The Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989

After a decade of negotiation that began with Poland's 1978 proposal, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1989, exactly thirty years after the 1959 Declaration. Unlike earlier declarations, the CRC is a binding treaty. Its 54 articles cover civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights for everyone under 18, including rights to a name and nationality, education, health care, play, protection from abuse and exploitation, and freedom of expression.

It entered into force on 2 September 1990, faster than any previous human rights treaty, and became the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. A committee of experts reviews states' progress through regular reports. The United States signed the Convention in 1995 but had not ratified it as of the mid-2020s; supporters argue ratification would strengthen protections, while opponents have raised concerns about national sovereignty and parental rights. The CRC marked the full recognition of children as rights-holders.