News Do children with disabilities also have rights?

Children have rights; after all, they are human beings too. All human rights also apply to all children. It does not matter where you come from, what you look like, whether you are rich or poor or whether you have a disability. No distinction should be made about that. Human rights are unconditional and based on mutual respect. Actually, there is little difference between human and children’s rights.

But then why are there children’s rights? Children’s rights are important because children are still developing and in the process depend on care, love and attention from adults. Children’s rights are the minimum requirements that must be met in dealing with, and caring for children. It are agreements about how we should treat children. The agreements are about a child’s life at home, at school and beyond. About what parents should do and what the (national and local) government should take care of.

Article 23

Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that children with disabilities must be able to receive proper care and education. So that they can develop as well as possible (in the broadest sense of the word). They should also be able to live and participate in society as independently as possible, just like everyone else.

Like other children, children with disabilities are also free to think what they want and are also allowed to have their own opinions. The government in every country that has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child must ensure that children with disabilities can live as normal a life as possible. That means they have the right to live at home as much as possible and to attend a regular school in their neighborhood. Children with disabilities should have access to education without discrimination and on the basis of equality and equality.

Convention for people with disabilities

In addition to the Convention on Human and Children’s Rights, there is also a special convention that defines the rights of people with disabilities. The purpose of this treaty is to improve the position of people with disabilities. One of the articles in this special UN treaty states that children with disabilities have the right to inclusive regular education (Art. 24). Many countries are working on this, but there is still a long way to go!

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits discrimination against children. In addition, the UN Convention on Disability prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. One would say that children with disabilities are doubly protected, but unfortunately in practice this is not so.

Children with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities in society as everyone else. The biggest handicap for children with disabilities is not so much their disability itself, but the negative attitude of, and exclusion by, society. A more accessible society must be created for every child. Children with disabilities must be able to participate in society from an early age according to their own wishes and abilities. So it is up to everyone to ensure that these children can play together, go to school together and contribute together to a world where inclusiveness is the most normal thing in the world.