Petition to Protect Rights of Children

It is time for the U.S. to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Drawing by Gilbert G. Groud

Urge President Obama to send the Con­ven­tion on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to the United States Senate for ratification.

The CRC sets the standard for children’s welfare around the world. The United States played a major role in drafting the CRC. However, the United States and Soma­lia are the only countries that have not rat­i­fied the Con­ven­tion on the Rights of the Child. The United States signed the con­ven­tion in 1995, indi­cat­ing its sup­port and its inten­tion to pur­sue rat­i­fi­ca­tion, but that rat­i­fi­ca­tion has not occurred. Now is the time!

The U.S. Campaign on the CRC invites people committed to the welfare of children to participate in a petition campaign asking President Obama to send the CRC to the Senate.

Because we affirm that all children are a gift of God, created by God and created good, Presbyterians—and Christians of all backgrounds—have a strong tradition of concern and action for the rights and needs of children. We have expressed this in a variety of ministries and in advocacy in the public arena. This includes calling the United States Senate to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Why should the United States rat­ify the CRC?
Around the world, the CRC serves as an impor­tant tool to pro­mote pro­tec­tions and rights for all chil­dren, par­tic­u­larly those who are made vul­ner­a­ble and mar­gin­al­ized. The fail­ure of the United States to rat­ify the CRC under­mines our inter­na­tional lead­er­ship role on behalf of children.

Rat­i­fy­ing the CRC will reaf­firm the his­toric com­mit­ment of the United States to the wel­fare of chil­dren around the world and in our coun­try. It will pro­vide a way to assess laws, poli­cies, and prac­tices in rela­tion to children’s rights and well­be­ing in the United States. It will allow the United States to have a more effec­tive voice in inter­na­tional orga­ni­za­tions and con­ver­sa­tions that address children’s rights.

The 202nd General Assembly (1990) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) called the United States to “take the action necessary for ratification of the convention in a thorough and timely manner.” Almost twenty-two years have passed since Presbyterians issued that call. It is time!

Then lit­tle chil­dren were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The dis­ci­ples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the lit­tle chil­dren come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the king­dom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Matthew 19: 13–15

Read more about the Convention and the Red Hands Campaign!

The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations represents the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the United Nations. Staff members help inspire, equip and connect Presbyterians for ministry as faithful disciples of Jesus in the global community. The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations helps Presbyterians witness to the nations of the world, in the name of Jesus Christ, based on the policies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assemblies to the United Nations. Mark Koenig is the Director of the Presbyterian Ministry at the UN.