The rights of children in Russia and the Convention on the Rights of the Child

The rights of children are no less important and binding than the rights of adults. Even more important, since children need special protection of the state and the international community. It is most difficult for children to protect their rights themselves, therefore, international practice pays so much attention to legislation on the protection of their basic individual rights.

The protection of children in the Russian Federation is subject to the basic provisions developed by the United Nations.

The rights of the child in Russia are regulated by such legislative documents as:

• The Family Code of the Russian Federation;
• The Constitution of the Russian Federation;
• Legislation of the Russian Federation on the protection of public health;
• The Law on Basic Guarantees of the Rights of the Child in the Russian Federation;
• Federal Law on Education;
• Law on additional guarantees for the protection of orphans and children left without parents;
• Law on the Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in the Russian Federation.

The fundamental international instrument for the protection of children is the Convention on the Rights of the Child . It was adopted on November 20, 1989 by countries headed by the United Nations. Entered into force on September 2, 1990, after it was ratified by 20 states. Among them was the USSR. After joining the Convention, it received the status of law in the territory of the former USSR, and now in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Convention consists of 54 articles that detail the individual rights of children. The term "child" The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines as "a person under the age of eighteen". According to this document, all children have the right to develop their abilities, freedom from hunger and want, as well as cruelty and other forms of abuse.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child links the opportunities of children with all the rights and obligations of parents or persons responsible for them. On this basis, children can participate in decision-making that can affect their present and future.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrines the following rights for children :

• Have a family;
• For protection by the state in cases of absence of a permanent or temporary protection from the parents;
• On equality;
• Protection from violence;
• On health care and health care;
• Study and attend school;
• Freedom of thought and speech;
• To the name and citizenship;
• To receive information;
• On rest and leisure;
• To help the state with special needs (for example, disability).

Rights of minor children in the Russian Federation

Children under the Family Code of the Russian Federation are all persons under 18 years of age. The fact that a person who has not reached the age of majority is fully capable in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation does not affect the possibility of considering this person as a child.

Chapter 11 of the Family Code establishes the following basic rights for children:

• The right to live and be brought up in the family;
• The right to protect legitimate rights and interests;
• The right to communicate with parents and relatives;
• The right to a name, patronymic and surname;
• The right to express an opinion;
• Property rights, including the rights of the owner.

The duties of children in the family are not legally defined. They are established only by the norms of morality, the law can not force a child to fulfill any duties in the family.
The protection of children's rights in Russia is now organized by the Children's Rights Ombudspersons, which exist in 20 regions of Russia. The most notorious case for the protection of the rights of the child, in whose permission the commissioners were involved, was the proceedings between the spouses Christina Orbakaite and Ruslan Baisarov. This case became loud because of the popularity of the people involved in it. However, there are many such disputes in the country. Today they have someone to decide.

The Ombudsmen for Children's Rights solve problems that arise from cases of domestic violence, child crime, drug addiction, homelessness and other non-child problems.