Convention on the Rights of the Child

Convention on the Rights of the Child

Parties to the convention   Only signed, but not ratified   Non-signatory
Signed	20 November 1989
Location	New York City
Effective	2 September 1990
Condition	20 ratifications
Signatories	140
Parties	196(all eligible states except the United States)
Depositary	UN Secretary-General
Languages	Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
at

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC, CROC, or UNCRC) is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Convention defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen, unless the age of majority is attained earlier under national legislation.

Nations that ratify this convention are bound to it by international law. Compliance is monitored by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is composed of members from countries around the world. Once a year, the Committee submits a report to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which also hears a statement from the CRC Chair, and the Assembly adopts a Resolution on the Rights of the Child.

Governments of countries that have ratified the Convention are required to report to, and appear before, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child periodically to be examined on their progress with regards to the advancement of the implementation of the Convention and the status of child rights in their country. Their reports and the committee's written views and concerns are available on the committee's website.

The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention and opened it for signature on 20 November 1989 (the 30th anniversary of its Declaration of the Rights of the Child). It came into force on 2 September 1990, after it was ratified by the required number of nations. Currently, 196 countries are party to it, including every member of the United Nations except the United States.

Two were adopted on 25 May 2000. The restricts the involvement of children in military conflicts, and the prohibits the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Both protocols have been ratified by more than 160 states.

A third relating to communication of complaints was adopted in December 2011 and opened for signature on 28 February 2012. It came into effect on 14 April 2014.