The rights of all children, including young children, are protected in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. On this page you will find resources and links to the rights of children.

About child rights

Download a short guidance note on child rights here.

South Africa

Bill of Rights (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa)

Africa

African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child (African Union)

The African Union (AU) has a special committee on children’s rights, it is called the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC). You will find more information on their website: https://www.acerwc.africa/en

• Country reports to the ACERWC
• Concluding observations of the ACERWC on South Africa’s implementation of the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child

United Nations

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure

The United Nations has a special committee on children’s rights, it is called United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC). You will find more information on their website: https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/crc

• Country reports to the UN-CRC
• Concluding observations of the UNCRC on South Africa’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols.

General Comments: The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child publishes from time to time General Comments where the Committee makes recommendations issue relating to children to which it believes governments from across the world, including South Africa, should devote more attention to. Below are links to two General Comments that pertains to or specifically includes young children:

• General Comment No. 7 (2005): Implementing child rights in early childhood
• General Comment No. 9 (2006): The rights of children with disabilities

There are many other General Comments available on the Committee’s website.