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Freedom of association: the right granted by the law to form associations.
An association is "an organization of people having a common interest" (Longmans Dictionary).
What does the Children's Convention say?
Article 15 says that children have a right to meet with others, and to join or form associations as long as this does not affect the rights of others.
Information: "the communication or reception of facts or ideas" (Longmans Dictionary).
What does the Children's Convention say?
Article 17 of the Children's Convention says that the child has the right to seek, receive and pass on information about what is happening in the world.
"Driving licence" for the Internet
One of the quickest ways of looking for information today is the Internet, which is a huge network of computers where you can search for and send information all over the world. Those who have access to the Internet have access to information on everything imaginable. They can also pass on information themselves, for example by sending electronic mail (e-mail). Denmark is one of the countries in the world where development has been fast. Many families have home computers and access to the Internet. So compared with many other children in the world Danish children have more opportunities to get information about things they want to know more about. For only the richest people in the world can pay to be on the Net – for example it costs money to buy a computer, to get access to the Internet over the telephone network, and to pay for electricity for the computer. And then only those who have learned to read (and to read English!) can get information on the Internet. What does it mean to say that some people have a "driving licence" for some information – for example the Internet, newspapers or books – while others don't?
Opinion: a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter (Longmans Dictionary)
What does the Children's Convention say?
The child has the right to express his or her opinion freely and to have that opinion taken into account in any matter or procedure affecting the child (Article 12). The child has the right to express his or her views, obtain information, make ideas or information known, regardless of frontiers (Article 13). These are only two out of several articles in the Children's Convention which say that children have a right to have an opinion and influence things that are important to their lives (see also Freedom of expression).
"I think it's a bit odd that children from the age of 13 aren't allowed to vote. After all, we children have to grow up with the things people vote for, wouldn't you agree? Now you'll probably ask whether we have so much experience and I'm willing to admit that we don't; but then why can't we learn something about it in school? ...", Ursula, aged 11 (from Sæt ord på dit liv (Put your life into words), Children's Council, 1996, where children write about their wishes, opinions and dreams to the Minister of Social Affairs).
Privacy: freedom from undesirable intrusions (Longmans Dictionary)
What does the Children's Convention say?
Children have the right to privacy (Article 16).
"Children must be able to play without interference from adults"
"I'd like to tell you how I think things should be for children. I think children should be well treated. They shouldn't be kept out of everything. Children must be able to enjoy life – be with their parents and friends, get around in the world, have an enjoyable time at the beach, play with friends every day. Children must be able to play without interference from the adults". Ina, aged 8 (from Sæt ord på dit liv (Put your life into words), Children's Council, 1996, where children write about their wishes, opinions and dreams to the Minister of Social Affairs).
From the book Børnerets Leksikon (Dictionary of Children's Rights), by Bettina Gram, UNICEF Denmark and Red Barnet 1997.
Facts about refugee children
What is a refugee?
"one who flees for safety, especially to a foreign country to escape danger or avoid political, religious, or racial persecution" (Longmans Dictionary).
What does the Children's Convention say?
Every country that ratifies the Children's Convention must ensure that refugee children are well treated, and the countries must cooperate with organizations in this, says Article 22 of the Children's Convention.
The Convention also says that every child has the right to a name and a country from the time he or she is born, and that the countries must respect this (Articles 7 and 8). A child also has the right to be reunited with his or her parents, no matter what country they live in (Article 10), and children must be protected from war (Article 38).
How many refugee children are there in the world?
Children make up over half of all the world's refugees. There are 7.4 million children under the age of 18 who live as refugees – away from their homes, their countries and sometimes also from their families. The large number of child refugees is about 1½ times as many people as live in Denmark. The largest number of child refugees come from Afghanistan, from which 2.7 million children and adults have fled because of war.
How many refugee children are there in Denmark?
Each year an average of 1000 children come to Denmark as refugees. Most of them come with their parents, while a smaller number have travelled alone.
Refugee without your mother or father Unaccompanied refugee children can be given permission to live in Denmark according to a special rule in the law about foreigners. But unaccompanied children do not have the right to bring their parents and the rest of their family here. If the parents come to Denmark, the children are no longer considered to be unaccompanied, and their "case" is treated together with that of their parents. If the parents are granted asylum they all stay in Denmark; if they are refused, they are all sent home.
Sources: UNICEF Denmark and the Danish Refugee Council.
See also: Case 5
See also: Case 10
See also: Case 15
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