Progress made in drafting convention on right of child.

The Working Group on a draft convention on the rights of the child adopted a number of articles during 12 meetings from 28 January to 8 March, according to a report of the Group (E/CN.4/1985/L.1) that was reviewed by the Commission on Human Rights during its 1985 annual session, held at Geneva from 4 February to 15 March. The Group had adopted a number of other articles of the draft convention earlier. (For details of some of those articles, see UN Chronicle 1984, No. 5.)

The Commission has been engaged in the drafting of a convention on the rights of the child since 1978 with a view to concluding a universal instrument containing binding obligations upon States.

During the Group's meetings, the report stated, representatives of States had proposed draft articles and amendments which had not been discussed by it for lack of time. The Group is expected to meet for a week before the Commission's 1986 session to try to complete its task.

The Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations on 20 November 1959. According to it, "the child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity."

According to one of the articles adopted by the Group in 1985, the States Parties to the convention recognized the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to medical and rehabilitation facilities. The States Parties would strive to ensure that no child was deprived for financial reasons of his right of access to such health care services.

Another article said the States Parties recognized the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. The parent or parents of the child, or others responsible for the child, had the primary responsiblity to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities, the conditions of living necessary for the child's development. The States Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, would take appropriate measures to assist parents and...