Question of a Convention on the Rights of the Child

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Question of a Convention on the Rights of the Child

Proposal submitted by the Baha'i International Community at the Pre-sessional open-ended Working Group on the Question of a Convention on the Rights of the Child, Forty-first session of the Commission on Human Rights

New York—25 January 1985

Revised Article 16

  1. In addition to academic education, the child shall be entitled to receive guidance training and education designed to promote his social, spiritual and moral development and well-being.
  2. The fundamental objectives of such guidance, training and education shall be:
    1. To promote the harmonious development of the personality of the child and the realization of his full potential;
    2. To protect the child by developing his ability to resist outside influences or pressures likely to lead him into lawlessness or delinquency, or into practices injurious to his physical or mental health or to his social, spiritual or moral well-being;
    3. To prepare the child to exercise the rights and undertake the responsibilities of adult life in a manner consistent both with his own well-being and with the well-being of others;
    4. To foster in the child a respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and an attitude of understanding, respect and friendship towards all people, regardless of race, sex, class, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief.
    5. To foster in the child an awareness of and a desire to promote the principles of universal peace and brotherhood proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations.
  3. The States Parties to the present Convention, bearing in mind that, in accordance with article 8, the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child rests with his parents or guardians, shall use their best efforts to:
    1. Raise the level of public awareness of the importance of the social, spiritual and moral education of the child, particularly during his early years;
    2. Promote recognition and understanding by all those concerned with the upbringing of the child, most particularly his parents or guardians of their indispensable role. and the primary importance of their example, in the social, spiritual and moral development of the child;
    3. Encourage schools to develop guidelines and courses of instruction designed to foster the social, spiritual and moral development of the child.

 

UN Document #E/CN.4/1985/WG.1/WP2