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Consider the following statements about the Convention on the Rights of the Child : 1. This is an international treaty which recognizes the human rights of children up to the age of 14 years. 2. It constitutes a common reference against which progress in meeting human right standards for children can be assessed and results compared. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect because the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines a child as any human being below the age of 18 years, not 14 years [1]. While some national laws may recognize an earlier age of majority, the treaty's primary scope extends to 18 to provide maximum protection [1]. Statement 2 is correct as the Convention serves as a universal reference and a common benchmark against which progress in meeting human rights standards for children is assessed globally. It is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty, establishing a framework for governments to be held accountable for children's civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights [2]. The monitoring body, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, uses these standards to compare results and encourage legislative improvements across member states.
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 60: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights > ESTABLISHMENT > p. 484
- [2] https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/children