The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) details the full list of rights for children and young people under the age of 18. Ireland committed to promote children’s rights when it signed up to the Convention in 1992. You can read our plain-English guide to children’s rights called Know Your Rights.

The UNCRC includes four articles that are given special emphasis. These are also known as ‘general principles’. These rights are the bedrock for securing the additional rights in the UN Convention.

  1. All the rights guaranteed by the UNCRC must be available to all children without discrimination of any kind.
  2. The best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children.
  3. Every child has the right to life, survival and development.
  4. The child’s view must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting them.

Read More About the Convention on the Rights of the Child:

Full text of the UNCRC – in English or Irish
Summary of the UNCRC information Sheet
Q&A on the UNCRC information Sheet

Find out more about how Ireland’s progress on protecting and promoting these rights is monitored by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child here.