Summary of an Act
World Legislative Act #27
Statute on the Rights of the Child
Short title:
Child Rights
Adopts this Statute on the Rights of the Child
Part 1
Article 1. Defines «child». Defines «custodian». Assigns custodian accountability to Statute.
Article 2. Assigns custodian responsibility.
Article 3. Proclaims best interests of child as primary consideration
Article 4. Directs custodians to undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the protection and implementation of recognized rights
Article 5. Directs custodians to respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents or, where applicable, the members of the extended family.
Article 6. Proclaims every child to have inherent right to life. Directs custodians to ensure child survival and development.
Article 7. Requires primary custodian to register birth and to name child.
Article 8. Protects child identity.
Article 9. Requires custodians to keep child with family, unless competent authorities determine this to be against child interest. Requires custodians to notify family if separation occurs.
Article 10. Recognizes right to family reunification and child right to change residence anywhere in world.
Article 11. Prohibits illicit transfer and non-return of children abroad. Criminalizes child slavery (class 5 felony) and child prostitution (consummated, class 7 felony).
Article 12. Guarantees freedom of expression and freedom to hearing.
Article 13. Defines further child freedom of expression.
Article 14. Guarantees child right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Article 15. Guarantees child right to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly.
Article 16. Protects child privacy.
Article 17. Encourages wholesome media worldwide.
Article 18. Recognizes responsibility of both parents. Requires world federal assistance, if necessary.
Article 19. Directs Earth Federation and States Parties to provide child protection.
Article 20. Entitles child to special protection and assistance provided by Earth Federation or child’s national state. Permits foster care, kafalah or adoption.
Article 21. Requires permit of competent placement authority if special protection and assistance is necessary.
Article 22. Protects refugee child or internationally lost child.
Article 23. Protects mentally or physically disabled child.
Article 24. Recognizes child right to health care, preventative care, and also pre-natal and post-natal health care for mothers.
Article 25. Recognizes right to periodic review of treatment.
Article 26. Recognizes child right to regulated social security benefits.
Article 27. Recognizes right to adequate living standard.
Article 28. Recognizes right to education. Requires at least minimum standards in education. Includes supportive provisions for both public and private schools, to include home schooling programs.
Article 29. Defines principles of basic education standards.
Article 30. Protects child’s maintenance of own culture, religion, and language.
Article 31. Recognizes child right to rest and leisure. participation in child’s cultural and artistic life, and recreational activity.
Article 32. Recognizes right of protection from economic exploitation.
Article 33. Prohibits administering or supplying narcotic drug or psychotropic substance to child (class 4 felony). Prohibits use of children in production and trafficking of illicit substances. (class 3 felony).
Article 34. Directs Earth Federation and States Parties to take measures to prevent sexual abuse. Prohibits coercion, inducement or exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices (class 7 felony). Prohibits child pornography (class 6 felony).
Article 35. Prohibits abduction of, sale of or traffic in children (class 4 felony).
Article 36. Directs Earth Federation and States Parties to otherwise protect child.
Article 37. Recognizes prohibitions of penal code as applicable to children. Prohibits child torture (class 7 felony). Prohibits cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment (class 5 felony). Prohibits genital mutilation. Prohibits capital punishment and life imprisonment without possibility of release (execution: class 7 felony). Requires conformity to law in child arrest, detention or imprisonment. Directs Earth Federation and States Parties to separate incarcerated children from incarcerated adults. Guarantees right to prompt legal assistance.
Article 38. Guarantees rights in case of armed conflicts. Sets recruitment age limits for the transitional national militaries and for the Enforcement System. Prohibits conscription (resulting in child death or permanent injury - class 4 felony; no permanent injury – class 3 felony).
Article 39. Requires measures for recovery and reintegration.
Article 40. Recognizes child legal rights if alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having infringed penal law.
Article 41. Recognizes jurisdiction of respective most conducive legal provision.
Article 42. This Statute recognizes the right of children and right of future generations of children, to inherit a safe and healthy ecology.
[Editor’s Note: Original Articles 42 through 45 have been re-numbered Articles 43 through 46, to accommodate the addition of new Article 42. Old Articles 46 through 48 were stricken as unconstitutional. Hence the change of enumeration from the original 1989 UN General Assembly statute in following articles.]
Part 2
Article 43. Proclaims undertaking to disseminate Statute to adults and children worldwide.
Article 44. Recognizes Committee on the Rights of the Child. Defines Committee formation.
Article 45. Defines Committee work and report timetables.
Article 46. Defines and permits Committee function. Integrates Committee between United Nations and Earth Federation agencies.
(Strikes original Article 46 from the Statute, as unconstitutional).
Article 47. Reserved (Strikes original Article 47 from the Statute, as unconstitutional).
Article 48. Reserved (Strikes original Article 48 from the Statute, as unconstitutional).
Part 3
Article 49. Declares Statute as reconstitution, integration and adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Article 50. Defines amendment process.
Article 51. Reserved (Strikes Article 51 from the Statute, as unconstitutional).
Article 52. Reserved (Strikes Article 52 from the Statute, as unconstitutional).
Article 53. Assigns World Problems Institute as repository.
Article 54. Directs World Problems Institute to translate.
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The Statute on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the Eighth Session of the Provisional World Parliament, convened in conformance with the Constitution for the Federation of Earth in August 2004, at City Montessori School, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Attested:
Eugenia Almand, Secretary
Provisional World Parliament