Declaration of the Rights of the Child

adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Nov. 20, 1959. The need for the special protection of the rights of the child was first stated in the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1924). The declaration adopted by the United Nations proclaims the equal rights of the child in regard to upbringing, education, security, and physical and mental development without distinction or discrimination on account of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. The declaration calls upon parents, voluntary organizations, and national governments to recognize the rights of the child and strive for their observance by legislative and other measures. In many states, including all the socialist states, the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child are secured by the constitution and documents of various state and public organizations.