Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 1989 and entered into force on September 20, 1990. At the World Summit for Children, held that same year, government representatives from all over the world expressed their commitment to the Convention.
The Convention defines children as persons under the age of 18. It identifies essential standards for protecting children worldwide, and underscores the worth of children and the importance of their well-being. The four guiding principles on which the Convention is based are the right to survival and development, nondiscrimination, the best interests of the child, and respect for the views of the child.