknowledgement of parents as the main people responsible for bringing up a child, and the role of government in safeguarding child rights so kids thrive and succeed.
If we take these actions, things might look very different for our kids. As we celebrate Human Rights Day—and after all, kids are humans, too—ours can be a culture that truly prioritizes children and young people. What would that say about us?