Rights are special rules that make sure everyone has the things they need to live a happy, healthy, and fair life.
All people, including children and young people, have rights. However, children and young people under the age of 18 have extra rights because they need more protection than adults.
These additional rights for children and young people are listed in an international agreement called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
If you’re under 18, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (sometimes called the UNCRC) is about YOU!
It is an international agreement, which the Australian Government and many other countries have signed. It lists and describes the promises that your government has made to protect your rights.
It says that children and young people in Australia have rights. The UNCRC is made up of 54 ‘articles’ (separate points). Forty-two of these articles are rights for children and young people up to 18 years of age. The other points explain how governments and adults should work together to make sure children and young people, including you, can access their rights. Check out ‘What are my rights’, below, to find out more about your rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child – there’s a handy video and poster too!
Many of your human rights are listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Some of these rights include:
- The right to have a voice in decisions that affect you
- The right not to be discriminated against
- The right to food, clothing and a safe home
- The right to education
- The right to free speech
- The right to relax, play and have fun!
The Youth Law Australia website provides information about the laws as they apply to you as a child or young person – for example, cyberbullying, your rights at work, getting arrested and when you can leave home.
Click the website link below, then select Tasmania from the drop-down list to find out more about your rights under Tasmanian law.
Youth Law Australia | Legal Services For All Young People (yla.org.au)