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Lumos Observed Universal Children's Day

21 November 2011

Yesterday (20 November) was Universal Children's Day, an annual celebration of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, the worldwide standard for defending and promoting children's rights.

Universal Children's Day is marked around the world annually, to promote and action the welfare of the world's children. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a human rights treaty agreed by the UN in September 1989. It gives children and young people (aged 17 and under) all over the world 41 major rights.

Lumos is committed to protecting and promoting children's rights and helping children understand their own rights. Georgette Mulheir, Chief Executive of Lumos, said: "The rights of the children and young people Lumos works with are enshrined in various pieces of important legislation - the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the UN Convention on Human Rights.

"Universal Children's Day is a chance to reflect on what has been achieved and to look ahead to what still needs to be done. What is now important is to ensure that the countries who have ratified the convention are doing all they can to meet the articles within it, and to ensure that countries who haven't ratified the convention do so."

At Lumos, we are committed to helping Governments meet the 41 articles of the UN's Convention of the Rights of the Child. The articles most relevant to our work say that:

All children have the right to a legally registered name, and nationality. Also the right to know and, as far as possible, to be cared for by their parents.

Children should not be separated from their parents unless it is for their own good.

Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them.

Children who cannot be looked after by their own family must be looked after properly, by people who respect their religion, culture and language.

Children who have any kind of disability should have special care and support, so that they can lead full and independent lives.

Georgette Mulheir added: "In the last year alone we have made huge strides forward towards our goal of ending the deinstitutionalisation of children. However, much more still needs to be done if we are to ensure that by the year 2030 no child in Europe is living in large residential institutions that cannot meet their needs.

"The institutionalisation of children is the one form of child abuse that can be eradicated during our lifetime and, with your help, we can ensure that this goal becomes a reality."