Children’s Human Rights – Amnesty International

GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION

Knowledge is key.

Article 42 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child asks governments to ‘… undertake to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike’.

To support Article 42, Amnesty International, Angelina Jolie and Professor Geraldine Van Bueren QC (one of the original drafters of the UNCRC) have written a book for teenagers: Know Your Rights and Claim Them. It explains child rights, shows the reality of what happens when they are denied, highlights the powerful work of young activists, and provides tools for young readers to navigate the law, take action and claim their rights.

The book was first published in September 2021, and is available in multiple language versions including Danish, English (UK and USA), German, Korean, Greek, Italian, Romanian, Turkish, Albanian and Polish, with more expected to follow. We hope the book will be published in all countries.

Amnesty International has also created a book for younger children aged 8 and up, These Rights Are Your Rights, which launches in English in the UK, Australia and New Zealand on 5 September 2024, followed by additional language editions to come. Lighter in tone and illustrated throughout, it balances factual content and jokes that appeal to younger readers with inspiring real-life stories and safeguarding tips on staying safe and well. 

Amnesty International has also created an introductory online child rights course, for young people and adults. It is free, takes 90 minutes, and includes interviews with child activists, self-paced learning and ideas for taking action on children’s rights.