The agreements and political declarations of intent of the international community are vital to GIZ’s work with children and youth. An overview of the most important agreements is provided here.

International conventions

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

The core principles of the Convention are consideration of the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development, respect for the views of the child, and non-discrimination. 190 of the 192 UN member states have ratified the Convention. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is charged with monitoring their implementation of the Convention.

In 2000 the Convention was extended to include two Optional Protocols. The first refers to the involvement of children in armed conflict and establishes 18 as the minimum age for recruitment. The second provides legal protection for children from trafficking, prostitution and pornography and obliges the signatory states to implement preventive and rehabilitation measures.

African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1999), African Youth Charter (2006)

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is strongly aligned with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Unlike the Convention it makes no reference to social protection, but on the other hand it includes a number of additional provisions such as a ban on harmful cultural practices. The African Youth Charter extends children's rights to include adolescents. It is still at the ratification stage.

Ibero-American Youth Convention (2008)

The Convention is aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet places more emphasis on the right to participation and includes some additional rights such as the right to start a family. It is still at the ratification stage.

International political declarations

World Youth Action Programme

The Programme was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1995 and supplemented in 2005.   It defines 15  youth promotion priorities in three different fields: Youth in the global economy, youth in civil society, and youth welfare. The Programme also recommends a number of measures that the member states have pledged to implement not just on behalf of, but together with the intended beneficiaries.

Additional major declarations were adopted at the two World Summits for Children in 1990 and 2002.

Further Information

• Get Youth on Board! - International Commitments
  en-get-youth-on-board-international-commitments.2008.pdf, 0.62 MB (englisch)