Appendix 2

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was passed unanimously by the U.N. General Assembly on 20th November 1989. It is binding on all those countries which agreed to ratify the Convention and all European member states are signatories.

The Convention, which consists of 54 Articles, is important for many reasons not least because it is an international Human Rights instrument which takes account of the wide range of beliefs, values and traditions of the world's population. (Nigel Caldwell - Defence for Children International).

Progress on implementing the Convention is being monitored by a Committee who received a national report from each States Party two years after ratification and will receive further reports from States Parties thereafter each five years. Key Principles of the Convention are:

1. That all the rights guaranteed by it must be available to all children without discrimination of any kind. (Article 2)

2. That the best interest of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children. (Article 3)

3. That children's views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting them. (Article 12)

The Convention throughout, promotes the child's right to family life (Articles 5,8,9,16,18,29,42) and also covers other issues that indicate a need for help and assistance to be given to children and young people who are affected by alcohol misuse:

4. Information and material aimed at the promotion of his/her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health. (Article 17)

5. Take measures to encourage regular attendance at school (Article 28.e)

6. Take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of any form of neglect, exploitation or abuse (Article 39).