United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted in 1989 to set out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted to succeed the 1924 Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the League of Nations. The UNCRC standardizes international law by determining the basic rights of children and parents, protection from abuses, parental responsibilities, and legal representation, among others. In addition, the Convention creates the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which monitors national compliance with the UNCRC. All United Nations Member States are party to the UNCRC excepting the United States which has signed but not ratified the Convention.

Notably, the UNCRC expressly forbids the use of capital punishment upon minors and by extension those who commit crimes while minors.

The treaty has one Amendment raising the membership of the CRC from 10 to 18 officers as well as three Optional Protocols:

1. Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OP-AC)
2. Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (OP-SC)
3. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure